Learn all about the Buddhist festival Vesak with the help of these Vesak crafts for kids! Find out the significance of lotuses, mandalas & more!

Think about the last time you were worried – for me, it was this morning! Your worry was most probably related to anxiety about a future event, or regret about something from the past.

Now imagine a scenario where you didn’t think about any of these, but focused only on the present. You’d suddenly be rid of all worry, and would be completely absorbed with the little details of what’s happening right now.

Sounds amazing, right? This is Gautam Buddha’s message, and it shows why we need his teachings today, more than ever!

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Who was Buddha?

Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, in a royal family in today’s Nepal. Although he was born into a life of luxury, he gave it all up to become an ascetic, spreading the message of peace, compassion and service to humanity.

Today, millions of people around the world follow the teachings of Buddha, and they’re called Buddhists. Countries like Myanmar, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Cambodia have even adopted Buddhism as their state religion.

It is believed that the Buddha was born on the Day of Vesak in the year 623 B.C. This is also the day that the Buddha attained enlightenment, as well as the day he passed away. Due to this significance, Vesak is an important festival for Buddhists around the world.

Vesak falls on the day of the full moon in the month of Vesakha, and in 2026, Vesak is on the 1st of May. Vesak is also known as Wesak, Buddha Day, Buddha Purnima or Buddha Jayanti.

How is Vesak celebrated?

Vesak is usually celebrated with great enthusiasm, and it is also a day for Buddhists to remember the Buddha’s teachings. Everyone cleans their home before the festival and decorates it with flowers and lanterns.

The day of the festival begins with Buddhists visiting temples and pouring water over Buddha statues. Offerings are made to Buddhist monks, usually food and flowers. People conduct prayer meetings and serve vegetarian food at feasts. Some regions also have candle-lit processions and parades.

Kids’ Books for Vesak

Buddha at Bedtime by Dharmachari Nagaraja
I Once was a Monkey: Stories Buddha Told by Jeanne M Lee
Ahns’s Anger by Gail Silver
My Buddhist Year by Cath Senker
Prince Siddhartha: The Story of Buddha by Jonathan Landaw
The Buddha: Young Seeker by Paul Mantell

Now that we have a basic idea of the festival, let’s move into making some fun Vesak crafts for kids! These will help get us into the spirit of the occasion, while also learning more about it!

15 Vibrant Vesak Crafts for Kids and Teens

1. Paper Lotus Tealight Holder

The Buddha’s teachings are all about rising above worldly desires, and the lotus is a flower that beautifully represents this – it floats above muddy waters, sitting pretty and proud! Celebrate the beauty of the lotus with this lovely tealight holder!

2. DIY Glitter Paper Lanterns

Preparing the house for Vesak starts with a thorough deep clean, followed by decorations. This generally include lots of fresh flowers and gorgeous lanterns, like this one made of glitter paper!

3. Crepe Paper Lotus Craft

The lotus is so important in Buddhism that we have to include it a second time in this list of Vesak crafts for kids! This lovely lotus is made from crepe paper, and will always remind us not to sweat the small things!

4. Buddha Drawing Tutorial

We love this drawing tutorial from Art Projects for Kids – you can now draw the Buddha’s face yourself! Look at how peaceful he looks in this; it immediately makes you feel calm too.

5. Buddhist Temple Miniature Model

Have you ever visited a Buddhist temple? They generally symbolize the five elements – fire, water, earth, air and ether. Baker Ross shows us how to create a model of a Buddhist temple with layered roofs.

6. Origami Bodhi Tree Craft

The Bodhi Tree refers to the sacred fig tree at the Buddhist Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India. This is believed to be the tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment. While the original tree no longer exists, you can create an Origami version with this tutorial from Paper Magic with Bernice.

7. Multi-Media Mandala Craft

You’ve probably heard of Mandalas within the context of coloring books, but they’re actually sacred symbols in Tibetan Buddhist culture. It represents the universe, or a microcosm of the universe. Art with Georgie shows us how to create a Mandala craft with things you have lying around.

8. DIY Buddha Garden Wall Hanging

We absolutely love this project from Suman’s Craft – it’s a worthy addition to our list of Vesak crafts for kids! This gorgeous wall hanging would make a great gift for the festival, or you could hang it up in your own home.

9. Prayer Flags Craft for Kids

Buddhist prayer flags are quite popular, especially among travelers. It is believed that once you tie up the flags and the wind blows through them, the messages of goodwill on the flags are spread through the land. Travelers believe that the prayers on the flags protect them on their journey. Check out Sandpoint Waldorf School’s project so you can make your own prayer flags.

10. Bodhi Tree Painting

Now that you know the significance of the Bodhi tree, you can create this Bodhi tree painting from Baker Ross. One of the saplings of the original Bodhi tree was sent to Sri Lanka, where it grew into a large tree known as the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. It is currently the oldest living human-planted tree in the world!

11. Dharma Wheel Craft

The Dharma wheel or Dharma chakra is an important Buddhist symbol, representing the Buddha’s journey to enlightenment. The wheel has three parts – a hub, spokes and a rim. The spokes are eight in number, representing the Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path. Find out more about the Dharma wheel as you make this craft from CBeebies Makes.

12. Vesak Acrylic Painting

If you’re looking for Vesak crafts for kids with more of an artsy bend, check out this painting tutorial from Electroart. It features a Buddhist temple stupa, a lotus and a beautiful Vesak lantern.

13. DIY 3D Buddha Clay Craft

Fevicreate shows us how to use paper and clay to create a 3D model of the Buddha! We love how colorful it is, while also giving out calm vibes – it’s perfect for a festival like Vesak!

14. Mixed Media Prayer Flags Craft

Traditional prayer flags are generally made from fabric like cotton, silk or hemp. The patterns are applied using wood-blocks, and the popular colors used are green, yellow, red, blue and white. Judy Coates Perez shows us how to make our own prayer flags with custom messages and wishes.

15. Buddhist Silhouette Cards

If you’re thinking of giving someone a card for Vesak, you’ve come to the right place! Baker Ross shows us how to create a very elegant-looking Buddha silhouette card, with a lotus in the background.

We hope these Vesak crafts for kids have given you an insight into this beautiful Buddhist festival. Crafting is an excellent way to stay calm and use up your worldly possessions, and we think this gels beautifully with Buddha’s teachings!

If you’d like to check out other festivals from Southeast Asia, look at these: