Sometimes it can feel like we’re on our own, getting our spaces ready for Pesach. It can feel like a heavy weight, especially when there are smaller humans that are perfectly capable of helping… but don’t necessarily step in.

It’s something that I find frustrating myself. I remember almost every single night between Purim and Pesach spent helping my mother clean the house. And while memories can be misleading, I know I helped a lot. So why doesn’t it work the same in my home?

The truth is, my kids are still young. And while there’s a lot they can do, there’s also a lot they can’t. It took some tries, but I learned some tricks and changes-in-approach that make a big differnece.

Nothing is going to be an all-in-one solution. Every kid is different, so different things will work for everyone. The goal is to share multiple ideas, so that hopefully, you’ll find something in here that is worth trying for your kid. You know them best. See which idea resonates most.

Some of these ideas are just changes in mindset. Some will cost a bit. I like to think of any costs incurred as additional cleaning help expenses. We spend the few extra bucks on a few extra hours of cleaning help, better cleaning tools… so if I spend a few on helping my kids help – while learning valuable life skills – it’s a win.

Make Pesach cleaning easier for the kids

One of my favorite approaches to encouraging kids to help clean for Pesach is by figuring out ways to make it doable. Here are some tips for that.

Choosing the right tasks

A lot of Pesach cleaning is about personality. One kid will get overwhelmed when I ask him to clean the stroller. The other will love it. One will move through a toy box quickly. The other will get lost somewhere in Spain in the process.

It can be easy to hand out the next task to the nearest child, but matching them up better goes a long way. There are also some things that the kids will do a better job of than others. The ones they can do independently are always a win. Some examples of things I give my kids to do:

• The stroller(s)
• Any smaller single drawer, shelf, or bin that needs a quick empty-and-reload.
• Anything that we spray down heavily to get most of the cleaning of it done (that is, figuring that the spray ensures that any leftover chametz is rendered definitely inedible) – like dining room chairs, kitchen stools, table, etc
• Not just cleaning: I also commission kids to cover areas that are being sold, etc.

It’ll take some trial and error to figure out which things work best, but a general rule is that micro tasks work best. When it comes to general picking up toys, I find that giving kids a count rather than an area helps. Meaning “pick up and put away 20 toys” is better than “clean the playroom” – even if you keep adding another ten until it’s clean (as long as you were clear you were going to do that before you started.

Choosing the right times

Another thing to note is timing. How many times have I gotten frustrated with a kid who wouldn’t clean as asked… because he JUST sat down with a book?! Or have them complain that they’re too tired and not really HEARD them?

I like to give my kids a time frame with a little flexibility. I also teach them basic time planning strategies. “You need to get this done before bedtime. You are not going to bed late. The later it is the more tired you might be, the more work it might feel like. Would you like to do it now, read for ten minutes (set a timer) and then do it, or are you pushing it off until the last minute?”

During vacation it’s easy to answer “but I’m too tired” with “okay, that’s your job to get done first thing tomorrow morning. I need it done before I can move on to XYZ.”

I like to think of it this way: I usually get to map out my tasks and have wiggle room with when I do things. In fact, I often get annoyed when I’m given a task that needs to get done NOW despite it having been known in advance. Giving my kids that room to choose their timing (with limitation) does also give them valuable skills for the future.

In general, I give them a lot more to do on the vacation days before Pesach than on evenings before vacation starts. My approach is usually to have them complete certain things before, for example, screen time. It motivates them (more on that soon) AND they tend to emerge from the screens kind of sluggish.

It feels heavy to save so much for those last days before, but there really is more time then. Now, I’m spending those last precious school days working. Then, they’ll have all day, and I won’t be able to get meaningful work done anyway. So it’s a wise strategy, even if it makes me feel a bit anxious.

Visual Aids

Some kids can complete larger (or even smaller) tasks much better with the help of visual aids.

As a paper planner person myself, I understand how much more approachable tasks can be when they’re visually mapped out for you. So, a few years ago, when a reader approached me with this request, I created some visual cleaning guides for kids.

There are two approaches. One focuses on a kid cleaning out their own areas. The other focuses on cleaning other areas around the house. The basic approach is to empty the area, for personal spaces only to sort (keep, donate, toss), clean, and put things back. Kids can color it in as they go along.

It really breaks things down for the kids into an easy-to-understand visual process, with the correct cleaning tool outlined visually on each one. Instead of “help, I need to clean my room” they can think of it as one item at a time. You can create a planner for them, or hand them pages as they need it.

