Chanuka with your Preschooler...ways to prepare!

 

This year, Chanukah begins Saturday night, December 8 for eight nights and days through December 16 (last night of Chanukah is December 15).

Chanukah (or Hanukkah) is one of the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays in the world. Chanukah – like all Jewish holidays – is quite the multi-sensory, joyful celebration.  With the Menorah, dreidels, and latkes and donuts.

With this in mind, it is worthwhile to think about how you want to bring the spirit and traditions of Chanukah to your family in order to create enjoyable, cherished memories of a tradition your children will want to continue. 

Here are some points to consider:

· Don’t overwhelm your child with too much information. Add some more every year in order to ensure that he understands it and will continue to be stimulated.

· Review your own family’s traditions and decide how you will incorporate them.  (Here we include some traditions, your own family may have other traditions too.)

Countdown to Chanukah: Prepare your family for a meaningful Chanukah

It is definitely worthwhile to think about how a preschooler-friendly Chanukah experience will be played out. This will take some extra planning, but the rewards and Nachas are worth it!

· Prepare your preschooler for all aspects of Chanukah. Children generally behave and participate better when they are aware of what will be happening.   Consider doing a run-through, so that he is very prepared.

· If your child has learned about Chanukah in school. Talk to him and help bridge the gap between the learning that is taking place in school to what will be happening on Chanukah in your family.   Your youngster can also help in preparing for Chanukah, especially in the areas that he has learned about in school. 

· Children learn best when they ask the questions and then explore the answers together with the teacher or parent. Set provocations to encourage your children to ask questions.  In the days before Chanukah, place the menorah in a prominent place in the house. Then, explore the answers together.   Reward your child (with appropriate praise) for questions he asks and the answers he gives. 

· Start playing and singing Chanukah music in the days leading up to Chanukah, so that everyone knows them. Consider making song sheets for everyone.

· Create opportunities for your child to show everyone his creations from school.  Perhaps stagger it throughout the days of Chanukah.  Designate a place for your child to set up his creations that he has made in school.

· Build up the excitement to Chanukah.  Every morning or evening, countdown to Chanukah. Count the number of days using a calendar. Mark off each date.

· Together with your child, buy candles for the Menorah, choose recipes, buy sprinkles for donut making.

· Read Chanukah books together. Look at old family pictures of Chanukah celebrations.

Chanukah parties and preschoolers

· Tell your child all the details of the party in advance—who will be there, what will be happening. As appropriate, plan for activities that you know will keep your child engaged. Make sure that there are some (healthy) foods that your child likes.

· If the party will go on past your child’s bedtime, try to get him to take a nap earlier in the day. Or plan to leave earlier or send him home to a babysitter.

· It’s a party, allow your child to eat some foods that you normally you might not allow. 

If you are the one hosting the party

· Choose the date early so as not to conflict with other parties. Check for the dates and times of Community events. 

· Start the party early if you really want your preschooler to be a part of the festivities.

· Assign or ask someone to be responsible to watch your child; don’t expect that he’ll be watched by just ‘everyone and anyone’ at the party.

· Include your child in choosing the decorations, party goods and menu. 

 Chanukah As Your Child Grows

· Create a Holiday or Chanukah memory box. Keep the items that your child has made and look at them together as your child grows up. 

 · Create an album that kids can add to each year.  Take pictures or video of your child helping to light the Menorah. Take pictures of the wonderful things your child has created in school that you cannot keep. 

Sharing Chanukah with others

· Go as a family to bring donuts or latkes or cookies to those in senior centers or homes for the underprivileged. (First check about dietary restrictions and adapt recipes accordingly.)  Bring them cheer.  Help your children connect with the older generation.

· Bake cookies in shapes of Chanukah items – menorah, dreidel, candles, etc. Add icing, sprinkles, or whatever you have on hand.  Then, share with others.

· Bring a menorah and candles to someone who might otherwise not light the menorah.  Tell them about Chanukah events in the community. 

  Fun Ideas for Chanukah Memories...

Choose a different theme for every night.

· Sing-off. Sing all types of Chanukah songs. Make it fun with karaoke and microphones.

· Doughnut Night.  After dinner, make doughnuts with your child. Allow him to fill them or decorate them. Younger children are happy just sifting confectioner sugar over the doughnuts. Others may like to dip the doughnuts into chocolate and then sprinkles.

· Latkes Night.  Bring your children into the kitchen with you to help you make latkes. They can peel potatoes, pour in the eggs, etc. and then blot off some of the oil from the fried latkes. (See below for kitchen safety tips).

· Publicizing the Menorah.  Using reflector tape, create a menorah on the back of your and your child’s jacket. Just walk around the neighborhood (walking off all those doughnuts) and you’ll be publicizing the miracle of the Menorah.

· Join the City of Camarillo Community Menorah Lighting on Tuesday December 11^th, at Constitution Park. 4:30-6:30pm

· Story time-Bring your child to the Camarillo City Library on Tues Dec 11th 10am for a “Chanuka Storytime & Craft!” ! Tell your own Chanukah stories, your own memories of Chanukah as a child, in college, etc.

· Dreidel night.  Play dreidel (Lots of child-appropriate dreidel games on next pages).

· Recreate the story of Chanukah.  Use the props your child has made in school, or create your own. Video it. Create family memories.

· Tzedakah night. Collect money or items from friends and family and discuss to whom you will donate it.

· Donut/ Latke Wars   Ask all guests to bring their donuts or latkes for taste testing. Judge on presentation, taste and whatever else makes it fun for you.   Then share recipes.  (Make them small so you don’t end up eating too many donuts.)

· Healthy Food night Provide different healthy foods, such as vegetables and rice cakes and allow your child to create menorahs and dreidels of the food.

· Chanukah Party night

· Chanukah Present night 

Other games for preschoolers

· Hide dreidels or pictures of dreidels around the room. See how many they can find. (You can also do this with chocolate coins or cookies, but then you’d want to remember where all were in case your child didn’t find them, or other critters may find them.)

Make up silly stanzas to the traditional “I have a little dreidel I made it out of clay”.