How to Make a Menorah for Kids

Hanukkah is a special time for Jewish families, and lighting the menorah is one of the most special times of all. Lighting the candles in the menorah starts every evening of the eight-night holiday. Make holiday memories with your kids before Hanukkah even starts by helping them make their own menorah. This craft project is a snap; you can find the materials in your home or at a hardware or craft store.

Things You'll Need

• 2- by 4-inch board cut to a length of 8 to 10 inches
• Smaller piece of wood or empty spool (optional)
• 9 3/8-inch hex nuts
• 9 pennies
• Nonflammable craft glue
• Acrylic paint
• Stencils
• Stickers
• Glitter
• Macaroni

Instructions

1. Glue nine pennies to the top of the larger wooden board with nonflammable craft glue, making sure there is an equal space between each penny. The pennies support the bolts used to hold the candles--eight candles for the eight nights of Hanukkah, and the shamash. If you'd like, glue another piece of wood or an empty spool in the center of the block for a shamash holder (the shamash is the extra candle in the middle used to light the other candles).

2. Glue nine 3/8 inch hex nuts on top of the pennies to hold the menorah's candles in place. Let the glue dry overnight.

3. Paint the block of wood with acrylic paints. Use stencils for Hanukkah-themed patterns, such as dreidels, or let your kids make up their own designs. Paint the shamash holder with the four Hebrew letters of the dreidel--gimel, hei, nun and shin. Don't overpaint the hex nuts, or you may have trouble fitting the candles inside the menorah. Let the paint dry overnight.

4. Add extra decorations, such as glitter, stickers or macaroni, and let the glue dry.

Resources

• Holidays on the Net: Chanukah