SHABBAT ROCKS
Rocks make the perfect canvas for any painting — your kiddos will love painting their own Shabbat scenes on flat rocks! It also will give them a chance to take a closer look at the pieces and parts of Shabbat — candlesticks, kiddush cup, challah, the Torah, tzedakah box, and so much more! Happy painting!
TEENY TINY SHABBAT SET
Could this be more adorable? It’s hard to imagine how! Kids love creating anything that’s teeny tiny, and this Shabbat set is no exception. It gives them a chance to take a really close look at Shabbat candles, a kiddush cup, and challah to recreate them. Their little masterpiece could be a decoration for your Shabbat family dinner, a special set for little dolls to play with, or…they could just make it for the joy of making it, which is always a great way to go!
CINNAMON SALT DOUGH HAVDALAH STARS
When we see three stars on Saturday night, it’s time to say “goodbye” to Shabbat and start Havdalah. Your kiddos will love making these Havdalah stars that smell like cinnamon! It’s very easy to make the dough, which is an air-dry play dough, and it’s so fun to make lots and lots of stars with it. You can use them as decorations and also to smell when it’s time to smell the spices for Havdalah. Once they’re completely dry, they are a very pretty white; but you can paint them if you wish. Your whole family will surely have an extra sweet week with this delightful craft!
WOODEN “SHABBAT SHALOM” SIGN
“Shabbat Shalom!” What a beautiful greeting! It’s so nice to wish everyone a wonderful Shabbat, and making a “Shabbat Shalom” sign is another great way to do just that. Won’t your family and friends feel so happy when they see your welcoming “Shabbat Shalom” sign!
PAINTED WOOD HAVDALAH SPICE BOX
Your family will have an extra sweet start to each new week when you include a hand-painted spice box in your Havdalah ceremony! Havdalah is a short but very meaningful closing ritual to Shabbat on Saturday night. Once we see three stars in the sky, we light a braided candle, and then say blessings for grape juice, spices, and light. The blessing for spices is Baruch ata Adonai Eloheinu melech ha’olam borei minei vesamim (Blessed are you, Adonai, Source of the universe, creator of different scents). Saying this blessing and smelling the spices helps us bring some of the magic and sweetness of Shabbat into the new week. And when you smell the spices from a spice box made by your kiddos, your week will surely be all the more special! Shavua Tov!
CHALLAH COVER FOR SHABBAT
Shabbat is such a special holiday; we want to do everything we can to make it beautiful and pleasing. In Hebrew, this is called Hiddur Mitzvah — enhancing a mitzvah. Everything from tidying up our home to cooking a delicious meal to setting out a fresh bouquet of flowers makes Shabbat extraordinary. One way you can make Shabbat simply magnificent is to make your own challah cover. Use lots of colors and draw whatever designs you like. Make sure you write your name and the year, too — you will surely cherish it (and use it!) for many years to come, and you’ll want to know when you made it!
CHALLAH BRAIDING WITH PLAY DOUGH
Playing with play dough truly is the best! It’s so fun to roll it, squish it, and mold it into shapes. One Jewish shape you can try making is a challah — just roll your dough into three long and skinny strands, and then braid them together. Voila! Challah! You can use your play dough challah as a Shabbat decoration if you’d like, or you can just make it for fun. Try making them in a bunch of colors!
WOODEN SHABBAT CANDLESTICKS
What is the best kind of Shabbat candlesticks? You guessed it — the ones you paint yourself! Create your own dazzling designs on wooden candlesticks, and your Shabbat celebrations are sure to be extra delightful!
RECYCLED JAR SPICE BOX
On Friday night, we say “hello” to Shabbat, and on Saturday night, once we see three stars in the sky, we say “goodbye” to Shabbat. The Havdalah ceremony is our special farewell party for Shabbat, and we use all of our senses for that bittersweet “goodbye” — tasting the wine, touching and smelling the fragrant spices, watching the flames from the braided candle, and saying and hearing the blessings. Your kiddos will love this simple eco-friendly spice box craft! Just use any recycled jar, fill it with cinnamon sticks and cloves, and decorate the jar with stickers. Your kiddos and your whole family surely will have a SHAVUA TOV (a good week) after smelling the sweet fragrances from your own special spice boxes!