We discovered the joy of playing and creating with loose parts years ago so I knew the kids would love this Hanukkah-themed Loose Parts Hanukkiah activity! It’s of course super simple to set up, allows for open-ended creativity, and reviews the special Hanukkah ritual object, the Hanukkah menorah or the Hanukkiah. May we always strive to bring more light into our play, and our world!
What You’ll Need
- Loose parts—anything you have around the house will work. But if you’d like to grab a set of loose parts like we used, we love the Classic Loose Parts from Meadowbrook Playschool. Don’t forget to use WithLoveIma20 for 20% off your purchase!
- Masking or painters tape
Putting It Together
- Make a Hanukkiah outline with the painters tape. This will help guide the kiddos into creating their Loose Parts Hanukkiah which is especially helpful for younger kids. If your kids are able to create the shape of a Hanukkiah without any visual guidance then no need to use the tape!
- Set out your loose parts and invite your children to use the loose parts to create the shape of a Hanukkiah.
- We also read a Hanukkah book, Eight Winter Nights, that prominently featured a Hanukkiah so the kids could get that added review of the special Hanukkah object as they did this activity.
Finished & Loving It!
The kids were so excited to see the tray of loose parts and quickly got to work adding the different loose parts to the tape. They could easily recognize the tape as a Hanukkiah. They probably could have made the Loose Parts Hanukkiah without the tape, but it definitely made it easier.
For my youngest, the tape also helped him practice lining up the loose parts in a row. This takes coordination and focus and is a really great skill to practice in an activity like this.
The kids chose different ways to approach this activity. My daughter insisted on creating a pattern. The kindergartner created his own pattern that used the same type of loose parts but different colors. And the preschooler just grabbed whatever loose parts he wanted, made them hop and dance across the table, then added them wherever he desired.
I love how the colors from this loose part set really pop! They are matte but just so beautiful and create the most gorgeous designs and creations. I love using them in all kinds of open-ended play and so do the kids! They would also make a wonderful Hanukkah gift, just saying 😉
The Hanukkah book, Eight Winter Nights, is one that my grandparents gave to my oldest kiddo eleven years ago, for his second Hanukkah. It was so special to read their dedication and remind the kids of their love (my grandpa passed away in 2019, may his memory forever be a blessing) in addition to the sweetness of the story. The story talks about a lot of beautiful traditions of Hanukkah, such as giving tzedakah, which I really appreciate.
May our hanukkiyot (whether real or play!) light up our houses, our families and the world during Hanukkah! And may sweet activities like this Loose Parts Hanukkiah remind our children of the joy that is being Jewish!
We have a whole page dedicated to Hanukkah, our Hanukkah Hub. Check it out! It includes some of the Hanukkah activities we plan to do this year, as well as the activities we’ve done in previous years.
And don’t forget our Hanukkah Montessori-Style 3 Part Cards, a wonderful way to introduce Hanukkah! And, now we also have all 13 Jewish holidays bundled together in A Year of Jewish Holidays 3 Part Cards.
If you want to go full-on Hanukkah with your littles, you must try our Hanukkah Activities Packet for Early Learners! I am so excited about all the Hanukkah-themed literacy, fine motor skills, math, and play fun!
The following sites are amazing resources for learning more about this holiday:
Chag Sameach!
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