Handprint Menorah

We read Hanukkah:  A Counting Book  by Emily Sper today.  Eva loved how the candles appeared and hearing me attempt to count in Hebrew and Yiddish (the story has both languages along with English).

After we read it a few times we set about making a menorah of our own.  Rather than painting handprints like we did last year, this year Eva chose to cut out handprints.  Lately she loves tracing her hand and then cutting it out so this was right up her alley!  I love her cutting strategy.  She trims around the item and then keeps cutting closer and closer to it.

She then asked me to finish them and we glued them onto a sheet of paper.  To add the flames, Eva dipped her finger into yellow paint and then dabbed them on each candle.

When the flames dried, I wrote Happy Hanukkah along the top and Menorah at the bottom.  Eva helped me count the candles and we labeled the shamash (helper candle).  Then we hung it in the window with our Star of David.

Happy Hanukkah everyone!

Hanukkah Happenings

Hanukkah begins on Wednesday so this week we will be learning all about this special holiday.

Crafts
Handprint Menorah- we'll be making a simple menorah similar to the one above that Eva made last year (her "my nora")

Star of David Ornament- popsicle sticks will be transformed into this six pointed star

Cooking
Latkes- you can't celebrate Hanukkah without some yummy potato latkes!

Dreidel Cookies- fig newtons will be transformed into edible dreidels

Activities
Dreidel- we will try our hand at playing this traditional Hanukkah game

Books