Rangoli Art for Preschoolers: Shape & Colour Play (without colour powder)
- Vidya S.
- Sep 22
- 4 min read
Rangoli making is an integral part of Indian festivals. It’s a traditional Indian art form that involves drawing floral, geometric and other patterns on the floor using colours, flowers, rice, or sand.
From Assam in the East to Rajasthan in the West and from Delhi in the North to Kerala in the South, every state, every region in this country has its own variation of rangoli.
For small kids, learning through games and different activities is so much of fun! Colours, patterns and shapes help boost their imaginative and creative abilities. If you are a parent of a preschooler, rangoli-making is something you must introduce your child to. It will not only help boost their creative faculties but also introduce them to their Indian roots.
How Can Rangoli Art Help Your Child?
Rangoli Art can teach a whole range of things to your child, from colour recognition to shapes.
It helps the child remember colours such as blue, yellow, green, red easily. No extra effort is required.
The child learns about shapes such as circle, triangle and rectangle.
When the child tries to create different patterns, it boosts their creativity.
Filling different shapes with colours and creating various patterns increases their focus and concentration.
Last but not the least, the child learns about their Indian roots, different cultures and customs.
Materials Needed for Kids’ Rangoli-Making Activity
Non-toxic colours or crayons
Flower petals—like rose, marigold or any seasonal flower available in your locality
Grains like rice, lentils, or seeds—these are safe for kids
Coloured paper and stickers- you can either purchase these from any local store or even use colourful papers from magazines or newspapers.
Easy Rangoli Art Activity Ideas for Preschoolers
Here are some fun-filled rangoli making ideas for your kids. To make them even more interesting, invite your kid’s friends or other children from the neighbourhood and let them enjoy the activity!
1. Dot-to-Dot Rangoli (Connecting the Dots)
Kids can join dots on paper to create simple patterns. It helps with hand–eye coordination.
How to do it: Draw a few dots on a piece of paper in simple patterns and let your child connect the dots.
2. Shape Rangoli
Use circles, squares, and triangles to make colourful patterns. This teaches shape recognition.
How to do it: Let your kid draw just a simple geometric shape on the floor such as a triangle, a circle or a star and let them fill colours inside it. You can use paper cut-outs of shapes too.
3. Flower Petal Rangoli
This is something that every child will enjoy! Take off the petals of different coloured flowers and put them in different baskets. Now hand these over to your kid and let their imagination go wild. You never know what kids may come up with!
For smaller kids, you can use an outline. Give kids marigold or rose petals to place inside an outline. Flower rangoli is safe and eco-friendly!
4. Rangoli from Paper Cuttings
Take coloured papers of different shapes and ask your kids to arrange the cuttings in different patterns.
5. Worksheet Rangoli
Give the child a rangoli worksheet or stencil and ask them to fill it with different colours.
Download a FREE Rangoli Art for Preschoolers Stencil Worksheet now!
6. Rangoli with Grains
With just white rice and naturally colourful lentils (dals), or using coloured rice (colour with safe food colour), you can help your child make some beautiful rangoli designs.
Some Tips for Teaching Your Preschooler the Art of Rangoli Making
Start with very simple designs.
Let kids experiment on their own. Don’t correct too much.
Try it as a group activity so they also learn teamwork.
Keep it fun. Never put pressure on them.
Safety and Clean-up Tips When Your Children Are Immersed in the Art
To ensure that the activity remains safe and free from all mess, here are a few tips you should follow:
Avoid very fine powder colours as they can go in the eyes or throat, causing irritation or other complications. It’s best to use rice flour or powder made from other edible items such as lentils.
Use a tray or mat so it doesn’t get too messy.
Be there to supervise your munchkins while they are engrossed in the rangoli activity.
To bring it all together, creating colourful rangolis from paper bits, flowers, and grains can be full of fun for your kids and his/her friends, especially when the festive season is round the corner. It teaches them patience, focus, and creativity—all at the same time. So, the next time you’re looking for a fun activity for your little one, let them try making a rangoli.
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