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20 Chanukah Crafts & Activities!

12/21/2014

3 Comments

 
1) Stained Glass Dreidel

My kids loved displaying their stained glass dreidels in our kitchen window for all to see!

Supplies:
  • a colored piece of construction or cardstock paper
  • cellophane paper
  • tissue paper or streamers
  • glue
  • scissors

Fold the colored paper in half, cut out the shape of a dreidel, and cut out the inside leaving an inch border.  Glue cellophane paper to the dreidel and trim the excess.  Glue pieces of tissue paper or streamers to the cellophane. 
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2) Chanukah Card & Decoration

We were left with the insides of the dreidel from the above project and they were the perfect pieces to make a Chanukah card and decoration.

Supplies:
  • the leftover dreidel from the Stained Glass Dreidel
  • stickers, pictures, and any other decorations you have on hand
  • markers
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3) Dreidel Splatter Art

This project was so much fun to do.  My toddler can't quite spin the dreidel just yet, so this craft is geared for preschoolers (and adults).  I also enjoyed making one!

Supplies:
  • piece of paper
  • a box (I used a mandarin box from the produce shop we did last week)
  • paint
  • plastic dreidel
  • scissors

Cut the piece of paper into the shape of a dreidel.  Put the paper into a box to contain the mess.  Dip a plastic dreidel into paint and spin it inside the box.  The splatters and swirls that come off the dreidel create beautiful designs.
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4) Play Dreidel

It would be wrong to talk about Chanukah activities and crafts without mentioning playing the game of dreidel.  Our family loves playing dreidel right after lighting the menorah.  There is something so special about sitting together in front of the beautiful candlelight while enjoying the timeless game of dreidel!

Supplies:
  • a dreidel
  • something to keep track of points (ie: marbles, chocolate chips, pennies, small candies)
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5) Latkes & Donuts Craft


This craft is very simple, yet my kids loved playing with their delicious creations in their toy kitchen.  They also gave all our guests who visited over Chanukah a nibble of the goodies.  My daughter made the donuts and my son made the latkes.

Supplies:
  • smaller paper plate
  • popsicle stick (preferably the larger size, but a standard one will work too)
  • construction paper
  • markers
  • glue
  • scissors

Color the popsicle stick and glue it to the paper plate.  Cut out shapes of donuts and latkes and glue them to the pan (ergg, I mean plate). 
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6) Make Latkes


Speaking of making play latkes and donuts, you must enjoy a savory homemade latke on Chanukah!  There are a variety of recipes online to suit your taste.  My husband, together with his friend, recently put out this video in their new program called The Rabbi & The Chef, which includes a wonderful latkes recipe:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9hOiMjAyP0
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7) Make Donuts

And Chanukah would be missing some flavor without some traditional donuts, also known as sufganiot.  You can find another video from The Rabbi & The Chef here with wonderful tips and a recipe for jelly donuts at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJtJdqUMBF4
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8) Hand Print Menorah

There are so many creative ways to make menorahs, we experimented with a few different mediums.

Supplies:
  • 1 piece of paper
  • paint
  • a pair of hands

Dip your hands in paint and make a hand print on a sheet of paper with the thumbs meeting.  Use your finger to draw a shamas above the thumbs, and then make dots on top of each finger as the flame.
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9) Spaghetti Menorah

My kids love pasta (who doesn't?), so this was the next natural step for our menorah exploration.

Supplies:
  • uncooked spaghetti or linguine noodles
  • glue
  • paint or glue
  • a piece of paper

There are several variations for this craft, depending on the age of your child.  For younger children, you can draw a menorah and pre-cut the pasta strands to be the appropriate sizes, and the children can glue them on.  For older children, they can do these steps themselves.  I didn't trace a menorah outline for my daughter, as she wanted to do everything by herself.  Through trial and error, she carefully broke off the excess pieces from the spaghetti so each branch would fit nicely, and then glued them on.  She dabbed her finger in paint for the flames, but you can use markers if you prefer.  My daughter also wanted to decorate the page with stamps before assembling the menorah.  I had a menorah on the table, so she could visually see what she was creating and make adjustments as necessary.  She then took the extra pieces and came up with a "mock menorah lighting" so she could practice the blessings before Chanukah arrived.  I love when children come up with their own creative activities!  
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10) Foam Menorah

This is more of an activity than a craft.  Or rather, it is a craft for the parents and an activity for the children.  Because cutting through foam sheets requires sharp scissors, I recommend the parents do the involved cutting.

Supplies:
  • sheets of foam (can be purchases at any craft store or Walmart)
  • velcro
  • stickers
  • scissors

Draw and then cut the shape of a menorah on a sheet of foam.  Then cut out 8 rectangles to use as candles from a different color sheet of foam, and 1 more longer rectangle that will be the shamash.  Children can then decorate the menorah and candles with stickers.  Put a piece of velcro at the top of each branch of the menorah and a matching piece on the back of each candle.  At first we glued down the menorah to a paper, but we took it off and taped it directly to our front window so that everyone could see it.  My kids enjoy adding a candle to the menorah each night after we light the "real" menorah.
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11) Cohen's Hat

We actually made this last year as a parsha craft, and while we don't save many of our crafts, this is one that was added to my kids dress up chest.  My kids enjoyed acting out scenes from the Beis Hamikdash, as if they were the Cohen Gadol, the high priest, especially in the menorah lighting ceremony.

