olidays
Lighten
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Homemade crafts to make
Chanukah even more n
ELLEN SCOLNIC SPECIAL TO THE APPLETREE
hanukah is a family centered holiday filled with sparkling
candles, twirling tops and lots of latkes. Beyond the
chocolate coins, children can learn to appreciate the
beauty and the traditions of Chanukah through fun and simple pro-
jects.
"When you create activities that involve them, that use all their
senses, it helps children make a positive connection," said Andrea
Seidman, Jewish program coordinator for day-care services at the
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. "When they sing a great
holiday song, taste delicious latkes and help light candles, they're
building positive Jewish identity"
Make Your Own Menorah
T HE A P P LET R EE
Vital to any celebration of
Chanukah is the lighting of
candles in an eight-branched
menorah.
A ninth, middle candle, the
shamash, is used to kindle the
others.
Menorahs can be made of
any material, any size or
shape, as long as there are
spaces for nine candles. For
preschoolers, making a meno-
rah with faux candles they
can "light" each night is a
great idea. Here are three
to try:
24
* Paper Towel Tube
Menorah
First, take an empty
tube from a roll of paper
towels.
Decorate the tube, using
markers, crayons, glitter, fab-
ric shapes, cut-out pictures
from a magazine.
Then, with scissors, cut
nine slits in a row across the
top of the tube.
Glue the tube to an upside-
down paper cup to form the
base of the menorah. Let dry
completely.
Meanwhile, color 10 popsi-
cle sticks, making the top of
each one yellow and red for
the "flame." Glue two sticks
together for a taller shamash.
Each night, add another
candle in the slits.
* Candy Menorah
Fasten nine gumdrops in a
line to nine flat cookies or
crackers, using a paste of con-
fectioners' sugar and water.
Each night, stick one, thin
pretzel stick (this is your "can-
dle") into a gumdrop.
Light the pretzel candle by
"gluing" a yellow M&M to
the top with the confection-
ers' sugar paste.
* Felt Menorah
Use one piece of felt to cut
out a menorah shape. (If you
need a guide, trace a meno-
rah from a book onto card-
board to use as a pattern.)
Glue the felt menorah to a
larger square of felt, making a
Chanukah banner.
For variety, add other deco-
rations: sequins, buttons and
scraps of cloth, or write "Hap-
py Chanukah" across the top.
Cut nine felt rectangles out
of other colors of felt (the can-
dles) and nine small yellow
ovals (the flames).
Each night, your child can
"light" the menorah by stick-
ing another candle and flame
onto the banner. You can use
velcro to attach (so you can
use and re-use your felt meno-
rah), or glue if the project is
for one-time use only.
Menorahs that hold real
candles can be made from al-
most anything. Here's a pro-
ject that recycles kitchen
leftovers:
* Nutty Menorah
First, fill nine halves of wal-
nut shells with clay, to hold
the candles.
Glue the walnut halves
onto a larger block of wood.
Voila, you have an ecologi-
cally engineered menorah!
Gift Wrap
Instead of simply gtving friends and family
those familiar gold ins in their little
mesh bags, why not wrap them in home-
made gift wrap, designed by your chil-
dren?
You will need:
large sponges
scissors
non-toxic tempera paint
an old saucer
newspaper
111 er
e wrapper paper
mo w. er your work space with
, t_ rs as this can be a
Be sure your chil-
messy p
dren are wearing old clothing or
a smock, as well,
Next, cut the sponges in shapes
of stars or dreidels (although children am
help, parents will need to supervise as cut-
ting the sponges can be diffiailt).
pottrnon-toxic paints into a
dish or flat saucer, Don't pour
too much, Haugh, else the
paint will end up all over
the table!
Dampen the sponge
and dip it into the
'
paint.
Do a few sarn-
----, --=•
- " ' • —
pie prints on newspaper or
scra‘i) paper first, to get rid of
excess paint.
Print shapes Oil large sheets of
white wrapping paper.
Repeat the printing until
you've tried lots of colors
and the paper is almost
full. Be sure to thoroughly
wash sponges in-between each cokm Let
dry for several hours, and you'll have
w;ap.
beautiful, custom-m
Ellen Scelnic is &freelance writer in Penn-
sylvania. She thanks:cal& Mon and the
staff at the Auerbach CentratAgai4.7flor
Jewish Education and teachers at federa-
don Day Care SerViC k-`,.'S for .sharing their
ideas for r,hanukah art projects.