Hanukkah Crafts

Looking for something to keep the kids busy while you fry latkes ? Try one of these crafts  to keep the young ones occupied throughout the holiday. 

Make Your Own Dreidel

One of the holiday's easiest crafts is to make your own dreidel .  All you need is scissors ,glue , a sheet of cardstock , a pencil  with a sharp point, and a paper punch . Make sure you print out this free dreidel pattern so that you can follow along with the directions below!

• Once you have all of your materials, print out the pattern and use your scissors to cut it out. The pattern will be your guide when cutting out the other dreidel pieces.
• Use the paper punch to remove the hole in the middle of the pattern.
• Then, prefold along the fold lines before you glue.  After you see how everything is going to line up, glue along the glue lines.
• Insert the pencil through the middle. Voila! A dreidel! 

Kids can do most of the project with little supervision, and the decorating process afterward will keep them occupied for hours! If you have older kids don't be afraid of bringing out the glitter  and markers . 

Make Your Own Menorah

There are a few different ways to make a menorah this Hanukkah, some of which are really creative and different.

Tree Branch Menorah: Get a tree branch that's preferably as round and smooth as possible. If it's not, you can easily sand it down with sandpaper. A tree branch with a flat surface will work as well. You can color the branch itself anything you'd like with spray paint or acrylic. Use a drill (and around kids make sure there's adult supervision, of course) and drill eight small holes into the branch. Place in candles and ta-da, your menorah is complete.

Glass Candle Menorah: If you want something a little sturdier and maybe more pleasing to the eye, you can buy several candles and place them in glass holders or jars. You can then have the kids draw images on construction paper to glue on the outside, whether it be the Star of David, or a dreidel, or anything else that is a symbol of the holiday. Then they can be lined up in order and lit.

Crafts to Buy

If creating your own from scratch just seems like too much work, try picking up a seasonal craft kit!

Make-a-Dreidel Kit  There are four dreidels in this kit so everyone can make one. Make sure to have plenty of gelt  around!	Menorah Kit  Little ones can paint their own menorahs, especially if they think your brass one isn't colorful enough.	Beads  and Hemp Twine  Older kids might enjoy making wearable Hanukkah art for themselves or to give as gifts.	Sponge Stamps  Make your own wrapping paper with sponge stamps, paint, and white butcher paper.	Construction Paper  Chains Make some decorations for your house with construction paper, scissors, and tape.

Since this is the season for giving, make tzedakah a part of your Hanukkah celebration with some of these crafty ideas.

Tzedakah Box  It's easy enough to make a tzedakah jar with a coffee can and some paint. Keep it where everyone will see it.	Art Supply Basket  Put together baskets of art supplies for children's hospitals.	Crafts Basket  Throw in some pipe cleaners ,glue ,beads  and string, yarn  and knitting needles , etc...and see what happens!	Grab Bag Put together a grab bag of small toys . Wrap each one and label it "Boys," "Girls," or "Either," depending on who you think would like it.	Hand-Made Doll  For kids who are a little older, you might ask them to work on a project like a hand-made doll to donate.

Related Guides

• Hanukkah Gifts: If you just can't think of what to give for Hanukkah, check out this guide.
• Holiday Guide: Here's a guide to the other winter holidays as well!
• Jewish Ritual Items: For anything and everything that you will need for all of the Jewish holidays, check out this guide.
• Hanukkah Candles: All about Hanukkah candles.
• Gifts for All Budgets: If you are keeping on a budget this holiday, here's some gift ideas.