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Holi is the Hindu Festival of Colors.
Held over several days in early March, the festival celebrates the coming of
spring and is known for “merrymaking and mischief.” This year, (2008) Holi
is celebrated around March 22nd. This song is intended simply as an
introduction to the holiday, and not meant to be comprehensive.
Traditionally, on the third day,
friends and neighbors gather together in the streets and colored powders are
thrown in the air and then smeared on faces and bodies. More recently, safer
and more environmentally friendly ways have been found to celebrate. For
this song, children will simply be introduced to the holiday, and celebrate
with colors.
Read through the suggestions
below, and use which ever ideas seem appropriate for your age group.
Traditions from other cultures offer us a wonderful way to learn about each
other, and in a way that children can appreciate and understand.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Holi.
Before You Use this Song…
 SHOW children on a map or globe, where India is.
CHECK
OUT an
easy-nonfiction book from your library on India, and share some of the
pictures and information with the children, depending on their ages.
ASK children if
anyone has a relative who comes from India. You might ask that relative to
come in and share their memories of Holi celebrations.
Ideas for Using this Song
1. Use sign language for the words in
green, below. Depending on the ages
of your children,
you can use just a few or all of the suggested sign. Sign descriptions can
be found at the bottom of
the page.
2. Give children scarves, and have them dance to the song. Talk about
the colors we see in spring
3. After you sing the song a couple of times, have the children make
up a simple dance to do with the
scarves. For example, they might dance in a circle waving the scarves during
the verses, and kneel
down and wave the scarves like rainbows during the chorus.
Celebrating Holi
CHORUS:
Children in India,
celebrating Holi
Celebrating Holi, and the coming of
spring
Families in India gather with their
neighbors
Celebrating Holi
and the coming
of spring
Dancing
and singing,
and sweets made for eating
Laughing and welcoming the
coming of
spring
(CHORUS)
Painted in the
colors, the
colors of the
rainbow
Dancing
in the
colors, the
colors of
spring.
(CHORUS)
ASL Signs
Celebrating:
Fist held up making
circles as if holding flags
Children:
Downturned hand moves across in front of body as if patting children on
their heads
Colors:
Fingertips of the right
hand palm facing body, are placed against the chin and wiggle back and
forth.
Coming:
Natural sign. hand
beckons
Dancing :
Downturned index and middle fingers of right “V” hand swing rhythmically
back and forth over upturned left palm
Eating:
Closed right hand moves to mouth as if eating, repeat
Neighbors:
Use the sign for friends; index finger of left hand over index finger of
right, cross, then reverse
Rainbow:
Right hand, palm facing signer, arcs in the air from left to right (as if
tracing the colors in the sky)
Singing:
Right “5” hand palm facing left, is waved back and forth next to the left
hand, as if conducting
Spring:
Right hand fingers
pointed up, come up through left fist as if “growing” spread fingers as they
emerge
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March
2008 Song of the Month
