Understanding The Benefits Of Hanukkah For Kids

While Christmas currently takes center stage in the UK, children may also encounter various cultural celebrations at school and through their friends, such as Diwali, Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year, and Hanukkah.

As a parent, it can be challenging when your children expect you to have all the answers. For those with young kids who are learning about different cultural celebrations at school, finding straightforward ways to explain Hanukkah can be beneficial for their understanding and involvement.

To assist you, we’ve provided a brief overview of Hanukkah, along with some tips on how to explain it to kids.

When is Hanukkah in 2024?

The date of Hanukkah varies each year, based on the calendar. In 2024, Hanukkah begins at sunset on December 25, which also coincides with Christmas Day, and continues for eight days until January 2, 2025.

Are Hanukkah and Christmas similar?

Both Hanukkah and Christmas share some common elements, such as family gatherings, delicious meals, gift-giving, and cultural celebration. However, they are distinct in many ways.

Christmas primarily celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, whereas Hanukkah commemorates a miracle that followed the Jewish victory over the Greeks, allowing Jewish people the freedom to practice their religion.

What is the story of Hanukkah?

Hanukkah is a joyful Jewish festival celebrated with family and friends. The “Festival of Lights” centers on remembering Hanukkah’s historical narrative. This celebration is a wonderful occasion filled with home decorations and delicious foods, providing a fun experience for children, who get to indulge in treats and receive presents.

More than 2000 years ago, the Jewish people successfully fought against the Greeks, who had prohibited Jewish religious practices and erected a statue in their temple to compel them to worship Greek deities. The Jewish community resisted, and a group known as the Maccabees led a revolt against the Greeks. After three years of conflict, they triumphed, allowing them to practice their faith freely.

In celebration of their victory, they restored the destroyed temple and lit an oil lamp. Remarkably, the lamp, which contained just enough oil for one day, burned for eight consecutive days. The festival of Hanukkah spans eight days, commemorating this miracle, with light symbolizing this significant period in Jewish history.

How can you explain Hanukkah to young kids?

The story of Hanukkah can be quite complex for young minds, so here are some engaging, child-friendly methods to share its narrative:

Interactive songs and movements

Young children often learn best through music, repetition, and hands-on activities. Incorporating songs and hand gestures to narrate different aspects of the Hanukkah story can enhance their engagement and comprehension.

Puppet dolls and role play

Creating painted peg dolls can be a delightful craft for kids, allowing them to enact the story of Hanukkah through imaginative play. These dolls can be cherished and used for years, with children developing a deeper understanding of the story as they grow.

Watch Hanukkah stories online

Viewing Hanukkah stories as a family can be a helpful way to educate young ones about the significance of the holiday. For example, there’s a helpful video from Twinkl Educational Publishing that aims to introduce kids to Hanukkah and the Festival of Lights…

How is Hanukkah celebrated?

Celebrations of Hanukkah include lighting candles on a menorah, a special candlestick with a total of nine holders—eight representing each night of Hanukkah, plus a ninth candle called the shamash that is used to light the others. Starting with the first candle on the first night, an additional candle is lit every evening.

In addition to candle lighting, families exchange gifts and engage in holiday games. Traditional foods such as potato pancakes known as latkes and deep-fried jelly doughnuts called sufganiyot are enjoyed as they symbolize the oil in the everlasting lamp.

What is a dreidel?

After the festive meals, families often gather to play with a spinning top called a dreidel. This four-sided top features a Hebrew letter on each side, collectively forming an acronym that translates to “a great miracle happened there.” Children find joy in this game, especially when it means they can win chocolate gelt or coins.

Activities for kids during Hanukkah

Hanukkah presents a wonderful opportunity to teach children about Jewish culture through enjoyable games and activities. Here are some simple ideas you can try at home with your little ones…

Coloring Hanukkah-themed pictures

Print Hanukkah-themed coloring pages for kids to engage with. Coloring pictures that symbolize this Jewish holiday offers a great moment to share the story of Hanukkah, as they’ll be focused on their artwork while you explain.

Additionally, you can find various fun printable activities, such as dot-to-dot puzzles, color-by-number sheets, and word searches for older children. Twinkl is an excellent resource to explore for great educational materials.