Thursday, November 25, 2010

Day 2: Let the Hanukkah Games Begin!


When you think of Hanukkah games, is the dreidel game the first (and maybe the only) holiday game that comes to mind? We have quite a collection of dreidels in our family...plain wooden ones, colorful wooden ones, plastic, musical, and even bubble-blowing. Aside from the traditional dreidel game, we like to see who can keep theirs spinning the longest.

With a bit of creativity, and online searching, you can come up with a lot of other games and ideas.

Matching Game: You can find a fun one here or you can make your own using scrapbooking supplies you already have on hand. Cut 12-16 cards out of cardstock (about 3" x 5"), cover one side of each card with patterned paper (all the same). For the other side of the cards, you can use holiday-related photos, stickers or words. Try words like latke, Maccabees, menorah, dreidel, gelt, miracle, candle, etc. Be sure to make two of each word you choose so you'll have a set to match. :)

Pin the Hay on the Dreidel: For this game, cut a large dreidel shape out of construction paper, cardstock or butcher paper. Tape it to the wall. Next, print out a letter you would see on a dreidel, cut it out and have kids try to tape it onto the dreidel while they are blindfolded.

Candle Game: This is a game my daughter (now nine) came up with years ago. Place a piece of Hanukkah gelt or a coin in front of the menorah candle you think is going to burn out first (or last). The person who makes the correct guess or comes closest gets a small prize or gets to eat their piece of gelt.

Make it a "Scent"-sational Holiday: This game uses all of your senses. Have kids either say or make a list of holiday items related to each of our senses (touch=dreidel, sound=singing a song, smell=latkes cooking, taste=gelt, sight=candles flickering, etc.)

Web Sites: If online games are more your style, here are a couple of sites to check out:

Build your own Hanukkiah here.
Try your hand at Hanukkah tic-tac-toe here.
Take a look here for more games and puzzles and also here.

What games do you play with your family? Comment here and you'll be entered into the grand prize drawing. Happy Hanukkah!

4 comments:

  1. We play at whose can spin the longest!

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  2. Love all the game ideas! We try to see who can spin it on its handle.

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  3. Just loce all these ideas!1 Also my kids are grown ups now- but the grandkids will come and then I will do some of those with them.. Here, In Israel, the Only thing we did year after year, is to build a Hannukia.. And to eat lots of Sufganiot and Latkes and chocolate coins and eat and eat again.. And take our kids for kid festivals- it's the best time of a year for kids musicals and shows and 8 days of school vacation too..

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  4. I LOVE the candle game idea - tell your daughter we will be playing it this year!

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