🪔 Diwali Poetry for KS2: Festivals of Light in Verse ✍️✨
🌟 Why Teach Diwali Poetry in KS2?
Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is one of the most important festivals in Hinduism, celebrated by millions around the world. For KS2 pupils, writing poetry about Diwali is a fantastic way to:
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Learn about different cultures and traditions 🌍
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Explore themes of light, hope, and togetherness ✨
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Create poems that can be performed in assemblies or displayed in class 🎤
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Make cross-curricular links with RE, art, and PSHE 🖌️
🔗 Related: Poetry in RE Lessons KS2 • Performance Poetry KS2
📝 Example Diwali Poems
1. Acrostic (LIGHT)
Lamps shining bright,
Illuminating homes,
Gifts and gatherings,
Happiness everywhere,
Together we celebrate.
2. Haiku
Tiny oil lamps glow,
Darkness chased by golden light,
Joy spreads everywhere.
3. Free Verse
Crackling fireworks,
sweet smells of spice,
families gather
to tell the stories of Rama and Sita,
light winning over darkness.
4. List Poem
I see…
The flicker of diyas,
The colours of rangoli,
The sparkle of fireworks,
The smiles of family,
The warmth of light.
🔗 Related: Haiku Poems KS2 • List Poems KS2 • Free Verse KS2
🎉 Diwali Poetry Activities for KS2
💡 Diyas Shape Poems
Children write poems in the shape of a diya (oil lamp). Add colour and display them around the classroom.
🔗 Related: Shape Poems KS2
💡 Rangoli Word Patterns
Use rangoli designs as inspiration — fill patterns with bright words, rhymes, and similes.
💡 Story Poems of Rama & Sita
Turn the Diwali story into narrative poems. Groups can act them out.
💡 Celebration Poems
Pupils write about their own family celebrations (birthdays, Eid, Christmas, etc.), then link to the idea of light and joy.
💡 Assembly Performance
Children perform their Diwali poems with percussion (drums, bells, claps) to create atmosphere.
👩🏫 Teacher Tips
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Give a short background on Diwali before writing (story of Rama & Sita, festival traditions).
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Provide a bank of words: light, glow, lantern, sparkle, family, sweets, fireworks, colour.
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Encourage both reflective and celebratory tones.
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Combine poetry with art — poems + rangoli, lanterns, or posters.
🔗 Related: Cross-Curricular Poetry KS2 • Creative Writing Starters KS2
🌟 Final Thought
Diwali poetry KS2 activities help children explore themes of light, hope, and togetherness in fun and creative ways. Whether through acrostics, haikus, or performance poems, pupils can bring this festival to life in their own words.
👉 Want to bring festivals into your literacy curriculum? My Poetry Days in schools include creative writing workshops linked to RE and cross-curricular themes — a perfect way to celebrate diversity through poetry.
