DIY Projects Winter Crafts

18 Hanukkah Crafts for Kids

Hanukkah menorah from sand

Parents

Deepen your Hanukkah celebration this year by preparing for the Festival of Lights with a couple of holiday-themed crafting sessions. By including your family in the project-building, you’ll not only be making fun things but creating important memories as well. Making their own menorah and dreidels can help kids feel a stronger, and more personal, sense of ownership over the holiday. Get started with these 18 straightforward and accessible kids’ crafts this Hanukkah season.

  • 01 of 18

    Hanukkah Luminaries

    Hanukkah Luminaries
    Make and Takes

    Light up your walkway with these DIY-ed Hanukkah luminaries. This clever tutorial uses a triangular cookie cutter, flipped and overlapped, to paint a Star of David onto white paper bags. Fill your paper sacks with plastic faux tea lights for a perfectly safe seasonal display.

    Hanukkah Luminaries from Make and Takes

  • 02 of 18

    Marshmallow Dreidels

    Marshmallow dreidels
    Hostess With the Mostess

    It can be extra satisfying to indulge that sweet tooth (just a little bit) over the holidays, and this easy dessert allows you to do just that. Simply frost a marshmallow with store-bought icing, then roll in blue sprinkles. Add a pretzel rod spinner and chocolate kiss top, and you have a fully edible dreidel. 

    Marshmallow Dreidels from Hostess With the Mostess

  • 03 of 18

    Paper Plate Star of David

    Star of David on paper plate
    Make and Takes

    Using a sturdy paper plate as a base, punch six equidistant points around the edge, then string gold yarn through. Weave the yarn into a Star of David, then hang these eye-catching crafts around the house this Hanukkah season.

    Paper Plate Star of David from Make and Takes

  • 04 of 18

    Masking Tape Menorah

    Masking tape menorah
    Simple Play Ideas

    The slight transparency of masking tape lends a glowy effect to this papercraft. Select a background (or paint one), then add strips of tape in a geometric menorah shape. Kids can pop yellow paint thumbprints in as the flames every night of Hanukkah.

    Masking Tape Menorah from Simple Play Ideas

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  • 05 of 18

    Watercolor Dreidel Craft

    Watercolor dreidels
    Creative Jewish Mom

    Cut simple dreidel shapes out of watercolor paper or cardstock (save yourself some time and stack a few pieces of paper together before cutting into shape), then set them out for kids to watercolor. Simple stripes and polka dot patterns look lovely thanks to the soft effect of watercolor paints.  

    Pro tip: String a bunch of these painted dreidels together for a festive, homemade garland. 

    Watercolor Dreidels from Creative Jewish Mom

  • 06 of 18

    LEGO Menorah

    LEGO menorah
    What We Do All Day

    If you have an avid builder at home, challenge them to design and create a menorah out of LEGO bricks. This totally flameless model can still be “lit” nightly—by adding a LEGO flame to the tip of each candle. This is a great project to help kids feel a sense of ownership over the holiday.

    LEGO Menorah from What We Do All Day

  • 07 of 18

    Menorah Tub Toy

    Hanukkah bath toy
    Simple Play Ideas

    Craft foam sticks to wet bathroom tile, so cutting simple foam shapes is an easy way to create a homemade tub toy. Snip colorful candles and a half-circle menorah, and kids can “light” a candle each night during bath time. Try foam dreidels and gold gelt too.

    Menorah Tub Toy from Simple Play Ideas

  • 08 of 18

    Sand Art Menorah

    Sand art menorah
    Parents

    Pour multi-colored sand into little glass jars (empty jam or baby food jars work well here), then insert a faux candle into each. For an older kid, trade out the metal straw candles for the real thing—as long as they’re small enough candles, the sand should keep these safe.

    Sand Art Menorah from Parents

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  • 09 of 18

    Popsicle Stick Star of David

    Popsicle stick Star of David
    Evermine

    This incredibly simple craft comes together with just a few dabs of glue and a coat of metallic paint. Set kids to work making a bunch of these to enhance a holiday place setting, or to hang around the room as decor.

