18 Hanukkah Crafts for Kids

Hanukkah Luminaries

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

Marshmallow Dreidels

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

Paper Plate Star of David

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

Masking Tape Menorah

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

Watercolor Dreidel Craft

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

LEGO Menorah

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

Menorah Tub Toy

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

Sand Art Menorah

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

Popsicle Stick Star of David

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

Stained Glass Menorah

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

Felt Dreidel Banner

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

Cardboard Tube Menorah

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

Origami Dreidels

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

Homemade Chocolate Gelt

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

DIY Hanukkah Wreath

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

Cardboard Tube Party Favors

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

Golden Gelt Table Runner

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

Havdala Candles

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