When I was a little girl, Hanukkah was one of my favorite holidays. It is festive, fun, and we got presents. Actually, back when I was a girl, it was not Hanukkah toys, but rather Hanukkah gelt – small chocolates in the shape of coins, along with a few token coins of actual money.
As the years pass, and other December holidays dominate the shopping season, Hanukkah gift-giving seems to have gotten bigger. However, there is no relationship between Hanukkah and Christmas other than the time of year they are celebrated.
In our family, Hanukkah toys and gifts are purely for kids. As adults, we celebrate the holiday by reciting the prayers, lighting the candles, and doing no work while they burn.
While gift-giving today runs the full gambit, with some families keeping up with their Christmas celebrating neighbors, in our family, we stick to a simpler environment. We have found Hanukkah toys, those that represent the holiday or tell the story in some way, to be great gifts for younger children, while Hanukkah crafts are great for older children.
Our favorite Hanukkah toys and crafts:
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Hanukkah toys: Menorahs
The Hanukkah menorah, or Chanukkiah, is possibly the most significant symbol for Hanukkah. Used to hold the candles that are lit for each of the nights, it represents the oil that burned for eight nights.
A toy Hanukkah menorah is a great way to engage children with the holiday.
Musical Hanukkah Plush Menorah and Dreidel
We started with this one, as it is so much more than just a toy Hanukkah menorah. This musical plush is just fun. I like the sing-along aspect as well as the removable candles on the menorah. It allows kids to learn and add one candle per night. Plus, it includes a plush dreidel.
Rated for 3 months and above.
Foam Toy Menorah
This soft foam Hanukkah toy menorah features colorful removable candles. The dreidel design adds to the Hanukkah fun.
Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Hanukkah toys: Dreidels
"I had a little dreidel. I made it out of clay. And when it's dry and ready, oh dreidel I will play."
Who else remembers this song from their childhood. Well today, it's even easier. There is no need to make the dreidel yourself, and there are even some fairly cool ones out there. Here are our favorites.
Yair Emanuel Small Wooden Dreidel
This hand-painted brightly colored dreidel is perfect for play as well as for display. With three layers of lacquer, it is constructed to be spun at Hannukah. Everyone loves the vivid artwork of Israeli artist Yair Emanuel, and it looks great on the shelf for the rest of the year.
Recommended for all kids (and adults) ages 3 and up.
Extra Large Blue & White Wooden Dreidels
The classic game I played as a child is made more fun with giant wooden dreidels. At three inches in size, these hand-painted dreidels are substantially bigger than the traditional ones. Better still, there are two; one white, the other blue. Each side has the Hebrew letter along with the English transliteration of the letter names.
Recommended for all kids (and adults) ages 3 and up.
Floating Dreidel
Not a toy, but a really cool innovative spinning dreidel for display. Suspended in mid-air via magnetic technology, it can spin endlessly. And lit up, it looks even cooler.
Perfect for older kids or adults.
Hanukkah Dreidel Fidget Spinner
This glossy metallic dreidel is a new spin on the classic game. It's great for people who want to play, but can't quite master the skill of spinning the dreidel. It is available in metallic blue, yellow, pink, or silver.
Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Hanukkah crafts
We found that as our kids got older, they preferred Hanukkah crafts to toys. Here are some that look like loads of fun and result in beautiful artwork.
Hanukkah Stamps
A six-pack of multicolored Hanukkah stampers featuring the Star of David, each of the four sides of the dreidel, and Hanukkah gelt. Fun for kids crafts or for decorating gift wrap.
Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Glitter Menorah and Dreidel
From Melissa & Doug, so you know it is quality. This mess-free craft uses glitter sheets (rather than glitter) and foam shaped candles to create sparkling art. The kit includes 5 glitter sheets and 9 foam candles.
Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Hanukkah Coloring and Activity Book
Colorful, fun, and beautifully illustrated, this book features 24 activities that tell the story of Hanukkah with text (English and Hebrew with transliteration) and images. In addition to offering something to color on each of the 32 pages, the book includes holiday-themed tic-tac-toe, a maze, a board game, and a dreidel hunt.
Recommended for ages 4 - 10.
Do-It-Yourself Mosaic Kit - Menorah
This do-it-yourself mosaic menorah kit is perfect for kids who like a bit more of a challenge. It comes with everything you need including the stamped board, mosaic stones, glue, grout, mixing sticks, and even the sponge.
Contains small pieces. Not recommended for children under 3 years.
Do-It-Yourself Mosaic Kit - Oil Lamp
Perfect for kids who love crafts, this do-it-yourself mosaic oil lamp kit includes everything you need. Aside from the mosaic stones and the stamped wooden board to show you where the pieces go, the kit contains the glue, grout, sponge, mixing stick, and instructions.
Contains small pieces. Not recommended for children under 3 years.
Jerusalem Golden Temple Laser Cut Do-It-Yourself Kit
With 241 pieces that fit together perfectly and 94 pictures in the instructions, this one is for teens or even adults. However, the result is a stunningly beautiful, intricate, and accurate model that everyone in the family will enjoy. It comes with a booklet highlighting the historical and religious background of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem.
Recommended for older children or adults.
Hanukkah puzzles and games
Puzzles and games are another way to get children involved with the holiday while they are having fun.
Wood Hanukkah Peg Puzzle
When my kids were little, they loved wooden puzzle pieces that have a small peg to hold. This one has Hanukkah-themed pieces including a menorah, a dreidel, Hanukkah gelt, sufganiyot, a plate of latkes, and oil.
Recommended for ages 2 and up.
Yair Emanuel Wooden Alef-Bet Menorah Puzzle
Created by Israeli artist Yair Emanuel, this wooden puzzle features 27 pieces, each with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet (including the five sofit final letters). It's colorful, educational, and fun.
Small parts. Not for children under 3 years.
Chanukah Bingo Game
Bingo fans, this one is for you. It's a perfect game for the whole family as it uses images rather than words; therefore, the game requires no reading. There are six laminated cards and a collectible tin for storage.
Recommended for ages 4 and up.
Hanukkah Dominoes Game
A children's game featuring colorful dominoes with traditional images of Hanukkah. It's a fun way for children to learn about some of the symbols of Hanukkah.
Recommended for ages 3 and up.
More Hanukkah toys
Here are two more options that didn't quite fit into any of the categories above.
Hanukkah Finger Puppet Set
Five finger puppets designed by Barbara Shaw. They feature Hanukkah characters Judah Maccabee, Judith, a Roman soldier, a menorah, and an oil lamp. Each puppet has a picture on the front side and is soft fabric on the back.
Hanukkah Mad Libs
We often found pre-teens to be one of the most difficult ages to shop for, then we discovered this Hanukkah Mad Libs. The book features hilarious stories about lighting the menorah, spinning the dreidel, and more.
Recommended for ages 8 - 13 (grades 3-7).
More great options for children
Another great option is to get kids their own menorah. We like this idea so much, we made a separate page for it. Check out our favorite child-friendly menorahs here.
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