    Popsicle Stick Star of David from Evermine

  • 10 of 18

    Stained Glass Menorah

    Stained glass menorah
    Upper West Side Mom

    While this Hanukkah craft does require the use of a sharp craft knife, after the careful cutting is done, kids can take over decorating. Tape colored tissue paper onto the back of a relief-cut construction paper menorah, and encourage little artists to mix it up with patterns and pops of color. This piece looks lovely hung in a window to catch the light.

    Stained Glass Menorah from Upper West Side Mom

  • 11 of 18

    Felt Dreidel Banner

    Felt dreidel banner
    She Knows

    A sturdy craft that will last year after year, this felt banner looks perfect in monochromatic shades of blue. Children can practice their scissor skills by snipping little designs for each dreidel, then layering them for a polished result. This banner looks especially lovely on the staircase railing or framing a doorway.

    Felt Dreidel Banner from She Knows

  • 12 of 18

    Cardboard Tube Menorah

    Cardboard tube menorah
    Creative Jewish Mom

    Trim empty cardboard toilet paper tubes into free-standing candlesticks, then arrange nine together for a menorah display. Add a little extra length for the shamash by stacking one candle on top of a portion of empty tubing. Kids can decorate the cardboard, and can also tape on a new, glittery flame each night.

    Cardboard Tube Menorah from Creative Jewish Mom

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  • 13 of 18

    Origami Dreidels

    Origami dreidel
    Bible Belt Balabusta

    Origami—the Japanese art of paper folder—makes for a wonderful technique in kids’ crafting thanks to its readily available supplies (all you need is paper) and often impressive results. Little ones can try their hands at folding these dreidels (bonus if you recycle holiday gift wrap as your paper source). Pop a wooden matchstick through the top opening as a handle, then set out to spin!

    Origami Dreidels from Bible Belt Balabusta

  • 14 of 18

    Homemade Chocolate Gelt

    Homemade chocolate gelt
    The Monday Box

    Why not attempt a homemade batch of chocolate coins this year? Children will love pouring melted chocolate into molds and can add sprinkles, nuts, or icing to take these up a notch. Wrapping these coins in gold foil makes them the perfect treat for your Hanukkah celebration, and bonus: you control exactly what goes into them (read: no preservatives or artificial flavoring).

    Homemade Chocolate Gelt from The Monday Box

  • 15 of 18

    DIY Hanukkah Wreath

    Hanukkah wreath
    Lollies and Lattes

    Welcome holiday guests with a stunning wreath for the front door—all homemade. Cover a styrofoam ring with blue mesh ribbon, then kids can help glue on little dreidels and Stars of David. Add dimension by twirling in a contrasting, metallic ribbon, and your wreath is ready to hang.

    DIY Hanukkah Wreath from Lollies and Lattes

  • 16 of 18

    Cardboard Tube Party Favors

    Cardboard tube party favors
    Creative Jewish Mom

    Hanukkah guests can take home a fully DIY favor, with the help of a few empty toilet paper rolls. Fill the cardboard tubes with candy or small gifts, then wrap in festive fabric and tie with a bow. Not only is this no-sew project very accessible for children, but they’ll get to experience the joy of gift-giving too.

    Cardboard Tube Party Favors from Creative Jewish Mom

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  • 17 of 18

    Golden Gelt Table Runner

    Gelt table runner
    My Jewish Learning

    This year, save all of the golden foil wrappers from your chocolate gelt (and maybe eat a few extra to prep for this project) and construct this lovely metallic table runner for next Hanukkah’s tablescape. Little ones can join in organizing and laying out the wrappers, while an adult handles the hot glue gun. This DIY uses a cardstock base, and couldn’t be simpler.

    Golden Gelt Table Runner from My Jewish Learning

  • 18 of 18

    Havdala Candles

    Havdalah candles
    Bible Belt Balabusta

    Build your own menorah from top to bottom with this idea for DIYing Hanukkah candles. Melt two small candles slightly with a hairdryer or heat gun, then twist together. For more advanced crafters, try braiding three together.

    Havdalah Candles from Bible Belt Balabusta