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Easy rangoli designs for beginners

Every design on this page can be finished in about twenty minutes by someone who has never made a rangoli. They use large shapes, few colours and no fine lines.

A one-week practice plan

Day 1: on paper, draw circles and divide them into four, then eight parts.
Day 2: on paper, draw petals from the centre to each mark until they look alike.
Day 3: on the floor, practise letting chalk powder or rice flour fall in a thin line from your fingers.
Day 4: draw the white line flower, lines only.
Day 5: draw the eight petal flower with two colours.
Day 6: add a border to it.
Day 7: try a dot design.

Rangoli with children

Draw the outline yourself and let children fill the colours.
Give each child one colour and one spoon or small bottle.
Flower petals, coloured rice and pulses are easier for small hands than fine powder, and easier to clean up.
Print the outline of a design for colouring while the floor is being prepared.

Questions people ask

Which is the easiest rangoli?

A flower with eight petals and a ring of dots. It needs two colours and teaches the basic shapes used in larger designs.

Can I use chalk instead of powder?

Yes. Chalk on a dry floor is a good way to practise and to sketch the design before adding powder. Wet chalk gives a brighter, longer-lasting line.

What can small children use instead of powder?

Flower petals, coloured rice, pulses or torn coloured paper. They are easy to hold and safe to handle.

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