Hanukkah games for kids are great, but I put this list together because store-bought options often lose their appeal fast. If you need ways to keep little hands busy without spending a fortune, these craft activities help immensely.
These projects work beautifully for families wanting to combine crafting with playtime. You get simple, hands-on setups that look festive and actually give everyone something fun to do while the latkes are frying.
1. Cardboard Tube Menorah Bowling
Saving up paper towel rolls pays off when you need an active indoor activity.
Supplies you’ll need
- Nine empty cardboard tubes
- Blue yarn or a soft plush ball
- Craft paint and brushes
Putting it together
- First, paint your cardboard tubes in festive blues and silver, then let them dry completely.
- Arrange the decorated tubes in a slightly curved row on the floor to mimic a traditional menorah shape.
How to play
Have the kids stand a few feet back and roll the yarn ball to knock down the “candles.” You can easily keep track of the score based on how many tubes fall over in a single turn.
2. Clothespin Menorah Candle-Matching Game
Working on fine motor skills feels like play when there is a holiday theme attached.
What to gather
- A thick piece of cardboard
- Nine wooden clothespins
- Yellow construction paper and markers
Crafting the board
- Cut your thick cardboard into the shape of a sturdy menorah and write the numbers one through nine along the top edge.
- Cut out small paper flames and glue them directly onto the tops of your wooden clothespins.
Matching process
Scatter the wooden clips on the table and ask your little ones to pinch and attach the correct “flame” onto the matching number on the base.
3. LEGO Dreidel Engineering Challenge
When the traditional plastic spinners break, raiding the toy bin is the next logical step.
Required bricks
- Standard plastic building bricks in blue, white, and yellow
- A flat, smooth baseplate for testing
- A round bottom piece to act as the spinning point
Building and playing
- Challenge the kids to design their own custom dreidel shapes using only the bricks they have gathered.
- Once the designs are built, clear a smooth space on the dining table and host a spinning competition. The model that spins the longest without breaking apart wins the round.
4. DIY Gelt Tic-Tac-Toe
Using chocolate as game pieces usually means half of them disappear before you even start playing.
Crafting materials
- A large square of blue felt
- White yarn or string
- Stiff metallic paper for crafting coins
Assembly instructions
- Use your white yarn to stitch or glue a simple nine-square grid directly onto the blue felt background.
- Cut out circular coin shapes from the metallic paper to act as your reusable gelt.
Game rules
Players take turns placing their shiny paper coins on the felt grid. The first person to line up three pieces in a row takes home the victory.
5. Spin-the-Dreidel Board Game
Sometimes a rainy afternoon calls for creating your own rules and drawing a massive pathway on paper.
Things you need
- Heavy white cardstock or poster board
- Colorful markers
- A handmade paper dreidel
Making the board
- Draw a winding, connected pathway across the poster board and fill the squares with fun holiday-themed instructions like “move ahead two spaces” or “lose a turn.”
- Fold and tape together a simple paper dreidel to act as your random spinner.
Moving around the track
Players spin the paper dreidel to see how many spaces they get to move forward. The first person to reach the final square at the end of the board wins the game.
6. Cardboard Box Dreidel Toss
Empty delivery packages take up way too much room until you turn them into a giant target.
Supplies checklist
- One large cardboard shipping box
- Blue and yellow paint
- Small bean bags or rolled-up socks
Building the target
- Carefully cut several different-sized geometric slots into the front of the box.
- Paint the entire structure to look like a massive dreidel, and write a specific point value directly above each hole.
Throwing practice
Line the kids up in the hallway and give them three bean bags each. Whoever gets the most bean bags through the highest-scoring slots takes the prize.
7. Felt Latke Flipping Game
Watching you cook often makes little ones want to jump in and help with the frying pan.
Materials list
- Brown and tan craft felt
- Cotton stuffing
- A clean kitchen spatula and a toy pan
Sewing the pieces
- Cut the brown felt into rough, textured circles to mimic the look of crispy latkes.
- Add a tiny bit of cotton stuffing between two circles and stitch the edges closed so they have some weight to them.
Flipping race
Place the fabric latkes on a table and have the kids use the spatula to scoop and flip them into the toy frying pan as fast as possible.
8. Magnetic Shape Dreidel Geometry Game
Keeping toddlers occupied in the kitchen is much easier when you use the fridge or a baking sheet.
Items needed
- A large metallic cookie sheet
- Colorful geometric magnetic tiles (triangles and squares)
- A printed outline of a dreidel
Game setup
- Place the printed dreidel outline flat onto the shiny cookie sheet to serve as a guide.
- Scatter the magnetic geometric shapes loosely around the edges of the pan.
Solving the puzzle
Encourage your kids to fit the triangles and squares together inside the printed lines until they form the exact silhouette of the holiday top.
9. Hanukkah Memory Matching Cards
Memory matches are a staple, but drawing your own tiles makes the whole experience feel more personal.
Crafting supplies
- Heavy cardstock cut into equal squares
- Blue ink stamps or markers
- A ruler for straight edges
Creating the cards
- Have the kids stamp or draw matching pairs of holiday symbols—like stars, menorahs, and oil jugs—onto the heavy cardstock.
- Make sure the backs of all the cards remain completely blank so the identities stay hidden during gameplay.
Testing their memory
Shuffle the handmade deck and spread them face down on the table. Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to remember where the matches are hiding.