Kid-friendly tools

Another trick in my book is the one that many parents take when it comes to things like snow removal: get special tools for the kids!

Whether it’s a fun spray bottle, or a cleaning set like this that I got for my own kids, getting tools that are fun really make a big difference.

For older kids, it’s less kid-size tools and more… gadgety ones. I’m not gonna lie, those can get pricey. But if you have room in the budget for some cleaning aids, it can really help rope in the kids. PLUS it helps with my cleaning too…

Some examples of tools that have gotten the big kids (again, responsible enough to handle these) into helping:

• Floor steam cleaner
• General household steamer
• Green Machine
• Spin Brush – if you get one, this is the one I’d go for based on our own consumption.

You catch my drift. If it plugs in and makes noise, they’ll want to use it. Teach them how to use it properly and they can be a real help.

For some kids even rubber gloves can help!

Ways to motivate kids to clean for Pesach

Sometimes we just need a little motivation… That’s how we operate. Think about how efficiently we clean the house when guests are on the way, right? That’s our motivation right there. Personally, I’m super motivated Pesach time, both by the deadline, and because I absolutely LOVE that feeling that once-a-year when I know in my bones that the house is truly deep-down clean.

For kids, different things will motivate. Let’s explore some of them…

Share the benefit to THEM – but in a non-preachy way

You CAN try to transfer some of your excitement and enthusiasm to them. Think about how awesome that clean car is. Or how thrilling it is that their room is SO CLEAN. This obviously works better with older kids.

Showcase it. After an area is clean, show them your own joy, show them how fun it is. I also like to highlight how much easier it is to find what they want to play with, how much easier post-play cleanup is when the area started out clean.

Daily Prizes and Rewards

Personally, I lean heavily on the whole prize thing… We give the kids each a prize and an edible treat for each day that they clean. In addition, they get a bigger new toy, a book, etc at the end.

Our parents hooked us up with personal chocolate stashes to thank us for our help back in the day. I’m talking good chocolate, a few bars, just for us, to last us through the holiday. It was the ultimate treat. And they did it in a tasteful way: they snuck an extra bar to those of us who helped more (or maybe they privately told each of us that, who knows?!)

Here are some more ideas for rewards, snuck from the Pesach cleaning tips post:

Prizes are usually small tchachkes (as close to a dollar each as I can get it, besides for a few exceptions that are really worth it). They live in prize boxes (one for the younger kids, one for the older). Kids can choose – and they LOVE going through it and choosing. It’s part of the prize. Bigger cleaning days do often get slightly bigger prizes (small toys more than actual prizes).

• Beanie Bouncers
• Stationery and other fun school supplies: tool theme pens, infinity pencils, erasable pens, gel pens, Minecraft erasers (or other favorite themes)
• Fun fidgets and squishies
• Wigglits
• Enamel pins
• Shashibo (big prize for a more intense cleaning day)

• Cool keychains: Keyboard keychains, screw robots, wristlet keychains
• Water bottle straps
• Mini brick builds
• Collector cards (Pokemon, topps…)
• Button lights
• Adhesive patches
• Coin purses, pencil pouches, journal pen holders, and other small accessories
• For my 5 year old daughter we also added collectibles/blind boxes
• Also for my daughter we added Barbie outfits and accessories
• Another for my daughter: scrunchies
• Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty

And ideas for the bigger/end-of-clean toys for Pesach:

• Keva planks – good for a huge range of age groups. This is what we gave them last year. It’s a timeless, “keep for the grandkids” quality toy.
• New LEGO sets (some people don’t use LEGO on Shabbat and holidays, so ask your Rabbi. We do, so this is a great choice for us).
• Plus Plus is another fun, open-ended building toy

• Clixo is a Jewish-owned magnetic building toy that my kids love
• New games. Some recent (non-muktzah) favorites include Tummple, Floats McGoats, Smart Games single-player puzzle games, and Quirkle
• An experience: gift them a super cool Chol Hamo’ed trip as a reward! This only works if you’re not doing the same for Sukkot
• We usually also give the kids a couple of new Jewish books as a reward for their help.

Outings, parent/kid dates, and similar incentives have even more value, if they are truly helpful and you can swing it.

Special Pesach Incentives for those who help make it happen

Beyond toys, there are small (and not-so-small) ways to make the holiday extra special for those who helped bring it in.

I’m thinking new jewelry (yes, it can be cheap and fake but still pretty), new clothing or shoes for the holiday, a new tie, or anything for direct holiday use. It’s great for those who like to give incentives with intention, in a way that feels more like a direct result of the action.

