Ganesh Chaturthi & Hindi Diwas: Sweet Treats, Silly Science, Songs & a Quiz
Celebrate with sweet treats, silly science, songs and a quiz.
A Little Festive Hello from Tina
Ganpati Bappa’s on his way,
And Hindi Diwas is here to stay!
September 14 is the special day,
So come along — let’s laugh and play!
Make some mochi, sweet and neat,
Make paper ghosts float to greet.
Sing for Bappa, loud and clear,
And test your Hindi while you’re here!
Grab your pencils, bring your cheer,
There’s lots of festive fun in here!
Festivals can be wonderful opportunities for children to learn without making learning feel like a lesson. This festive activity collection brings together a little cooking, a little science, some music and a playful Hindi quiz.
Children can make a chewy sweet treat, discover how static electricity can make tiny paper ghosts move, complete a fun Ganpati Bappa song and then put their Hindi knowledge to the test. Families can try everything in one go or simply choose the activity that sounds the most fun.
Mochi meets Modak
A chewy Japanese treat with a classic Indian twist!
Makes: 10–12 pieces
Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes
Ingredients
For the mochi
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¾ cup water
- Cornstarch or potato starch, for dusting
For the filling
- ½ cup grated coconut
- ¼ cup grated or powdered jaggery
- 1 tbsp chopped cashews
- ½ tsp cardamom powder
- 1 tsp ghee
Method
- Heat the ghee in a pan. Add the coconut, jaggery, cashews and cardamom. Cook for 3–4 minutes until the mixture comes together. Cool completely.
- Mix the glutinous rice flour, sugar and water in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth.
- Cover loosely and microwave for 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave for another 1–2 minutes, until thick and stretchy.
- Dust a work surface with cornstarch. Transfer the dough onto it and let it cool slightly.
- Divide into 10–12 pieces. Flatten each piece and place a small spoonful of coconut-jaggery filling in the centre.
- Pinch the edges together to seal. Dust lightly with starch and serve.
Spooky Science: Flying Ghosts!
You’ll Need
- Tissue paper
- Scissors
- Marker
- Balloon
- Your hair or a wool cloth
Make It Fly
- Draw and cut out tiny ghosts.
- Place them on a table.
- Rub an inflated balloon on your hair for 10 seconds.
- Slowly bring it close to the ghosts.
- Watch them lift and float!
Why Does It Work?
Rubbing the balloon gives it a static electric charge. The charged balloon attracts the lightweight tissue, making the ghosts rise.
It is a tiny experiment, but it opens the door to a much bigger science conversation. Ask children what they think will happen before bringing the balloon close. Then try rubbing the balloon for a different amount of time and see whether they notice a difference.
Ganpati Bappa is here!
Ganpati Bappa is here,
Let’s welcome him with (1) ______!
We’ll offer him (2) ______,
Then (3) ______ and (4) ______.
Bappa might say, “(5) ______!”
And we’ll reply, “(6) ______!”
With music, laughter and (7) ______,
We’ll celebrate with joy all day!
Possible Answers
Let children choose their favourite words and read the completed version aloud. They can even create a second version using their own choices. It is a simple way to combine language, rhythm, creativity and festive participation.
Hindi Whiz Quiz
1. B | 2. A | 3. A | 4. B | 5. B | 6. C | 7. A | 8. A
Keep the Festive Learning Going
If your family enjoys hands-on projects, simple experiments, food activities and creative learning, Tina Khatri has more ideas to explore. These related resources make it easy to continue the think-make-taste approach beyond this celebration.
One Celebration, Many Ways to Learn
The nicest part of a day like this is that learning does not have to feel like homework. A recipe introduces measuring and sequencing. The flying ghosts turn an everyday balloon into a conversation about static electricity. The Ganpati Bappa song encourages children to play with words, rhythm and expression. And the Hindi Whiz Quiz gives everyone a quick chance to test what they know.
Whether you try all four activities or simply pick one for a quiet afternoon, the goal is the same: celebrate with curiosity, creativity and plenty of smiles. Add some music, invite everyone into the kitchen, let the children decorate their paper ghosts and see who can finish the Hindi quiz with the most correct answers.
Happy Ganesh Chaturthi and Happy Hindi Diwas! May the celebration be filled with learning, laughter, creativity, sweetness and togetherness.