Whether you’re looking for Hanukkah themed art projects for the classroom, or activities you can enjoy at home with your kids to mark the holiday, this collection of Hanukkah crafts for kids has tons of ideas to inspire you! Learn how to make a dreidel out of clay, paper plate menorahs, a sparkling Star of David, Hanukkah slime, surprise dreidel cookies, and more! Oh, and don’t miss the marshmallow dreidel recipe – it’s delicious!
7 Hanukkah Traditions Kids Love
Before sharing our favorite Hanukkah crafts for kids, we thought it would be fun to provide a few ideas to help you create your very own Hanukkah family traditions. While the 8-day Festival of Lights already includes certain activities, like lighting the menorah, saying prayers, playing dreidel, and eating traditional Hanukkah foods, creating your own family traditions can make the holiday extra special – especially for kids! If you want to make this Hanukkah your child’s best one yet, here are some ideas to consider.
1. Decorate. From blue and white streamers and LED lights, to window clings and outdoor lights, to inflatable lawn menorahs and dreidels, there are lots of simple ways you can decorate your home to mark the holiday.
2. Make your own candles. There are tons of great DIY menorahs kids can make (check out the list of Hanukkah crafts for kids below!), and if you want to get really creative, you can make your own crayon candles to light each evening during Hanukkah. You can make these traditional Hanukkah colors using blue and white crayons (Amazon sells bulk containers of blue crayons and white crayons!), and you can add a liquid scent to your candles to make them extra special. The DIY crayon candle tutorial by SoCraftastic below has everything you need to give this idea a try!
3. Bake your favorite treats. Whether your kids enjoy making your Bubbe’s famous latkes or jelly donuts, or prefer to find something new to try each year, getting them involved in the kitchen is another great way to get them excited about Hanukkah. THIS POST has tons of delicious Hanukkah desserts and treats your little ones will love!
4. Read books. Another great Hanukkah tradition for kids is to gift them a book each day for 8 days. You can turn this into an evening tradition for younger kids where you open and read a Hanukkah-inspired story together each night before tucking them into bed, and you can keep the sentiment going as your kids get older with age-appropriate reads they can indulge in on their own. Here are some Hanukkah story books for younger kids to get you started!
Elmo’s Little Dreidel by Naomi Kleinberg
Hanukkah Bear by Eric A. Kimmel
The Story of Hanukkah by David A. Adler
The Night Before Hanukkah by Natasha Wing
Goodnight Bubbala by Sheryl Haft
Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric A. Kimmel
Shmelf the Hanukkah Elf by Greg Wolfe
Maccabee!: The Story of Hanukkah by Tilda Balsley
5. Sing songs. If your family is musically inclined, singalongs are a fun way to mark any occasion. Whether you want to keep it related to Hanukkah, or just enjoy some time singing and harmonizing as a family, encourage everyone to select one or two of their favorite songs to ensure the time is enjoyable for everyone.
6. Give gifts. While giving gifts to young kids is common during Hanukkah, you can find ways to turn this into a family tradition to add even more excitement. Small families can challenge everyone to make homemade gifts to share with one another to mark each night of Hanukkah, while larger families may enjoy a secret gift exchange on the final night of the holiday.
7. Organize daily Hanukkah crafts for kids. There are lots of fun Hanukkah crafts for kids you can enjoy with your little ones to teach them about the holiday while also getting them excited to celebrate with family and friends, and we’ve shared some of our favorites below!
12 Hanukkah Crafts for Kids
Menorah Paper Plate Craft | NurtureStore
Hanukkah Dreidel Wall Art | Meri Cherry
Acorn Dreidels | Growing Up Creative
Clay Dreidels | Moms & Crafters
Star Suncatchers | NurtureStore
3D Hanukkah Menorah Craft | Kids Craft Room
Pasta Menorahs | PBS
Spinning Star Mobile Craft | NurtureStore
Hanukkah Tissue Paper Suncatchers | Craft Project Ideas
Hanukkah Candle Holders | Creative Jewish Mom
Recycled Dreidel Garland | Meri Cherry
Pointillism Hanukkah Art | Coffee and Carpool
12 Hannukkah Activities for Kids
DIY Marshmallow Dreidels | Hostess with the Mostess
Hanukkah Dominoes | Nurture Store
Hanukkah Joke Tellers for Kids | Bren Did
Hanukkah Scavenger Hunt | Teachers Pay Teachers
Make Your Own Hanukkah Slime | Little Bins For Little Hands
Hanukkah Word Search | Learning Ideas for Parents
LEGO Menorah Fun | What Do We Do All Day?
Construct a Dreidel | Esther O
Hanukkah Memory Game | Learning Ideas for Parents
Hanukkah Sewing Craft | Coffee and Carpool
Hanukkah Color by Number Addition Worksheets | Teachers Pay Teachers
Dreidel Surprise Cookies | Tablespoon
If you’re looking for Hanukkah themed art projects and activities you can enjoy with your kids at home or in the classroom, I hope you and your little ones enjoy this collection of Hanukkah crafts for kids!
