Slaying Modern-Day Ravanas: A Dussehra Guide to Conquering Screen Time, Junk Food, and Procrastination
Oct 02, 2025By Indira Varma
When we think of Dussehra, the first image that pops up is Lord Rama standing tall with his bow and arrow, defeating Ravana and reminding us that good always wins over evil. Children love hearing this story as it’s exciting, heroic, and full of adventure. So, this Dussehra, bring this story to your home by making a DIY bow and arrow craft with your kids!
Why a Bow and Arrow Craft?
Children love having things that feel like real-life play, and the bow and arrow are classic symbols of Dussehra. Making it with simple things at home makes the festival more exciting for kids and gives your family quality bonding time.
While kids enjoy aiming their DIY arrows at a “Ravana figure” or target board, you can tell stories and lessons about choosing right over wrong.
Materials You’ll Need
Don’t worry, you don’t need anything fancy. Most of these items are probably at home already.
- 1 sturdy stick (a thin broomstick handle, a craft stick, or a garden twig)
- Wool, jute string, or thick rubber band (for the bowstring)
- 3-4 drinking straws, sticks, or rolled paper (for arrows)
- Chart paper or cardboard (to make arrow tips and feathers)
- Glue and tape
- Scissors
- Colors, markers, glitter, or stickers for decoration
Step-by-Step Guide to Making the DIY Bow and Arrow
Step 1: Prepare the Bow
- Take the sturdy stick. If it’s long, cut it to about 12–15 inches so it’s manageable for kids.
- Slightly bend the stick into a curved shape. This bend will help it look like a bow.
Step 2: Add the Bowstring
- Tie one end of the string or rubber band tightly at the bottom of the stick.
- Stretch it across and tie the other end at the top.
- Make sure it’s firm but not too tight. The idea is to keep it safe and playful, not too sharp.
Step 3: Make the Arrows
- Use straws or rolled paper as the shafts of the arrows.
- Cut small triangles from cardboard or chart paper for the arrow tips. Paste them onto one end of each straw.
- On the other end, cut out small feather shapes (or even use real feathers if you have!). Stick them to give the arrows a classic look.
Step 4: Decorate Them
- Hand them sketch pens, glitter, and stickers to decorate their bow and arrows. They can color the arrows differently or even make patterns on the bow.
Step 5: Set a Target
- To make it even more fun, create a target board. You can draw Ravana’s ten heads on chart paper or even stick balloons on a cardboard piece. Let your kids try “aiming” at Ravana to symbolize the victory of good over evil.
Fun Ideas to Build Excitement
- Organize a small Ravana target game at home with balloons. Each balloon can represent a negative quality, and kids burst them with their arrows.
- Let children put their names on their bows and take pride in their creations.
- Use storytime after the craft and retell the Ramayana briefly, and let kids act out parts of it with their bow and arrow.
Conclusion
This Dussehra, fill your home with laughter, stories, and the sound of little arrows bouncing off safe targets. Let your kids build their own bow and arrow, decorate it with pride, and play while learning an important truth: goodness always wins.
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