10. Paper Plate Menorah Ring Toss
Burning off extra energy indoors requires safe targets and soft projectiles.
What to grab
- Heavy-duty paper plates
- Sturdy cardboard tubes
- Glowing plastic rings or cut-out paper hoops
Assembly and rules
- Cut a paper plate in half to create a solid semi-circle base, then glue your cardboard tubes standing upright along the curved edge.
- Paint the entire structure brightly so the “candles” stand out against the floor.
- Have players toss the glowing rings from a distance, trying to loop them completely over the upright tubes.
11. DIY Dreidel Launcher Target Game
Older siblings usually want a bit more action and strategy rather than just spinning a top.
Building materials
- Stretchy rubber bands
- Plastic or paper cups
- Lightweight folded paper dreidels
Construction steps
- Cut the bottom out of a plastic cup and stretch a strong rubber band tightly across the opening to create a tension launcher.
- Draw a colorful bullseye target onto a piece of poster board and lay it flat on the ground.
Launch sequence
Kids can load their lightweight paper spinners into the cup, pull back on the rubber band, and aim for the highest point zones on the target.
12. Hanukkah Sensory Tray Treasure Hunt
Digging through a messy bin gives younger kids sensory feedback while keeping them anchored in one spot.
Tray supplies
- A shallow wooden tray or baking dish
- Dry white rice and blue food coloring
- Small plastic dreidels and shiny gold gelt
Preparing the hunt
- Dye your dry rice by mixing it with a few drops of blue food coloring in a bag, then let it dry on a paper towel.
- Fill the wooden tray with the colored rice and deeply bury the plastic tops and foil coins.
Uncovering the treasure
Hand the toddlers a small wooden scoop or a pair of kid-friendly tweezers and let them dig out the hidden items one by one.
13. Foam Sheet Counting Latkes
Sneaking some math practice into holiday activities works best when food is involved.
What you require
- Tan and brown craft-foam sheets
- A thick black permanent marker
- A plastic spatula
Creating the activity
- Cut the foam sheets into jagged, round shapes so they somewhat resemble real potato pancakes.
- Write a large number directly in the center of each foam piece using your black marker.
Number sequencing
Scatter the numbered foam pieces on the table and ask preschoolers to scoop them up with the spatula in strict chronological order.
14. Candy Mosaic Gelt Checkers
A board game that doubles as a sweet treat adds an entirely new level of motivation to win.
Items to gather
- A repurposed picture frame with the glass removed
- A printed checkerboard grid
- Two different colors of foil-wrapped chocolate coins
Setup and play
- Place the printed grid securely inside the empty picture frame to give it a solid, heavy base.
- Arrange the silver coins on one side and the gold coins on the other, just like a standard setup.
Taking pieces
Players jump over each other’s chocolate pieces to claim them. The best part is that the winner gets to eat the pieces they capture at the end of the round.
15. 3D Pop-Up Dreidel Balance Game
Trying to stack wobbly paper shapes is surprisingly difficult and guarantees a lot of giggles.
Craft supplies
- Thick, brightly colored cardstock
- Craft scissors
- A pencil for tracing
Making the pieces
- Trace and cut out several flat dreidel shapes from the thick cardstock.
- Cut a small slit into the top of half the shapes and the bottom of the other half so they can slide into one another to become 3D.
Stacking challenge
Players take turns carefully resting the 3D shapes on top of each other. The person who causes the precarious paper tower to finally topple over loses the round.
16. Marshmallow Dreidel Stacking Game
Building structures out of snacks is a classic holiday distraction when everyone is waiting for dinner.
Edible materials
- Jumbo and regular-sized marshmallows
- Thin, salty pretzel sticks
- Chocolate candy kisses
Building instructions
- Have the kids push a pretzel stick directly through the center of a jumbo marshmallow to form the main spinning axis.
- Attach a chocolate kiss to the bottom using a bit of frosting or just pushing it onto the pretzel to serve as the point.
Tower construction
Once everyone builds their edible pieces, try to stack them as high as possible without the sticky tower falling onto the plate.
FAQs
What age group are these DIY projects suitable for?
Most of these setups work wonderfully for kids aged 3 to 10. You can easily adjust the difficulty by letting older kids handle the cutting and gluing themselves, while toddlers just focus on the active playing aspect.
How do I store these games without ruining them?
Keep flat crafts like the felt boards or memory cards in large resealable bags so the pieces stay together. For bulkier items like the cardboard box toss, store them in a dry closet and bring them out specifically for game time.
Which crafting materials hold up best for repeated play?
If you want the handmade projects to survive the entire holiday, choosing the right base matters immensely. Here is a quick breakdown of material durability for your craft sessions:
| Material Type | Best Used For | Durability Level |
| Thick Cardboard | Ramps, target boxes, menorah bases | High |
| Stiff Craft Felt | Game boards, matching pieces | Very High |
| Standard Printer Paper | Spinners, memory cards | Low |
| Wooden Clothespins | Grip games, matching markers | Very High |
Finding ways to celebrate that don’t involve staring at a screen makes the holidays feel much more intentional. These handmade projects give your family a chance to slow down, create something together, and actually enjoy the process of playing.
If you plan on setting up these crafts, make sure to save these DIY Hanukkah games to your favorite Pinterest board so you can easily find the instructions later. You can always mix and match the supplies based on what you already have sitting in your craft drawer.