Hanukkah Activities

Celebrate Hanukkah with your entire class! With these engaging activities, students will play the beloved Dreidell game and learn about the history behind this holiday.

Kids love holidays, especially Hanukkah, which is celebrated for eight dazzling nights. From the lighting of the menorah to the blessings and all the tradition in between, kids are mesmerized by the magic of this celebration. With this book, kids will enjoy more than 100 puzzles and activities about: the history of Hanukkah from its roots more than 2,000 years ago; the meaning behind the various rituals, traditions, and prayers; why certain foods are eaten during Hanukkah; Hanukkah crafts, decorations, and gifts they can make; and more! Kids will enjoy watching this fun-filled puzzle and activity book unfold, as each chapter opens with one more candle lit on the menorah. With this book by their side, kids are sure to become dreidle-spinning masters in no time!

On the first night of Chanukkah, Old Bear wanders into Bubba Brayna's house and receives a delicious helping of potato latkes when she mistakes him for the rabbi.

Bubba Brayna’s legendary latkes lure an unexpected visitor into her home in this playful Hanukkah tale from a master storyteller. Bubba Brayna makes the best latkes in the village, and on the first night of Hanukkah, the scent of her cooking wakes a hungry, adorable bear from his hibernation. He lumbers into town to investigate, and Bubba Brayna—who does not see or hear very well—mistakes him for her rabbi. She welcomes the bear inside to play the dreidel game, light the menorah, and enjoy a scrumptious meal. However, after her well-fed guest leaves, there's a knock at the door—it's the rabbi, and all of Brayna's other friends, arriving for dinner. But there are no latkes left—and together, they finally figure out who really ate them. Lively illustrations by Mike Wohnoutka, portraying the sprightly Bubba Brayna and her very hungry guest, accompany this instant family favorite, a humorous reworking of Eric A. Kimmel’s earlier classic tale, The Chanukkah Guest. A traditional recipe for latkes is included in the back matter, along with interesting, digestible facts about the history and traditions of Hanukkah. A 2013 National Jewish Book Award Winner, this book is perfect for a holiday story time with children— either in the classroom or at home, as an introduction for young readers to the traditions and customs of Hanukkah, and as a classic to return to year after year.

Activities, Crafts, Recipes, and More! Learn a little about the history and traditions of Hanukkah. Whether you are Jewish or not you will still love to read the stories, do the activities, and try the recipes, and more! Kids will love to help celebrate this sacred holiday. Festive Hanukkah reason-behind-the-recipe from Hanukkah Activities, Crafts, Recipes, and More!: Latkes are potato pancakes fried in oil. The reason Latkes are such a popular Hanukkah recipe is because oil is a reminder of the miraculous oil that lasted for eight days when the Temple of Jerusalem was rededicated. Spinning dreidels, sizzling latkes, singing children at the synagogue, flickering candles, and the scent of sweet sufganiyot wafting throughout the house... these are some of my favorite sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish holiday in December. More than 2,000 years ago, a small band of Jewish rebels, armed with their faith in God, defeated a mighty army from a mighty empire. Hanukkah celebrates this important victory that led to the freedom and independence of the Jewish people. This book is packed with wonderful stories, interesting facts, great crafts, and lots more for you to enjoy during the Hanukkah season (or anytime you just WANT it to be Hanukkah!). I've included games, songs, puzzles, trivia, projects, recipes, and even a family Hanukkah newsletter! Remember, when it comes to celebrating Hanukkah with your loved ones, a truly creative mind can always come up with endless ideas! This special season is celebrated by children all around the world from Israel to America. So whether you are building a snowman or a sandcastle this December, I hope this activity book helps you learn more about this special holiday. Happy Hanukkah! Carole Marsh & the Gallopade Gang

Learn about Hanukkah traditions and symbols, including the Festival of Lights, menorah, singing special songs, and more. This book can be paired with Happy Hanukkah, Dear Dragon, its twin text fiction counterpart. Reading reinforcement pages include a word list and activities to strengthen early literacy skills, such as understanding the craft and structure of informational text, key vocabulary words, foundation skills, close reading, and fluency. Aligns with English Language Arts Standards for Grades K-3.

The classic Hanukkah tale, shared by families all around the world-- now available in a beautiful anniversary edition. A Caldecott Honor book. An original tale featuring a traditional Jewish folk hero, this clever story, which received a Sydney Taylor Honor, has been a family favorite for decades. On the first night of Hanukkah, a weary traveler named Hershel of Ostropol eagerly approaches a village, where plenty of latkes and merriment should warm him. But when he arrives not a single candle is lit. A band of frightful goblins has taken over the synagogue, and the villagers cannot celebrate at all! Hershel vows to help them. Using his wits, the clever trickster faces down one goblin after the next, night after night. But can one man alone save Hanukkah and live to tell the tale? Trina Schart Hyman’s leering goblins are equal parts terrifying and ridiculous as they match wits with Hershel, trying to keep him from lighting the menorah and celebrating Hanukkah. This beautiful 25th Anniversary Edition includes an insightful afterword from the author and publisher explaining the book's origins, and remembering Trina Schart Hyman, the illustrator who brought the tale to life. This classic picture book is a perfect Hanukkah gift and a wonderful read-aloud. For more tales of this clever folk hero, read The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol— another collaboration between master storyteller Eric A. Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman. Caldecott Honor Book ALA Notable Children’s Book NCTE Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts A Sydney Taylor Award Honor Book Colorado Children’s Book Award Washington Children's Choice Picture Book Award

These interesting and challenging hands-on activities for learning centers help reinforce important concepts about holidays in America and allow for opportunities to extend and enrich students' knowledge and understanding of American culture.