Supplies:
  • cardstock paper
  • tissue paper
  • stapler and/or tape
  • markers

Cut out a thick band to go across your child's head, measure the fit and staple or take to close. Cut out two thin pieces to attach to the top of the hat.  Inside of those, attach the tissue paper.
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12) Olive Press Workshop


This is one community program you don't want to miss.  Most cities have this annual program either before or during Chanukah and it's a fantastic hands on opportunity for children to see live and up close how exactly olive oil is made.  We attended one that was put on by Rabbi Yechiel Baitelman of Chabad of Richmond and both of my children were spellbound.  Between the press machine and the centrifuge, there was never a dull moment. 
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13) Dreidel Topper


Speaking of oil, this is a great accessory to hang on your bottle of olive oil, if that is what you use to light the menorah.  Alternatively, you can hang up as a decoration anywhere you please.

Supplies:
  • pipe cleaner
  • beads
  • ribbon
Bend a pipe cleaner into the shape of a dreidel and then string beads on it.  You may have to fix up the shape once the beads are on.  Attach a ribbon and voila!
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14) Rolling Cotton Wicks

There are many options these days for supplies to light the menorah.  Our family enjoys using the age old traditional method of olive oil and cotton wicks.  Sure, you can buy pre-made cotton wicks, but that would take away one step of fun.  This is a perfect hands on activity for tiny little fingers.  It is wonderful for working on fine motor skills.  My 4 year old daughter enjoys getting the menorah ready with me in the late afternoon.  She rolls the most perfect wicks and is so proud when she tells her father upon his arrival home from work that the menorahs are ready!  Even if you don't use olive oil for candles, children love trying this fun experience.

Supplies:
  • 100% cotton balls (not the synthetic ones)

Break off a small piece from the cotton ball and roll it between both hands until it's very thin (you may need to stretch it).  When lighting with these, be sure to dip them completely in the olive oil. 
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15) Wax candles

Another great hands on experience!  

Supplies:
  • sheets of wax
  • strings of cotton wicks

Place the wick along the inner edge of the sheet of wax and roll tightly outwards.  If you do not have enough supplies to use these for all the candles or if you are using oil, these are great for the shamash candle.
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16) Candles or Wicks Box

Has this ever happened to you where your entire family is gathered around the menorah, you have everything ready, except for one item?  Happens to me all the time, and not just when it comes to lighting the menorah.  This box is handy for storing candles or cotton wicks.  Being that my birthday is on Chanukah, my husband decorated this beautiful wooden box one year as a gift.  It can also be used to store dreidels or any other items you'd like to keep nearby.

Supplies:
  • a small wooden box (can be purchased at the dollar store)
  • paint

The instructions for this one are pretty self-explanatory: paint the wooden box.  Yup, that's it.  And then find a special place to display it.
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17) Menorah Challah


A festive challah shaping special for Chanukah!  On the top is a picture before the dough is baked, and below it is the finished product.  We all enjoyed eating the delicious challah on Friday night, the fourth night of Chanukah.
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18) Build a Menorah


The Home Depot as teamed up with a variety of Chabad Houses in Canada and the United States, where families are invited to build menorahs.  My children made the top two menorahs in the picture below this year at Home Depot through a wonderful program put on by Chabad of Richmond.  My daughter made the bottom menorah last year at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, and she keeps it in her room and stores her mini accessories (ie: rings, hair ties, etc) inside the cups.
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19) Attend a Public Menorah Lighting

These are such fun programs for both children and adults.  Such a wonderful way to show Jewish pride and unity.  From top to bottom, the following pictures are from the Kollel Menorah Lighting outside the Richmond Public Library this year, followed by a picture from last year, and the Center for Judaism Menorah Lighting at the Semiahmoo Mall last year.  As you can see, all four of us are having a wonderful time!
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20) Light Menorah at Home

This list would be incomplete without this final activity, lighting menorah surrounded by family and friends.
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3 Comments

Cows, Corn, and a Wagon (Parshas Miketz)

12/17/2014

1 Comment

 
Pharoah's Dream: Cows

In this week's parsha, we learn about two dreams that Pharoah has.  The first is about seven healthy fat cows and seven skinny cows who are grazing by a river.  Unexpectedly, the seven thin cows eat the seven fat cows, yet they do not become any fatter.  Pharoah is alerted about Yosef, who has a skill at interpreting dreams, who explains that this dream, as well as his second dream about the corn stalks represents seven years of plenty in Egypt that will then be followed by seven years of famine.

