The kids (both at home and in my classroom!) made a new Hanukkah decoration this year: Hanukkah Mixed Media Collages! We all know making artwork for the holidays is always a fun way to review the holiday story, share traditions or symbols of the holiday, and make a nice decoration for your house. Using different mediums and materials is also always fun, but it’s also great a sensory addition to any project. This Hanukkah Mixed Media Collage is the perfect way to combine learning with a fun process ending with the result of a beautiful keepsake for the holidays.
What You’ll Need
- Large construction paper
, cardstock, or other heavier paper. The size is up to you. In my classroom and at home we used large construction paper. A cardstock would have worked really nicely.
- 8 mini birthday candles
. Dollar Tree often has these tiny birthday candles and they work great.
- Shiny gold wrapping paper
. Again, Dollar Tree often has this supply.
- Cardboard, small pieces
- Torn brown construction paper
- Scissors
- Glue
- Crayons
or markers
- Hanukkah explanations (optional) * Access a pdf of these explanations here!
- Stickers
(optional)
- Paint
(optional)
, cardstock, or other heavier paper. The size is up to you. In my classroom and at home we used large construction paper. A cardstock would have worked really nicely.
. 
. Again, 
or markers
(optional)
(optional)Putting It Together
1. We skipped painting the background of the collage paper in the classroom and even my kids didn’t want to take the time to wait for it to dry. It’s certainly another fun element to add but you will have to be okay with that dry time. If this is a project you want to complete in a single sitting, painting won’t work. Or, you can explain to the children they can paint different symbols but maybe not the entire background.
2. Each child can create their own Hanukkiah with the 8 candles. They can glue the 8 candles onto the cardstock and draw or paint a Hanukkiah around those candles. It’s so neat to see what different ideas they have for their Hanukkiahs!
3. Either pre-cut or allow the children to cut small circles of the gold wrapping paper. These will become their gelt. They can glue their gelt onto their cardstock background.
I love the little Hanukkah base she drew under the candles! And she was so focused on making a straight line of gelt 🙂
4. The small pieces of cardboard can be cut into dreidels, either by an adult or by the children. The children can decorate these dreidels with crayon or marker, adding some of the Hebrew letters (shin, gimmel, dalet, and hey) if they wish. They can then glue the dreidels onto the cardstock as well.
5. The children can glue the torn brown construction paper into little piles to represent the latkes.
Big Brother had other focuses: all candles must be lined up exactly even and he created a border around the cardstock with his gelt. I love the individuality that is created even when children are given the exact same materials to use.
6. In my classroom I had each child glue on the different Hanukkah explanations I created for each symbol we used, as well as a very short version of the Hanukkah story, adapted from PJ Library’s Hanukkah page. This step can certainly be skipped at home to provide a more child-led visual art piece, but in the classroom I like to send them home with concrete learning reminders that can be used as discussion topics between the parents and children. This also helps because in our synagogue we have many interfaith families so not all parents will be familiar with the story or symbols of the holidays we learn about.
7. Lastly, the children can decorate the rest of their collage as they wish—using Hanukkah stickers, crayons, markers, paint, or whatever other materials or mediums they’d like.
Finished and Loving It!
This craft is simple and hands-on. It tells the story of Hanukkah and the holiday’s important symbols. It allows allows the kids to have a sensory experience by dealing with the different types of materials used. It’s also a sweet Hanukkah decoration and keepsake! We just hung ours behind our kitchen table. The kids love seeing it as they eat their Hanukkah dinner!
What materials would you use to make a fun Hanukkah collage? How else do you have your children decorate for Hanukkah?
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