Toykraftt Blog

5 Kits Compared by Age, Time and Mess Diwali break is here. The house is full of guests, the sweets are out, and your child has asked "what do I do now?" for the third time today. A DIY craft kit is a good answer. Everything is in one box, there is no running to the market for supplies, and at the end the child has made something real for the festival: a rangoli for the doorstep, candles for the diya tray, a glass piece that catches the light. We make these kits ourselves at Toykraftt, so we've put all five of our Diwali DIYs side by side. Check the table, pick the one that suits your child's age and your patience for mess, and you're done. Diwali DIY kits at a glance Kit Best age Time Mess level The child ends up with Best for Sand Art Rangoli Junior 5+ 30–45 min Low A colourful sand rangoli picture Young first-time crafters Sand Art Rangoli Mandala 7+ 45–60 min Low to medium A detailed mandala-style rangoli Kids who like patience a...

Every Diwali, something beautiful happens at the entrance of Indian homes. Someone brings out the colours. Someone else draws the first few lines. Children hover nearby, eager to help, sometimes adding a little colour where it wasn't quite planned! That's the magic of rangoli . It's not just about decorating a home. It's about welcoming people, celebrating traditions and creating memories together. But where did it begin, and how has it changed over the years? Let's take a closer look. What Does Rangoli Mean? The word rangoli is associated with the Sanskrit word raṅga , meaning colour. It is also linked to rangavalli , often described as an arrangement or pattern of colours. Perhaps that's the simplest way to understand rangoli: colours arranged with care, creativity and a little imagination. For generations, families have created these designs in courtyards and at entrances. Some patterns are passed down, while others are created spontaneously. How...

Some children will happily sit with a jigsaw for half an hour, turning every piece this way and that until it finally fits. Others lose interest in a jigsaw after five minutes but can spend ages figuring out how to move a car out of a crowded parking lot. Both are solving puzzles. They just enjoy different kinds of challenges. As someone who has spent years working with toys and games, I’ve come to believe that choosing a puzzle is less about finding the most educational one and more about understanding what interests your child. A puzzle that feels like a chore won’t hold their attention for long, however many skills it claims to develop. So, what are the different types of puzzles available, and which ones might your child enjoy? 1. Jigsaw puzzles: For children who enjoy putting things together Jigsaw puzzles are often the first puzzles that come to mind. You start with a collection of pieces and, little by little, a picture emerges. Younger children can begin with simple picture puz...

Diwali is the one time of year when the house fills up with lights, sweets, guests and, quite often, a pile of gifts that kids forget within a week. If you're shopping for a child this year, whether it's your own, a niece or nephew, a cousin, or a whole group of friends coming over for the festival, you've probably asked yourself the same thing: what can I give them that they'll actually enjoy once the diyas are put away? This Diwali, why not give them something they can make, solve, paint or figure out? We've put together 15 Diwali gift ideas that are fun to open and even more fun to spend time with. They're sorted by age, and there's a section on return gifts at the end for anyone hosting or attending a Diwali get-together this year. Prefer to browse? Shop our full Diwali Gifts for Kids collection , or explore our Art & Craft kits , Puzzles and Cognitive Games . How to choose a Diwali gift kids will actually enjoy 1. Pick something that works for the ...

  1. The terrifying act of barbarism On 22 April 2025, terrorists in Pahalgam murdered 26 civilians, mostly tourists, asking people their religion before they opened fire . It was an act of barbarism meant to turn Indians against each other. On 7 May, India answered with Operation Sindoor, striking nine terror camps linked to the attack. When the government declared the operation complete, the country felt a fierce, quiet pride I had not felt in years. 2. The idea On the day the government declared the operation complete, I was sitting in my office and patriotism across the country was at its peak. As a toy maker, I wondered: when other nations fought wars, did anyone make a toy or a game to tell their children the heroic stories? I started researching, and to my surprise the Vietnam War and G.I. Joe kept coming up. That told me we needed to narrate this victory to the kids of India. 3. The board game I immediately called my friend Arijit Lahiri , a board game developer who has co...