Hanukkah Games
By Karen Perkins
As Hanukkah approaches and you plan your family's celebration, do not forget to make time for games both kids and adults can enjoy. After gathering around the Menorah and indulging in latkes, playing the dreidel game is one of the most traditional holiday activities. Find out how to play them game in our article on Hanukkah parties. Then, read on for more fun game ideas to keep you entertained during the Festival of Lights.
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Traditional Dreidel
How to play:
- Divide the counters equally among the players.
- Every player contributes one counter into a central pile. This becomes the "pot."
- Players spin the dreidel in turn and contribute or collect items from the pot based upon which letter faces up when the dreidel stops its spin.
* Nun - Nisht - the player collects nothing from the pot.
* Gimmel - Gantz - the player gets it all.
* Hey - Halb - The player collects half of the pot.
* Shin - Shtel - The player sets one of his own items into the pot.
- The player who gains the most items wins.
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Musical Dreidel
Perfect for younger kids who may not understand the traditional game, this activity gets them involved and teaches the importance of the dreidel. Taking a page from the favorite party game, musical chairs, kids pass around a dreidel until only one person is left.
- Have kids sit in a circle and give one child a dreidel to start.
- Play music while kids pass the dreidel to one another.
- When the music stops, the child holding it is out of the game.
- Before leaving the circle, he or she shares one fact about the dreidel.
- The last kid sitting in the circle wins.
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Chocolate Gelt Hide and Seek
Another classic Hanukkah game for kids of all ages is hiding chocolate gelt. Make it an activity for the first day of Hanukkah and kids can use it throughout the rest of the celebration.
- Hide the chocolate gelt in spots around the house while kids are involved in other activities.
- Bring kids in to search for and make sure to tell them how many coins are hidden.
- The child who finds the most coins wins the game.
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A Spin On Classic Childhood Games
Many games that children love to play any time of year can be adapted for Hanukkah festivities.
- Pin the Candle on the Menorah Instead of a donkey and its tail, take turns getting the center candle on the Menorah. You can buy packaged games or make one yourself using colored felt cut into the shape of a Menorah and candles.
- Hanukkah Bingo Just like the original version, players compete to see who can fill up rows, columns or diagonals the fastest. This bingo game uses holiday pictures and play gelt instead of numbers and plastic chips.
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Hannukah Games Online
Everyone, no matter what age, can enjoy Hanukkah games anytime thanks to the many free online options. From virtual dreidel spins to printable word searches, there are plenty of activities to entertain throughout the holiday.
- Spin the Dreidel Whether for kids or adults, play this classic game anywhere you have an internet connection.
- Puzzles Choose from animated jigsaws and word searches and scrambles to find games everyone can play together or individually.
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