Makar Sankranti is one of India’s most joyful and meaningful festivals, marking the transition of the Sun into Capricorn (Makara Rashi) and the shift toward warmer, longer days. Unlike many other Indian festivals that follow the lunar calendar, Sankranti is based on the solar cycle, which is why it almost always falls on January 14th (occasionally the 15th).
For children, Sankranti is a beautiful opportunity to learn about:
- Seasons & agriculture
- The Sun’s movement
- Cultural diversity
- Folk traditions & music
- Food made from harvest crops
- Community bonding & gratitude
Let’s help kids understand this festival through simple language, creative crafts, and meaningful customs.
🌞 How to Explain Makar Sankranti to Children
You can say:
“Sankranti is a harvest festival that celebrates the Sun giving more warmth and light. Farmers thank nature for crops like rice, sugarcane, wheat and sesame. It marks new beginnings, new energy, and the arrival of spring.”
Children relate better when ideas connect to nature, daily life & food — and this festival is perfect to explore those themes.
🗓️ When is Makar Sankranti 2025?
📅 Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Teach kids that dates remain almost fixed each year — a great early astronomy lesson!
🌌 Why is Sankranti Celebrated?
Key points for kids:
- Sun begins its northward journey — Uttarayana
- Start of spring energy & new beginnings
- Harvest season — time to thank farmers & nature
- Symbol of letting go of old things & welcoming positivity
🌍 Different Names of Sankranti Across India
| Region | Festival Name |
| Punjab | Lohri |
| Gujarat | Uttarayan |
| Tamil Nadu | Pongal |
| Andhra Pradesh & Telangana | Pedda Panduga / Sankranti |
| Assam | Bihu |
| Bengal | Poush Sankranti |
| Uttar Pradesh | Khichdi |
| Himachal Pradesh | Magha Saaji |
This helps kids understand India’s unity in diversity.
🔥 Sankranti Traditions Kids Can Explore
🌾 1. Bhogi Bonfire Tradition
Families light a symbolic fire to discard old habits & welcome positivity.
Kids can make mini craft bonfires safely using paper rolls & orange tissue paper.
🪁 2. Kite Flying
A beloved tradition in many states — especially Gujarat.
Children can:
- Make paper kites
- Learn color patterns
- Participate in safe kite flying with adults
🍯 3. Sesame & Jaggery (Til & Gur)
These foods symbolize warmth, sweetness, and unity.
Teach kids:
🧠 “Eating sesame keeps us warm in winter.”
🧒 4. Traditional Clothes for Kids
In Maharashtra, little ones often wear black outfits and sugar bead ornaments — believed to keep warmth and bring blessings.
Kids can design paper dolls in traditional Sankranti outfits.
🧺 5. Harvest & Gratitude TalkLet children share what they are grateful for — food, sunlight, farmers, and nature.
🎨 20 Sankranti Craft Ideas for Kids
🍀 Festival Symbols Crafts
| Craft Idea | Description |
| Paper Kite Garland | Hang colorful mini kites across walls |
| Sun Craft | Yellow paper sun with rays children decorate |
| Paper Bonfire | Tissue flames + cardboard logs |
| Traditional Rangoli | Using paper dots or chalk outdoors |
| Clay Sugarcane | Make green stalks with leaves |
| Clay Bull or Cow | Decorate with beads & bells |
| Pongal Pot Craft | Draw or build mini harvest pots |
| Wheat & Rice Stalk Art | Paper quilling harvest fields |
| Sankranti Greeting Cards | Handmade cards for grandparents |
| Doll Dress Craft | Dress paper dolls in regional costumes |
🐓 Lohri-Themed Crafts
- Paper bonfire circle craft
- Popcorn garland necklace
- Drum (Dhol) craft using cups
- Stick puppet Punjabi dancers
Explain Lohri with simple words:
“Lohri celebrates winter ending and fresh crops growing.”
🐄 Pongal-Themed Crafts
- Pongal pot collage with cotton steam
- Sun & sugarcane drawing
- Cow mask or cow puppet
- Kolam rangoli designs on paper or floor
Say:
“Pongal means boiling over — symbol of abundance and blessings.”
🌾 Andhra/Telangana Crafts
- Bullock cart craft
- Nature-themed village scene
- Floral rangoli dot art
🪁 Maharashtra Customs for Kids
- Black paper outfit cutout + beads for bor nahan style
- Til-gul candy paper craft
- Greeting card with “Til-gul ghya, god god bola” writing practice
🎋 Bihu Crafts (Assam)
- Assamese Gamosa paper pattern
- Bamboo Bihu hat craft
- Paper boat symbol craft (river culture)
🍽️ Simple Sankranti Recipe Ideas for Kids
| Recipe | Kid-Friendly Twist |
| Til-Gur Laddoos | Roll mini laddoos with parent help |
| Pongal | Mild version for toddlers |
| Peanut chikki | Bite-sized pieces |
| Popcorn bowls | Lohri themed snack |
| Sweet saffron rice | Warm & festive |
| Coconut rice balls | Easy participation |
Cooking encourages sensory skills, family bonding & cultural connection.
👪 Family Activities for Sankranti
- Storytime about Sun & seasons
- Nature walk to see winter plants
- Make edible sugarcane models from breadsticks
- Puppet storytelling about harvest
- Evening diya lighting
- Photo corner with Indian backdrop
Encourage children to say a simple gratitude message:
“Thank you Sun, earth, farmers, plants, and animals for food.”
🌞 Teaching Values Through Sankranti
| Value | Lesson for Kids |
| Gratitude | Thank nature & farmers |
| Renewal | Let go of old habits |
| Unity | One festival, many names |
| Seasonal wisdom | Nature cycles matter |
| Sharing | Distribute sweets & smiles |
❤️ Final Thought
Sankranti is more than a harvest festival — it’s a celebration of renewal, light, hope, food, and nature.
When children create crafts, cook simple recipes, and learn customs, they build:
- Cultural pride
- Appreciation for farmers
- Seasonal awareness
- Family bonding
- Gratitude mindset
Help them celebrate the festival with creativity, respect, and joy.
🪁 May their dreams fly as high as Sankranti kites!