Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival children eagerly look forward to. From bringing Bappa home and decorating the puja space to helping prepare modaks and taking part in the celebrations, there is something for them to be involved in at every step.
This year, the festival can also give children a lesson they can carry with them long after the celebrations are over by showing them how to care for the environment.
The best part is that it does not need to feel like a lesson. Give children small responsibilities and let them see how small choices can reduce waste and protect nature. Here are some ways to make sustainability a part of your celebrations at home.
1. Make your own Ganpati idol
Instead of buying a Ganpati idol, involve your child in making one at home. Natural clay is an easy option, and children can help knead the clay, shape the body, and add small details to the idol.
Ganesh Chaturthi is a festival children eagerly look forward to. Photograph: (Claying Thoughts)
Younger children can help with simpler tasks, while older ones can take on more of the shaping. Once the idol is ready, let them paint it using natural or non-toxic colours.
What kids can do: Help prepare the clay, shape the idol, add details, and paint it with environmentally friendly colours.
What they learn: Children understand that the materials used for celebrations matter. Making their own idol also shows them that something meaningful does not always have to be bought.
2. Turn decoration time into a craft activity
Children naturally enjoy decorating the house, so give them the freedom to create the festive decor themselves. Instead of buying plastic decorations, collect things already available at home.
Old newspapers, cardboard, paper, fabric scraps, leaves, and dried flowers can all be turned into colourful decorations. An old dupatta can become a backdrop, while cardboard can be cut into festive shapes.
What kids can do: Design and make decorations using materials that are already available at home.
What they learn: Reusing old items can reduce waste while giving children the chance to be creative.
3. Give unused things a second life
Before buying anything new, ask your child to look around the house for objects that could be reused. Glass jars, old gift boxes, ribbons, baskets, and leftover craft supplies can all become part of the festive setup.
You could make it a small challenge by giving children a box of unused items and asking them to think of different ways to use them.
What kids can do: Find objects that are no longer being used and turn them into decorations or useful items.
What they learn: Something that looks old or unwanted does not necessarily belong in the bin. Reusing items helps reduce the amount of waste we create.
4. Let children take charge of flower waste
Flowers are an important part of Ganesh Chaturthi, but after the puja, they end up mixed with other household waste. This is a simple way to introduce children to waste segregation.
Keep a separate container for used flowers and let your child collect them after the prayers. They can then be added to a compost pile or used for interesting craft activities.
What kids can do: Collect used flowers separately and help put them into the right place after the celebrations.
Flowers are an important part of Ganesh Chaturthi, but after the puja, they end up mixed with other household waste. Photograph: (JKYog)
What they learn: Waste can be separated at home, and many things we throw away can be composted or used again.
5. Make reducing plastic a family task
With guests visiting and food being served, it can be tempting to use disposable plates, cups and cutlery. Instead, involve children in setting the table with reusable utensils.
Ask them to help arrange the plates and glasses before guests arrive. You can also explain why the family is choosing reusable items instead of single-use plastic.
What kids can do: Help set up reusable plates, glasses and cutlery and make sure they are used during the celebrations.
What they learn: Avoiding waste is better than creating waste and trying to deal with it later.
6. Ask one simple question before shopping
Festivals can sometimes turn into an excuse to buy more decorations, lights and other things. Use this as an opportunity to introduce children to mindful consumption.
Before buying something, ask them, “Do we already have this at home?” Let them help make the shopping list and identify what the family actually needs.
What kids can do: Check what is already available at home and help prepare the shopping list.
What they learn: Buying only what we need saves resources and prevents unnecessary waste.
7. Bring children into the kitchen
Food is at the heart of most Indian celebrations, and Ganesh Chaturthi is no different. Preparing modaks and prasad together can become a lesson in avoiding food waste.
Give children age-appropriate tasks such as measuring ingredients, helping shape modaks, or deciding how many people need to be served. Encourage them to take only as much food as they can finish.
What kids can do: Help prepare food, think about portions, and make sure leftovers are stored or shared.
The festival does not have to lose any of its joy to become more sustainable. Photograph: (Travellers of India)
What they learn: Food takes time, effort, and resources to produce, so it should not be wasted.
8. Sort out things that can be shared
This festival can also be a good time to look through your child’s belongings. Ask them to identify books, toys, clothes, or craft materials they no longer use but which are still in good condition.
Instead of throwing these things away, help your child sort them for donation or pass them on to someone who can use them.
What kids can do: Choose things they have outgrown or no longer need and help prepare them for donation.
What they learn: Sharing and reusing can give useful things a second life instead of sending them to landfill.
9. End with one green promise
Once the festival is over, sit down with your child and ask what they enjoyed most. Then ask which one of the habits they would like to continue at home.
It could be composting flower waste, reusing decorations, avoiding disposable products, donating old belongings, or growing a plant. Let the child choose the habit. When they have a say in it, they are more likely to see it as something they can practise every day.
What kids can do: Choose one sustainable habit to continue after the festival.
What they learn: Sustainability is not limited to festivals. Small actions, when repeated regularly, can become part of everyday life.
The festival does not have to lose any of its joy to become more sustainable. When children help make Bappa, create the decorations, sort flower waste, and take part in all the activities, they become active participants in the celebration.
And through these small tasks, they begin to understand that celebrating with devotion can also mean celebrating with care for the world around us.
