Getting Creative at Chanukkah: A Craft for Kids

~Mia Blitstein

There are lots of ways to get creative around the winter holidays. Take one search on Pinterest and you will be overwhelmed! One idea is to brighten up your windows with some Chanukkah shapes, giving them a stained glass effect. Depending on the age of your child, you may want to prepare some of the materials in advance, making it easier for them to participate. However, if you have older children who would rather have more control over the final product, you can simply supervise!

Materials:
Colored scraps of tissue paper
Wax paper
Black construction paper
Scissors
Scotch Tape
Iron/ironing board (adult supervision)

Steps:
1. Heat up the iron on low.

2. Pull out a few pieces of wax paper (two per project) and lay them in a pile
with a few heavy books on top while you prepare the other pieces.

3. Take 1 piece of black construction paper for each project and
cut out Chanukkah shapes (dreidel, star of david, chanukkiah –
click here for traceable shapes. Feel free to fold the paper in half to create
symmetrical cutouts. I even folded corners down to trace half-shapes and
then cut them out.

4. Once you have cut the black paper, fitting in as many shapes as you can
within the sheet, you can begin to prepare the wax paper. Lay one piece on
the ironing board, and then scatter the scraps of colored tissue paper on top
in any way that pleases you. Try not to layer them too thickly, or the wax
from the top and bottom pieces will not be able to melt together. After they
look lovely, carefully place the second piece on top, and then gently swipe the
iron across, melting the wax paper smoothly together.

5. Now, place the finished wax paper/tissue paper sheet behind the black
construction paper cut out, securing with a few pieces of tape. Trim any
edges of the wax paper that are peeking out around the edges and hang in a
window to let the light come through the colored tissue paper!

6. Stand back and admire your child’s fancy handiwork!

Thanks Mia!! Also try her awesome recipe for latkes, and her great list of recommended books about Hanukkah for kids!

Mia is back with her second in a series on celebrating Chanukkah with kids. Mom to son Judah, age 5 ½, and wife of Dan, she also works as a teacher coach. Though raising her son in a Jewish home, diverse and multicultural values weigh heavily in making daily parenting choices. In her spare time, she enjoys acupuncture, meditation, walking the dog (Mooshu), cooking delicious plant-based superfoods, reading and writing, and volunteering as an advocate for cancer awareness and healthful living. You can find her at her blog, Remission Statement. Last time she shared the meaning behind Chanukkah and a recipe for potato latkes, and this time she’s sharing a simple- but elegant- craft.