This project is from chinuch.org, which is a wonderful resource filled with a variety of crafts, projects, and learning strategies.  You can find the templates for this project at
http://www.chinuch.org/item_detail/Parshas-Mikeitz-Project-Pharohs-Dream

Supplies:
  • envelope
  • glue
  • scissors
  • 7 pictures of fat cows
  • 7 pictures of skinny cows
  • optional: colored paper

You will begin by cutting out both sets of cows and you can then color them.  My daughter stuck the cows to colored paper to make the cards a little sturdier.  Glue the skinny cows to the front of the envelop and the fat cows are placed inside to represent the skinny cows eating them.
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Pharoah's Dream: Corn


In Pharoah's second dream, a stalk with seven sickly ears of corn eat a stalk of seven healthy ears of corn. 

Supplies:
  • a piece of lego
  • yellow paint
  • a white sheet of paper
  • green construction paper
  • glue
  • scissors

This is a really fun project.  Begin by cutting out the white paper into the shape of corn.  Pour some yellow paint onto a plate.  Dip a piece of lego into the paint and 'stamp' it onto the corn until the sheet is filled.  Cut out and glue green leaves to the top.
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The Brothers Travel to Egypt

Yaakov and his families suffers when the seven years of famine begin.  He sends all of his sons except for Binyamin to buy food in Egypt.  In this project, we depict the scene with the brothers on their way to meet Yosef in Egypt.  My friend gave me the template for this project, so unfortunately, I do not have the pictures used here, however you can use clipart to find pictures of 10 boys.

Supplies:
  • 2 colours of cardstock or construction paper
  • clip art or drawings of brothers
  • drawing of a horse
  • pipe cleaner or ribbon
  • stapler
  • scissors
  • glue

Take one of the pieces of cardstock and form it into the shape of a wagon (or a box) by folding the edges and stapling them.  Cut out 4 circles for the wheels and staple or glue them to the wagon.  Color, cut, and glue the pictures of the brothers inside the wagon.  Poke a hole in the front of the wagon and attach a horse with a pipe cleaner or ribbon.
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1 Comment

Yosef's Multi-Color Coat & Dreams, Tie Dye Tshirt, 12 Tribes Dolls (Parshas Vayeshev)

12/10/2014

0 Comments

 
Yosef's Coat of Many Colors

Yosef is the apple of his father's eye, and Yaakov makes him a beautiful coat of many colors. We made our own version this week.

Supplies:
  • 1 sheet of white paper
  • streamers or tissue paper of a variety of colors cut into squares
  • glue stick
  • scissors
Cut the paper into the shape of a coat. Either you or your child can cut or rip pieces of the streamers or tissue paper into squares. Glue down the pieces to make a beautiful coat of bright vibrant colors.
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Tie Dye T-shirt

Having a tissue paper coat wasn't enough for us, we wanted a real life multi-color garment, so we tried our hand at tie dye.  It was a first for my daughter and me, so definitely a learning experience.

Supplies:
  • white t-shirt
  • elastic bands
  • tie dye colors
  • ziplock bag
You can purchase a simple white t-shirt at a store like Michael's for $4 or you can use an old undershirt.  Each tie dye package will come with its own instructions, but here's roughly what we did.  I got mine at Walmart for $1 per color (my daughter naturally chose her favorite colors, pink and purple).  Gather fabric in various places on the tshirt and wrap them in elastic bands. You will have bulges sticking out all over the place. Then take your tie dye solution and you will dip the tshirt areas into it or squirt it on, depending how it's packaged.  We did this leaning over the bathtub to contain the mess.  Put the t-shirt into a ziplock bag and let it absorb the die for several hours.  We left it overnight so that the colors would be more vibrant.  Take out the elastic bands and wash and dry twice to set the color.  My daughter has decided that this t-shirt is her favorite pajama.  There are a variety of designs and patterns that can be made using tie dye, if you'd like something on the fancier side, just do a quick internet search for tutorials.   
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Yosef's 2 Dreams

Yosef has two dreams, one about wheat and the other about stars.  In his first dream, there are 12 bushels of wheat and suddenly his rises up, while the other bushels bow down to it.  In the second dream, the sun, moon, and stars bow down to him.  This was a craft my friend sent me, so unfortunately I don't have a link for the templates, but you can find the pictures in clipart.

Supplies:
  • a sheet of construction or cardstock paper
  • cotton balls
  • star stickers
  • a picture of the sun, moon, and 12 bushels of wheat, and 2 big empty blurbs for each dream
  • glue
  • scissors
Cut out the pictures and glue one bushel of wheat in the middle of one of the blurbs with the 11 other bushels bowing down to it.  In the other blurb, place the star stickers, the sun, and the moon.  Glue down cotton balls around the perimeter of the page.
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12 Tribes: Playing with Dolls

My daughter has quite the doll collection, this seems to be a popular birthday gift for a preschooler and she is happy to receive 2 or 3 at each birthday.  She enjoyed dressing up her dolls (and some stuffed animals) and then practiced singing the tribe's names and acting out scenes from the parsha.
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0 Comments

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