Hanukkah Play and Storytime Set

I thought it would be fun to create some holiday sets for holidays that I don't personally celebrate (like Diwali, and Kwanzaa, and Ramadan!) (I was right--it WAS fun, and wow, I learned a lot while doing research for these sets.)  I'm so happy to be able to share these, as I think it's so important to expose kids to various cultures, and to share in celebrations with the kids who DO celebrate holidays outside of my own experience :)  

I focus holiday sets on the parts of holidays that kids understand most easily, so the concepts are generally about simple traditions vs. religious themes.  

I also want them to be usable both as storytime sets-- where the adult is using the set pieces as props to support a rhyme, song or story--and as play sets for the kids--where the kids are re-enacting traditions, songs, and stories that they've learned about.  

So up today is Hanukkah.  This particular set was originally created for kids to play with independently--but then I realized it's completely usable at story time, too! I made up some super simple songs to go with the set--Hanukkah vocabulary and concepts are sprinkled within, and the tunes are familiar so everyone will have an easy time joining in.

It is Hanukkah  © Wendy Gerbi

To the tune of Frere Jacques.  Explain the concept of call and response if the kids aren’t familiar with it.  You can set up your pieces on the board ahead of time or place them on as you sing about them.  Do what works for you—having the kids help place the pieces on the board is the most fun 😊

It is Hanukkah, it is Hanukkah

The festival of lights, the festival of lights!

The shamash lights the candles, the shamash lights the candles.

Shining bright, shining bright!

 

It is Hanukkah, it is Hanukkah

The festival of lights, the festival of lights!

Fry potato latkes, fry potato latkes,

Eat them up, eat them up!

 

It is Hanukkah, it is Hanukkah

The festival of lights, the festival of lights!

Spin the little dreidels, spin the little dreidels,

Watch them fall, watch them fall!

 

It is Hanukkah, it is Hanukkah

The festival of lights, the festival of lights!

Fry the sufganiyot, fry the sufganiyot,

Cherries on top, cherries on top!

 

Hanukkah is Here

to the tune of Farmer in the Dell

As you sing about each felt piece, place it on the board.

 

Hanukkah is here, Hanukkah is here,

Light the candles in the menorah,

Hanukkah is here!

Hanukkah is here, Hanukkah is here,

Fry the latkes in the pan,

Hanukkah is here!

 

Hanukkah is here, Hanukkah is here,

Spin the dreidels and watch them fall,

Hanukkah is here!

 

Hanukkah is here, Hanukkah is here,

Chocolate gelt for all the kids,

Hanukkah is here!

 

Hanukkah is here, Hanukkah is here,

Icing and cherries on our doughnuts,

Hanukkah is here!

 

Hanukkah is here, Hanukkah is here,

Celebrate with friends and family,

Hanukkah is here!

Little Mouse: Hanukkah Variation

I'm a big fan of the Little Mouse game and all its variations!  Proof?  Check out this old post.  I have a Hanukkah set that I've also posted about before, and wanted a new way to incorporate it into story times. Enter a Little Mouse variation! (I like this way of exposing kids to other cultures in a developmentally appropriate way.)

Check out this lovely set for sale

By using the rhyme...

Little __________, Little ___________

Playing Hide and Seek...

Are you behind the __________?

Let's take a peek!

...you can come up with almost endless variations, all while exposing the children to Hanukkah related vocabulary words.  Examples:

Hanukkah gelt, Hanukkah gelt, 

Playing hide and seek...

Are you behind the Menorah?

Let's take a peek!

Little latke, little latke, 

Playing hide and seek...

Are you behind the Nun dreidel?

Let's take a peek!

(Obviously you'll need to brush up on your Hanukkah knowledge if you don't have much of it (that was me before I started teaching in a school with a pretty high Jewish population!))  Great opportunity for you to learn along with the kids, if that's the case.

Flannel Friday is being hosted this week by Jen!  Please also check out the Flannel Friday Blog, Facebook, and Pinterest pages, which will give you tons of information and gazillions of ideas to spruce up your story times :)  And of course, swing by my shop when you get a chance:  Flannel Board Fun!

Hanukkah Set

We don't really read a lot of Hanukkah or Christmas books in my classroom.  Most of the books I've found that focus on those topics aren't really great in terms of quality literature.  However, we do sing several Hanukkah songs, play with dreidels, and make latkes.  We do similar Christmassy stuff, and I have a few Christmas sets for the children to play with.  But as far as Hanukkah goes, we had nothing in felt.  

So, now we do:

This set could be used on a felt table for individual use after a Hanukkah story time.  

It could also be used just to help aid in having a conversation about Hanukkah.  

You could pass out candles and flames and have the children come up and "light" the candles!  

They can come up and put a latke in the frying pan to cook!

They can frost the sufganyot, and put the cherries on top!  

You can talk about the symbols on the dreidels, pass them out, and see if they can remember what their symbol means (bring me your dreidel if you have the symbol that means "take all").

This set is for sale.  Come visit my shop!.

Flannel Friday is being hosted this week by me!  You'll find the Roundup here.  Please also check out the Flannel Friday Blog, Facebook, and Pinterest pages, which will give you tons of information and gazillions of ideas to spruce up your story times :)