Hanukkah is less than a week away, it’s time to bring your menorahs out of hiding, buy lots of Hanukkah gelt for the kids, and start thinking of DIY Hanukkah decorations and crafts.
If you aren’t sure where to start, are tired of the same old projects your kids have done in the past, check out some fun and creative activities below.
1. Edible Crafts. These chocolate kiss, pretzel, and marshmallow dreidels are both adorable and delicious–and you can also use peanut butter or frosting as your “glue.” I usually make a few as samples and then put the ingredients out so the kids can make their own.
Can anyone resist dreidel and menorah cookie cutters? Stir up a batch of cookie dough, and have the kids help roll and cut. If you are feeling fancy, you can follow this tutorial on The Nosher. If you aren’t in a Betty Crocker kind of mood, you can also go the slice and bake route. Add a few containers of icing, blue sugar, and some white and blue sprinkles and let them go to town.
READ: Get Crafty With Us: DIY Hanukkah
2. Make Your Own Menorah/Hanukkiah. The key here is making a hanukkiah that won’t catch on fire. I repeat. No. Flammable. Materials. (There is a small burned-out hole on my window sill that can attest to this.)
This Altoids tin design is so cute that it kinda hurts. All you need for this citrus menorah is a quick trip to the grocery store. Instead of cleaning up that spilled box of Lego’s for the 99th time this week, why not repurpose them for the holiday with this Lego menorah? Lastly, this mosaic design menorah has held up for over five years in our home. It’s worth the trip to the craft store.
Hint: Dripless candles are your best bet for avoiding singed little fingers. Trust me. I’ve been there.
READ: Hanukkah Without the Presents, But Lots of Fun
3. Make Your Own Flame-Free Menorah/Hanukkiah. Because toddlers + fire = terrifying. Let them “light” their own candles with Legos, toilet paper rolls, or felt.
4. Coloring Pages. When hosting a Hanukkah gathering, I always like to have a stack of coloring pages on the table with washable crayons so the kids have something to do as soon as they arrive. Hanukkah-themed stickers are also fun–especially if your child is in the body-decorating phase. Let him or her go to town on Grandma or Grandpa while you sit idly by taking pics of the mayhem.
5. Crafts for Bigger Kids. Even snarky, eye-rolling older kids might tempted to join the fun if the project is interesting enough. Challenge them with these pony bead dreidel and fuse-bead dreidel projects or ask them to figure out how to build a dreidel out of Legos.
