Make a paper diya for Diwali
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    Blue Peter - Make a paper diya for Diwali

    Celebrate Diwali this year by making your own paper diya wall hanging, which is sure to bring light and warmth into your home this Diwali 🪔. A diya a traditional oil lamp made from clay, and used to decorate and brighten homes, shops and public places during Diwali.

    You will need

    • Coloured card, paper or an old magazine or newspaper
    • Scissors
    • Glue stick or PVA
    • Sticky tape
    • String (we used jute rope)
    • A round object to draw around (we used a ramekin)

    Step one:
    Choose two colours of paper or card. One colour will be your lamp base and the other will be your flame. We suggest using bright colours and patterns. Alternatively, you could recycle any unwanted magazines, newspapers or even books and turn them into beautiful diyas! If you would like to see one we made earlier click here.

    Step two:
    Using a round object draw two circles with a pencil onto the card that will become the base of your diya. Grab a grown-up and with their help, carefully cut out your two card circles.

    Step three:
    Fold your circles in half, creating semi-circles. With the help of a grown-up cut along the halfway fold, creating four semi-circles.

    Step four:
    Now fold all four of your semi-circles in half. To create a neat fold, you can use the corner of your thumb or the edge of a clean pen or pencil.

    Step five:
    With either a glue stick or with PVA, stick the edges of the quarter semi-circles together. Make sure to leave one of your semi-circles unglued.

    Step six:
    Cut a length of rope or string and tape it onto the uncompleted edge of diya base. Now glue the remaining semi-circle to your diya base, covering the tape. Your diya base is now complete!

    Step seven:
    With the help of a grown-up, cut a 5cm wide strip out of your second card colour. This will make the flame.

    Step eight:
    As neatly as possible fold one end of your strip of card on itself about 2cm. Repeat this fold eight times creating a paper zig-zag .

    Step nine:
    With the help of a grown-up, cut every other fold creating four 'V' shapes.

    Step ten:
    Pinch all four 'V' shapes together, making sure that you are holding the folded edge. With the help of a grown-up cut the unfolded edge into a half flame shame.

    Step eleven:
    Similar to the diya base, glue the folded edges together leaving one flame shape unglued.

    Step twelve:
    Tape the unglued exposed side onto your rope or string, just above your diya base. Now glue the remaining flame shape to cover the tape.

    Step thirteen:
    Hurray, you have made your first diya! If you want to, with the help of a grown-up you can neaten your diya with a pair of scissors.

    To transform your singular diya into a diya wall hanging you will need to repeat the previous steps and attach your diyas evenly up your piece of string or rope.

    Top Tips:

    ✨ You could use ribbons or beads to decorate your diyas.

    ✨ Old magazines or newspapers make beautiful and super-green, eco diyas too!

    ✨ You could add some biodegradable glitter to the flame to create a sparkle effect.

    ✨ A string of lights really brings it all together!

    Did you make a paper diya for Diwali?

    Send us your photos and videos, we would love to see them!

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