Even the little ones can get involved with these Hanukkah crafts for kids. These simple projects will leave you with cute decorations for your home or your next Hanukkah party, and you'll treasure the memories of creating them with your children.
Color-and-Cut Hanukkah Banner
This simple color-and-cut project creates a customized banner to add to your Hanukkah dinner decor. Make it short by printing out only one or two sets of images, or make a long banner by print out more. This craft is suitable for children ages two and up, though younger kids will need help with the cutting. It should take approximately 30 minutes to one hour to complete, depending on how many images you choose to color.
Things You'll Need
To make the Hanukkah banner, you'll need to first gather the following supplies:
- Banner images (Star of David, menorah, sufganiyot, and dreidel)
- White paper or card stock
- Crayons, markers, colored pencils, or paints
- Scissors
- Single hole punch
- Ribbon, yarn or string to hang the banner
- Optional: Cardboard (a cereal box works well) and glue
What to Do
- Decide how long you want your banner to be, then download and print the appropriate number of pages by clicking on the image to the right. For help downloading the printable, follow these helpful tips. Regular white copy paper will work fine, but if you want a sturdier banner that will last for several years, print it on heavy white card stock.
- Color each image using crayons, markers, or colored pencils.
- Cut out each image.
- Punch a hole in the top of each triangle.
- Set images out in your desired pattern.
- Weave ribbon or yarn through holes to create a hanging banner. Tie loops at each end of the ribbon to secure the sections and to use for hanging your banner.
Note: If you don't have cardstock handy and want to make your banner last a little longer, cut out cardboard triangles to match the size and shape of the banner triangles and glue the colored banner sections to the cardboard. Allow the glue to dry before hanging.
Menorahsaurus
Kids of all ages love dinosaurs, and making a Menorahsaurus is a great way to get them involved in the holiday traditions. You can use any toy dinosaur for this, as long as it's large enough to support nine candles. Preschoolers will need some help with the gluing portion of this craft, but older kids can do this independently. It will take about an hour to complete, not counting drying time.
Things You'll Need
To make the Menorahsaurus, gather the following:
- Toy dinosaur, any species or size that will support nine candles
- Eight blue birthday candles
- One larger silver candle
- Acrylic paints and brush
- Quick-drying glue
What to Do
- Protect your work surface with plastic or newspapers, and have little artists wear smocks or old clothes.
- Give each child a dinosaur, paints, and a brush. Paint the dino in your chosen colors.
- Allow the dino to dry completely.
- Apply glue to the bottom of each candle and press it into place. Allow the glue to dry before using.
Handprint Menorah
Hanukkah celebrates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem following the defeat of the Greeks and Syrians, who prohibited the Jewish people from practicing their religion. Following the rededication, one night's worth of oil kept the lights on the temple's menorah flickering for eight days. Today, the menorah is lit for eight nights during Hanukah in remembrance of the miracle.
In this craft, your child's hands and fingers are used to make the base of the menorah and the eight candle holders. The thumbs are the shamash, which is the middle candle that is used to light the other candles. Your child's thumbprint will make the candle flames. The craft is suitable for any age, and should take between 10 and 15 minutes.
Supplies Needed
- White canvas, card stock, or other paper
- One bottle blue, silver or gold acrylic paint (for menorah)
- One bottle yellow or orange acrylic paint (for candle flames)
- Bowls for holding paint
- Two paintbrushes
- Optional: Stickers or other decorations
How to Make the Menorah
- Thoroughly wash and dry your child's hands.
- Paint both of your child's hands and fingers the desired color for the menorah. Put your child's hands together, with fingers spread out and thumbs either overlapping (to create a thin shamash) or next to each other (for a thick shamash).
- Press painted hands gently but firmly onto canvas or paper. Gently roll them on the canvas to ensure an even coating of paint.
- Wash and dry your child's hands once again.
- Paint the pad of your child's thumb the desired color for the candle flames.
- Press thumb gently but firmly above each "candle," rolling to ensure an even coating of paint.
- Repeat step 7 until all eight candles are complete.
- Decorate the page with Hanukkah stickers if desired
Hanukkah Rocks
Painting rocks is a great craft for all ages, and it's even easier with paint pens. Younger kids may need help writing the letters on the painted rocks. The key is to find nice, smooth stones so little hands won't have to work paint into crevices. This takes about an hour to complete, plus drying time.
Things You'll Need
You'll need the following supplies to make this craft:
- 13-14 Small stones
- One large, flat stone
- Acrylic paints and brushes
- Paint pens
What to Do
- Protect your work surface, and have each child wear old clothing or a smock. Place the rocks to be painted on the table.
- Paint rocks as desired, either in solid colors or with fun splatters or patterns. Allow the rocks to dry.
- Use paint pens to write "Happy Hanukkah" on the rocks, one letter per rock. On the largest rock, draw a menorah.
- Let the paint dry completely. Then display the rocks inside on a table or outside in your garden.
Star of David Decoration
The Star of David is one of the most recognized symbols of Judaism. Here, you can make a simple Star of David decoration to hang in your home. This craft is perfect for children age two and older (though very young children will need assistance) and should take approximately 15 minutes to complete (excluding drying time).
Supplies Needed
- Six craft sticks
- Glue
- Blue, gold, or silver glitter
- Ribbon or yarn
- Paper towel or paper plate for catching glitter
How to Make the Decoration
- Using three craft sticks, create a triangle by overlapping the ends and gluing them together. Repeat with another three sticks.
- Lay the triangles on paper plate or paper towel. Spread a thin coat of glue on each craft stick. Sprinkle liberally with glitter. Let dry.
- Turn one triangle so that a flat side is at the top and a point is facing down. Place it on top of the other triangle which should be facing point-side-up and flat-side-down. The tip of the inverted triangle should sit below the bottom of the other triangle (you should be able to poke your finger through the space). Use the image at the right for help with placement. Glue in place, then allow the glue to dry.
- Once dry, loop ribbon or string through top of triangle and tie in a bow.
Creating Keepsakes for Years to Come
Once complete, each of these holiday crafts will become part of the decorations you pull out from year to year. You and your children will enjoy marveling at how tiny their hands were and how messy the glitter got as you remember the happy times spent together creating these simple treasures.
