Hanukkah is the Jewish celebration, also known as the 'festival of lights', and commemorates the rededication of the Holy Temple. With this holiday being so important to so many students around the world, there are many different classroom activities around to help students to learn more about Hanukkah.
We have gathered 20 of the most exciting and creative activities to use in your classroom of elementary school students during the holiday season to celebrate Hanukkah. Read on to find out more.
1. Chocolate Dreidels
One of the best parts of the holiday season is the food. Raid the food pantry to see if you have the ingredients needed to make these sweet chocolate dreidels. These are perfect for students to make and take home for Hanukkah for their families to enjoy, or to make for a celebration in school.
Learn more: Martha Stewart
2. Dreidel Challah and Menorah Challah
Challah is a special bread of Jewish origin that is usually crafted into creative designs and is eaten on days of ceremonial occasions, such as Hanukkah. These awesome challah dreidel and menorah would be a great challenge for older students to make.
Learn more: Bible Belt Balabusta
3. Watch This Video About the Story of Hanukkah
Teach your students about the Hanukkah holiday through videos. This video covers how Hanukkah is celebrated, its origins and explains symbols such as the menorah and dreidel. This video is ideal to give students who are unfamiliar with Hanukkah a bit more background on this popular holiday.
Learn More: Learn Bright
4. Printable Hanukkah Joke Teller
These free, printable Hanukkah joke tellers are the perfect way to bring even more joy to the holiday season. Students love making these paper crafts and there are lots of cute illustrations to color in. They can make this one, and then have a go at creating their own from scratch.
Learn more: Brendid
5. Spinning Star Mobile
This simple art and crafts activity produces some lovely hanging decorations to decorate your classroom for the holiday season. The printable template makes this activity easy for younger learners and super straightforward to put together.
Learn more: Nurture Store
6. Printable Dreidel Boxes
This free printable dreidel craft is really simple for students to complete. The finished product could be used simply as a dreidel ornament or could be presented as a gift bag with coins or sweets for the recipient.
Learn more: Jewish Moms & Crafters
7. Menorah Pointillism Artwork
The menorah is a highly recognizable symbol of Hanukkah. Children can learn about why there are exactly nine candles on the Hanukkah menorah and how these are lit, one for each night of Hanukkah. This pointillism menorah craft is simple to make but will stand out.
Learn more: Coffee & Carpool
8. Hanukkah Writing Activities
Create a Hanukkah-themed mini-book with your class to demonstrate their learning about Hanukkah. Start with some class discussion and then students can do some more research to fill their book. The clever flip-book idea will save space when displaying these awesome pieces of work in your class!
Learn more: Miss Giraffe's Class
9. Dreidel Surprise Cookies
These fun and exciting dreidel cookies are perfect to make with older students. Assembling the cookies is super easy and they can fill them with any sort of sweets they like. Students can then have a go at writing one of the four Hebrew symbols found on dreidels.
Learn more: Tablespoon
10. Paper Circuit Menorah
This STEM activity is perfect to include in topics on electricity and can be completed using a few easy-to-find materials. The activity will teach children about circuits and the flow of electricity, and why it is important to complete circuits.
Learn more: Teach Beside Me
11. Word Unscramble Worksheet
Word scrambles are the perfect extension activities for fast finishers in your class. Students can try to unscramble these letters to spell a word linked to the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, like in this free printable example. As a challenge, you could get your students to create their own scrambled words and swap with a partner to see if they can figure them out.
Learn more: Pjs & Paint
12. Hanukka Fitness Fun! Video
Get students up and moving with these fun Hanukkah fitness activities. These activities can be a great brain break for students or the perfect warm-up for a physical education lesson. The activities are high-energy and are sure to get students ready for whatever they are doing next.
Learn more: Go With Yoyo - Fitness Fun For Kids
13. LEGO Menorah
Hands-on activities are great to get students engaged and learning. This menorah craft will allow students to build their own menorah that they can add a "flame" to each day of Hanukkah, or beforehand if they aren't in school. You can discuss with your students why there are nine candles and the importance of the menorah in Hanukkah celebrations.
Learn more: What Do We Do All Day
14. Interactive Learning Experience
This fantastic online resource is a super engaging way for students to learn about the Jewish religion and Jewish traditions, one engaging activity at a time. Each digital activity explores an aspect of the Jewish faith and there are plenty of videos to explain each aspect in depth.
Learn more: Ji Bytes
15. Writing Prompts
Writing is a great way to get students talking and learning about different aspects of the Hanukkah holiday. Getting students to just start writing can be difficult so it's always a good idea to create some prompts to give them to get them started.
Learn more: Woo! Jr Kids Activities
16. Hanukkah Snow Globe Craft
This snow globe dreidel ornament is a fantastic project for students to create as a keepsake for Hanukkah. Just get each student to save a jar from home to bring in to make this stunning craft.
Learn more: Chana's Art Room
17. Engineer a Menorah
This STEM project is an ideal way to use some recycled materials in your classroom. Students can figure out how to create this menorah so that it can stand upright and take the weight of the nine candles.
Learn more: My Pre-K Box
18. Pop-Up Dreidel Cards
Create these fun, colorful pop-up dreidel cards for students to take home and gift to loved ones over the holiday. These cards are super simple to make for all ages and are very effective.
Learn more: Free Kids Crafts
19. Washi Tape Artwork
These brightly colored cards are simple to make and just require some card and washi tape. Students can create these bright, eye-catching cards that they can then gift to friends and family to wish them a happy Hanukkah.
Learn more: Creative Jewish Mom
20. Hanukkah Word Search
Word searches are always class-favorite for passing some time in between activities. Not only are they fun but they help students to learn important vocabulary related to the topics they are learning about. Challenge students to create their own crosswords for one another after they've had a go at this free printable version.
Learn more: Puzzles to Print
25 Sweet Valentines Day Ideas For School