Sikhs believe in one eternal God, often known as Waheguru, who created the universe. Sikhs also believe in reincarnation, the cycle of rebirth.
Teach your children about Sikhism using our handy topic guide!
Teaching Ideas
- Make a Sikh flag (Nishaan Sahib).
- Create a fact file about Sikhism, using information from this page.
- Research the meanings of the Five Ks and make a presentation about them.
- What religious symbols do the children know? Find out about Sikh religious symbols on this page.
- Create a timeline of the ten Sikh gurus. This page has useful information about them.
Resources
- Download this colouring page showing a Sikh boy, or visit the Little Sikhs download page for lots more colouring pages.
- Try out some of the Sikhism resources on Primary Resources.
- Use this unit of 10 lessons from Oak National Academy.
Sikhism Facts
- Sikhism was founded around 1500 CE in Punjab (now part of India and Pakistan) by Guru Nanak.
- Guru Nanak was a Hindu. He began the Sikh faith after disappearing for three days. When he returned he began to teach others about his faith.
- Including Guru Nanak, there were 10 human Gurus. The Sikh holy book, Guru Granth Sahib is also a guru, which Sikhs respect as the word of God.
- The Sikh place of worship is called a Gurdwara. Services are usually held on Sundays, and followed by a shared meal, called langar.
- Members of the Sikh Kalsa observe the Five Ks: Kesh (uncut hair), Kirpan (sword), Kara (steel bracelet). Kanga (hair comb) and Kacchera (cotton shorts). Each of the Five Ks has a special significance.
Videos
The Five Ks in Sikhism
Taran and Joven explain the Five Ks.
Running time: 4:03
The story of Guru Nanak
This short video is a good introduction to the life of Guru Nanak.
Running time: 6.03
CBeebies: Let’s Celebrate – Preparing For Vaisakhi
Sarbjot tells all about the festival of Vaisakhi.
Running time: 3:47
KS1 Diwali – A Festival of Light An Animated Sikh Story
A Sikh story told at the time of Diwali.
Running time: 4:09
Books
All Are Welcome
A beautiful inclusive book about a school where all are welcome.
Ajooni the Kaurageous: Ajooni Stands Up to the Dragon
Ajooni Kaur is the bravest girl around, until she meets a dragon. Can she rediscover her courage?
Gidhaa Rani
Find out about Gidhaa, a folk dance, with Daya Kaur
An Illustrated Introduction to Sikhi
This beginners’ guide to Sikhism is beautifully illustrated.
The Guru Inside Me Says
A lesson from each of the 10 gurus.
Links
- Visit the BBC Bitesize site for a good introduction to Sikhism.
- There are lots of Sikh crafts to try on the Kiddie Sangat website.
- Test your knowledge with this quiz about Sikhism.
- Visit this DKfindout! page to learn more about the festival of Baisakhi (or Vaisakhi).
Are you teaching your children about other topics? Explore our full collection of guides!
