Home » Education & Career » Early Childhood Education » Celebrate Hanukah with Your Preschooler

Celebrate Hanukah with Your Preschooler

© Marie-Helen Goyetche

Hanukah is also called the Feast of Lights and has been celebrated for more than 2000 years. It commemorates the Maccabees in their heroic help when they joined forces with the Jewish people to fight against the king and his army. It took many years of death and destruction but they won the war.

In every temple they lighted the lamp that burns all day and all night. The Jewish people were horrified when they discovered they had enough oil for the lamp to be lit for only one day. To make new oil it would take eight days but unfortunately they had to light the lamp. Then an amazing thing happened. When the oil that was only to lit one day lightened eight days until the new oil was ready. That's where the Feast of Lights also known as Hanukah got its name; from the celebration of the miracle of the lightened lamp. For eight days in early December (on the 25th day of the Jewish month 'Kislev') the Jewish people light a candle. The middle and biggest candle is used to light the other candles.

Hanukah is a time to celebrate with family and friends at feast and gatherings. Games, and gift giving are part of the rituals. To remind themselves of the miracle of oil many food are fried. Below you'll find Latkes recipe (a potato pancake) you can make with your child, and easy crafts and game for your preschooler.

Latkes
You'll need:
6 medium potatoes
1 small onion
1 teaspoon of slat
1 beaten egg
3 tablespoons of flour or bread crumbs
½ teaspoon of baking powder
oil and a frying pan

Wash, peel and grate the potatoes. Set of a tea-towel to absorb the excess liquid. Grate the onion and in a bowl mix in the potatoes, onions, salt and egg. Mix well. Add flour and baking powder and mix again. Preheat the oil in the frying pan. Drop spoonfuls into the hot oil and brown on both sides. Remove from oil and let cool. Sprinkle with cinnamon or serve with applesauce or sour-cream.

A Star of David
You'll need:
6 Popsicle sticks (for each star)
glue and glitter

Take three Popsicle stick and glue to form a triangle repeat with remaining sticks. Stick both triangles together, one triangle pointing upwards and the other pointed downwards. Spread the Popsicle sticks with glue and sprinkle glitter and let dry. Turn the star over and repeat with the glue and glitter. Hang with a piece of yarn in the window.

The copyright of the article Celebrate Hanukah with Your Preschooler in Early Childhood Education is owned by . Permission to republish Celebrate Hanukah with Your Preschooler in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.