The story of Hanukkah has always been one of our favourites. Celebrating one of the biggest miracles in Jewish history, the 8-day-festival starts on the 25th day of Kislev in the Hebrew calendar. The occasion marks the story of the Maccabees in the Holy Temple – when the day of oil they had left to light the temple lasted for eight. Each year the festival is celebrated by the lighting of candles and lamps, with 1 candle lit a day in the Menorah candle holders until all 8 are alight.
Crafting is a great way to get children involved with Hanukkah celebrations – so we've put together this list of a few craft projects you can try with the mini makers in your life to mark or learn about Hanukkah.
You might also like our guides to 50 fun craft ideas for kids or for different aged children we've also got crafts for toddlers and craft ideas for teens.
1. Upcycle toilet rolls into candles
One of the things we most want from kids craft projects are ideas that aren't so complicated, they put off younger children, These loo roll candles from iclicknprint.com are a really accessible project for kids of all ages – and all you need is some pain and tissue paper (plus the loo rolls themselves) to make them.
2. Make a paper plate Menorah
We love this simple but effective paper plate project from Nurture Store. It's just one part of their brilliant section of Hanukkah craft educational projects – with free printables that teach children about the Festival of Lights in a fun and engaging way.
3. Paint watercolour dreidels
Find this lovely, calming Hanukkah craft for kids over at Creative Jewish Mom – her finished dreidels look so beautiful and can be strung from a garland or displayed in a bowl on your dining table. We love about these that they allow each child to be completely creative and decorate their dreidel with whatever colours and patterns they want.
4. Macaroni Menorah
One of the simplest craft projects in this round-up, and a great sensory play project for toddlers and younger children, is this Menorah made from macraoni and lentils. Kids crafts really don't have to cost much and this is a fun way to celebrate Hanukkah using everyday household items – no specialist craft supplies needed. Find the project over at Free Kids Crafts.
5. Make a dreidel out of clay
We're obsessed with clay crafts ever since this year's The Great Pottery Throwdown, so we were delighted to discover this cutest of Hanukkah craft ideas from Moms & Crafters – head on over to learn how to shape your very own dinky DIY dreidels.
6. Mess free Hanukkah craft ideas
Valerie at Inner Child Fun shared this blog post that caught our eye for a clever 3D papercraft Hannukah set. Originally made using a free kit from Melissa and Doug that's no longer available, you could still try these ideas at home– especially if you've got older children or budding paper engineers in the family who are comfortable getting creative and recreating these 3D paper shapes with plain card, star stickers, pens and glitter from your craft stash.
7. Recycled Dreidel garland
Upycycled crafts are always a hit with my children and just go to show you don't need to splash out on expensive supplies to get creative with kids. Merri Cherry Art Studio has got a great recycled paper bag Hanukkah craft idea over on her blog that we love.
8. Decorate Hanukkah cookies
Rebecca Pliner over at The Nosher has a lovely tutorial for how to ice cookies to enjoy during the festivities.
9. Make easy Hanukkah sun catchers
All you need are a few coloured beads, some glue and a plastic takeaway lid to make these easy and colourful sun catchers – find out how over at Creative Jewish Mom.
10. Build your own lego dreidel
Just when you thought some things couldn't be made out of lego, Bible Belt Balabusta – who offer hands-on Jewish projects for kids, teachers and parents – prove you wrong.
11. Make a Chanukah Wall hanging
Sew 8 sweet dreidel-shaped pockets from felt to a wall hanging backdrop and you have a lovely family home decoration that kids can help you to make. Busy in Brooklyn shows you how...
12. Stained glass menorah
We love to make tissue paper stained glass window decorations! They're one of our absolute favourite makes to enjoy with children and now you can make your very own Menorah-themed versions with this tutorial from Upper Westside Mom.
13. Make handprint art
If you have younger children in the family, getting messy with hand art – and create flame fingers by dipping yellow paint on finger tips and a different shade on the rest of the hand! Or if you're short of time, treat yourself to this handmade Hanukkah Handprint art is by Forever June Design on Etsy.
