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Sep 28, 2025By Aishwarya Rao
Remember when your kid came home repeating that NOT-so-nice word they heard at school? Or when they couldn't stop talking about something mean someone said?
Gandhi Jayanti isn't just another holiday. It's actually the perfect time to teach our kids something practical using Gandhi’s Three Wise Monkeys.
Meet the Three Wise Monkeys
Gandhi's Three Wise Monkeys have a simple message that even a 5-year-old can understand:
- First Monkey: Covers his eyes (See No Evil)
- Second Monkey: Covers his ears (Hear No Evil)
- Third Monkey: Covers his mouth (Speak No Evil)
In simple words? Don't look at bad things, don't listen to bad things, and don't say bad things.
Why This Lesson Matters for Kids
Before we grab the craft supplies, let's understand why these lessons matter to kids.
Think about your child's day. They see kids fighting in school. They hear gossip about classmates. They're tempted to repeat mean jokes. These monkeys teach them to pause and choose better.
It's not about being perfect. It's about being aware. And that's a superpower in today's world.
Fun Craft: How to Make Gandhi’s Three Wise Monkeys
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide you can try at home with your kids. You do not need fancy supplies; just basic art materials.
Things you’ll need:
- 3 small paper cups or cardboard rolls (to make the monkey bodies)
- Brown paper or brown paint
- Black marker
- Small cutouts (ears, eyes, hands) from chart paper
- Glue and scissors
Steps to make:
- Prepare the Base: Give your child three paper cups or rolls. Cover them with brown paper or paint them a brown colour. These will be the monkeys’ bodies.
- Make Faces: Cut three round pieces of white or light brown chart paper for the faces. Draw eyes, noses, and smiling mouths with markers.
- Add Ears: Cut small ears from brown paper and glue them to the sides of the faces.
- Stick the Faces: Attach each face to the front of the cups or rolls.
- Add Hands: Cut six small hands from paper. Stick them on in different positions:
- First monkey: Hands covering the eyes.
- Second monkey: Hands covering the ears.
- Third monkey: Hands covering the mouth.
- Final Touches: You can decorate with little tails or whiskers if your kids want. Place the three monkeys side by side.
Your Gandhi Jayanti craft is ready!
How Parents Can Teach Through This Craft
The joy of this activity is that while children glue and paint, you can start small conversations about values.
- Monkey 1: See No Evil: Ask: “If you see your friends fighting, what should you do?” Guide them to respond with empathy, like finding a teacher or trying to calm things down instead of joining in.
- Monkey 2: Hear No Evil: Share an example: “Sometimes you might hear people saying hurtful things. Should we repeat them?” Help kids understand that words, once spoken, can hurt.
- Monkey 3: Speak No Evil: Encourage: “If you get angry, can you take a deep breath and say something kind instead?” Children can even role-play this.
You’ll be amazed at how your kids connect the action of covering eyes, ears, and mouths with these lessons.
Bringing the Lessons into Daily Life
Activities are fun, but the magic happens when children apply these lessons to their everyday lives. As parents, you can gently remind them about the monkeys when situations come up:
- If your child points at someone’s mistake, remind them of “see no evil.”
- If they complain about hearing gossip, talk about “hear no evil.”
- If they speak harshly, slowly guide them towards “speak no evil.”
To make it even more fun, you can create a little family ritual. Every time someone practices one of these values, give them a “monkey star” sticker. At the end of the week, take a moment to celebrate the effort.
Why This Matters on Gandhi Jayanti
Mahatma Gandhi believed in kindness, truth, and peaceful living. Teaching kids his values does not need long lectures. It can start with simple activities like this. The Three Wise Monkeys help children learn that:
- Life is happier when we choose kindness over meanness.
- Listening to good things fills our hearts with joy.
- Words can heal or hurt, so choose healing ones.
These days, we see children face stress, distractions, and sometimes negative influences, so these values are worth teaching. As they grow, they’ll realize that Gandhi’s greatest strength was not just his actions, but his simple values.
Conclusion
This Gandhi Jayanti, celebrate not just with flowers at Gandhiji’s picture but with an activity that kids will remember. Let your children make the Three Wise Monkeys craft, laugh while coloring, and learn while gluing. And as they play, plant these seeds of wisdom in their hearts.
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