So, er, anyone else celebrate Hanukkah...?

[NanceXToo]

10 year old dd wants to "do something" in regard to Hanukkah at Girl Scouts this year. Maybe a simple craft, a short, but interesting book that would sum Hanukkah up without being too lengthy or losing the kid's interests, maybe some sort of snack/treat that is easy to make that we can bring in... NONE of the other kids are Jewish (we're pretty rare around here lol).

 

...any suggestions for any of those things? She'd be doing it a bit after the fact, on Thursday the 9th, as she's missing it this week due to us celebrating with family (MIL is out from Florida, SIL from California, and we're all getting together this Thursday the 2nd for our big meal/celebration). But I still only have about a week to prepare, and it needs to be pretty simple as the leader (who is all for dd doing this if she wants to) said they don't have big attention spans- but not too babyish either, as these are Junior Girl Scouts, ages 9 and 10 or so.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

We've used this site for a number of things. Hanukkah activities look great there.

 

http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/jewish/hanukah.htm

 

Also enchanted learning is where we got our Hanukkah ideas from last year, although, they are on the younger side.

[NanceXToo]

You can make this 3D dreidle card:

http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/3-d-greetings-674931/

Or this menorah card:

http://www.kidscraftweekly.com/hanukkah_crafts.html

(scroll down)

 

Just a suggestion.

 

Esther

(Not jewish by the way)

 

Oh, I love the Macaroni Menorah on that second link! I'm going to bring in the stuff to do that one! Thanks!!

 

Now, I need to find a book (or something online I can print out if I can't find a suitable book) that will sum up Hanukkah in a brief, interesting way.

 

And still perhaps think of a snack? I thought of sending in latkes but ugh it's just so much work, especially since we'll already be doing it for ourselves the week before. So I want something simpler. :D

 

Thanks for these suggestions so far!

[Ester Maria]

I'd have her explain briefly what Chanuka is - point where the event happened on a map, roughly about the history behind it (sort of "Greeks came and started forbidding us shabat, Torah etc., so we decided to rebel against it" :D, in very simplified terms), show a dreidel and what the letters mean (that can be "cool", to learn a few letters in a different alphabet), say what was the purpose of dreidels and how one plays with them (then they can play), and add a word or two about the miracle of menorah, followed by some short craft about it.

She can bring some typical music (hanerot halalu?) and sufganiot to snack.

[Guest Cindie2dds]

You know, my Oak Meadow 3 Syllabus has Hebrew letters and meanings in it. I would check out your Syllabus! :D

[Scuff]

Pregnancy brain! I had wriiten on the calender the 2011 dates! (not starting until the 20th) Yikes...

[holdoll]

If you go to this site, they have different sections for Hanukkah. It's geared towards kids. There are the traditional prayers said when lighting the Hanukkiah, traditional snacks (rugelach rules!), traditions, crafts, vocabulary, etc.

[Jen in PA]

We were the only Jewish family in our school and scout troop when I was your dd's age (in central PA no less!). My mom was my Girl Scout leader, and we had a holiday party for scouts at our house every year where she explained about Hanukkah and we lit candles and played dreidle. There are a lot more resources available now in terms of finding craft projects -- all I remember is that she had us do some from Highlights magazine. I like sponge-stamping a Hanukkah menorah and candles as a craft for any age, and with older kids you can use the pretty metallic paints, which look so pretty stamped on glossy paper.

[dangermom]

It doesn't explain Hanukkah, but Marissa Moss' The Ugly Menorah is one of the greatest Hanukkah books ever...

[LibraryLover]

We don't ourselves, but we celebrate with friends. They have a zillion menorahs and she sets them out on a long table so each child gets to light their own candles. They tell the story, say prayers in Hebrew, and sing a couple of songs. The children decorate sugar cookies, and her dh plays the dreidel game with the children using pennies. I've seen it done with tiny candies as well.

 

Then we drum. ;)

[Spy Car]

It doesn't explain Hanukkah, but Marissa Moss' The Ugly Menorah is one of the greatest Hanukkah books ever...

 

We read that the year we lost Papa (my father-in-law) and it made me weep.

 

He wasn't Jewish, nor or we, but we still light our Chanukiah, play dreidel, and share the festival of light celebrations with our neighbors.

 

Bill

Edited November 29, 2010 by Spy Car

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

We do both Hanukkah and Christmas since we are an interreligious family. She could teach them how to play dreidle. You can get a bunch of those little plastic dreidles pretty cheaply. And some chocolate gelt. You can order both online at ZionJudaica.com if you can't find them anywhere else. I live in a very Jewish neighborhood, so my Target and other stores have large Hanukkah sections. I went black Friday shopping with some girlfriends about 30 mins. away from my house, and I couldn't find a single Hanukkah thing!

 

Anyway, you could make menorahs, sing the blessing and learn how to play dreidle. Sounds like a fun Girl Scout activity.

[NanceXToo]

Thank for these replies!

 

Chocolate gelt is a good idea for the snack, I hadn't even thought of that! And certainly easier than making something lol. I just ordered some :)

 

So now I have a snack: (chocolate gelt)

a craft: (the macaroni and lentil menorahs)

 

and just want to see if I can come up with a good story or book that's interesting but not too long and sticks to the basics kind of thing!

[kalphs]

We've used this site for a number of things. Hanukkah activities look great there.

 

http://www.dltk-kids.com/world/jewish/hanukah.htm

 

Also enchanted learning is where we got our Hanukkah ideas from last year, although, they are on the younger side.

:iagree:

Another idea is to read the American Girl book "Candlelight for Rebecca."

[Shifra]

Here's an idea that works with children (and adults) ages 5 or so and up:

 

Take a 12 inch piece of wood (maybe you can get scraps) and sand it down a bit. Use wood glue and glue on 8 screws (wide enough that they can hold standard Hanukkah candles), evenly spaced apart. Then add one more set of screws, this time two of them placed one on top of the other, for the shamash (worker candle). You can place the shamash candle either on the side of the menorah or in the middle. Let it dry. Then spray paint with gold paint.

 

The best book on the history of Hanukkah is Hanukkah: A Counting Book by Emily Sper.

Edited November 29, 2010 by Shifra

[kewb]

The Complete Guide to Hanukkah by Susan Fischer Weis offers a nice overview of the Holiday.

There is always Sammy Spider's First Hanukkah.

 

Perhaps everyone can participate in a short skit about Hanukkah. Who doesn't love defeating the cruel tyrant, Antiochus.

 

Everyone loves a good game of Dreidel. My kids also enjoy a contest to see whose dreidel will spin the longest.

 

I really need to get my Hanukkah decorations up. It is so early this year. The Jewish Holidays-always early or late, never on time.

[missiemick]

It's fun to play a "Live Dreidel Game." Attach pockets to a string and tie to the "dreidel." Place the letters in the pockets (where no one can see) and then the "dreidel" spins and falls (on her front, back, side -- like a dreidel." Check the pocket to see which letter is facing up. Keep score the same way as using "regular" dreidels.

Oh, and definitely Latkes and doughnuts!

[Spy Car]

We like to read the Yiddish stories for children by Isaac Bashevis Singer at Chanukah. They are so funny and help put us in the mood.

 

Bill

[JennyD]

It's fun to play a "Live Dreidel Game." Attach pockets to a string and tie to the "dreidel." Place the letters in the pockets (where no one can see) and then the "dreidel" spins and falls (on her front, back, side -- like a dreidel." Check the pocket to see which letter is facing up. Keep score the same way as using "regular" dreidels.

Oh, and definitely Latkes and doughnuts!

 

This? Is genius. I cannot begin to tell you how much my boys would love this game.