For kids who care more, giving them leeway with how the table is set, choosing table decor, or in general providing a table decorating budget can be a great way to reward them for being an active part of making Pesach happen. This works best for the kids who ask to help decorate the table – let it be a natural extension of their help cleaning. That is, if you help with the chores of keeping house, you get to be part of the fun parts too.

Do certain tasks before receiving certain privileges

On an everyday basis, my kids know that they have to complete all obligations before screen time. If there’s homework, chores, or even cleaning the toy they were playing with, that must be done first. If they need a little break, that’s fine, but screen time waits until they’ve done what they need to.

Beyond that, Pesach time is ripe with opportunity for more privileges – and again, it’ll depend on age, which privileges they get regardless of earning it, and what feels special. Some more ideas:

• Grocery shopping with parents past bedtime
• Getting to help choose Pesach treats (combined with the above)
• Staying up later than usual in general
• Staying up for full meals if they’d normally only stay for Kiddush and Matzah (great incentive for younger kids)
• Choosing menu items or desserts

Again, the idea is: they’re helping with the grown-up things, so they get to participate in some of the grown stuff.

More tips to encourage kids to help clean for Pesach

Here are a few more tips and tricks for roping in the kids- without adding to your own stress levels.

Be cognizant of their energy levels

It’s something that I noticed – not all kids have the high energy that they’re reputed to have. Having a bit of a mental list of low-energy jobs can help your lower energy kids help more, without adding stress.

Include them in the planning process

Edit and print out this big Pesach cleaning checklist to use as a family. Let kids check off the checklist, choose items from the checklist, and in general take part in the planning angle of Pesach cleaning, and not just be told to do things.

Make it fun

Here’s a trick that works for adults too: make it fun. Turn on that music. Play cleaning games. In fact, I have a free printable I Spy Pesach Cleaning game here, and a Bingo game as well. The idea is that when kids do an action/find a Chametz item/ clean an item they color it in. It can be a little competition, a glorified reward chart, or a self-motivating factor.

Race through bins in the playroom, have a “who can find the most chametz” challenge… get creative!

Do it Together

And a final note: almost all of the help my kids give is alongside me, and often my husband as well. The big exceptions: while I’m cooking they sometimes will clean the dining chairs in the next room, and their backpacks are their own challenges.

I’m not telling them to clean things themselves for the most part. We’re working together. And that helps to make it an actual enjoyable together-time that they sometimes even look forward to.

Got any other tips for how to encourage kids to help clean for Pesach? Comment below!

The post How to Encourage Kids to Help Clean for Pesach appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

If you’re looking for a Hairvivi wigs review that is totally honest and not sponsored, you’re in the right place. Here, I’m reviewing their Georgia wig, but feedback applies in general to their wig structure and general product claims. This post contains affiliate links.

If you’ve ever looked at wig prices and felt the wrath of your wallet, you’re not alone. I wanted a pretty, comfortable lace wig that didn’t cost “a few thousand dollars and an emotional breakdown.”

This post is my honest, not sponsored Hairvivi Georgia wig review, including what impressed me, what annoyed me, and what I had to tweak to make it work for Orthodox life (and real life, like kids yelling in the background and glasses on my face).

You can watch the video review if you’re more of a visual person, or scroll through for the written details.

My backstory: why I needed a new wig (and not another headache)

Wig shopping is supposed to feel exciting. In my case, it just never really worked out right.

I’m Orthodox, and after marriage I cover my hair. The typical storyline is: your mother takes you to a wig person, you get fitted, and you float off into the sunset looking polished. My version included a terrible experience, a lot of discomfort, and wigs that never felt like “me.” Someone even tried to help fix one as a wedding gift (which was incredibly kind), but I still didn’t love what I was wearing. Frankly, it hurt and it looked odd.

Eventually, I got rid of both wigs. I tried again with a secondhand wig, and I still couldn’t make it work. The bigger issue was cost. I didn’t have the means to spend thousands on hair. I did have falls I liked, so I leaned into those.

I also bought a cheap Amazon wig once, around $50, and honestly, the hair quality was great for what it was. It lasted a bit, and then it didn’t. The shade ran a bit warm too, which becomes a theme with budget hair that you (or the brand) try to add some highlights to.

Here’s what kept coming up for me with wigs in general:

• Comfort problems: if the wig cap pinches, scratches, or clamps, I’m out.
• Price barrier: I needed something that didn’t feel like a mortgage payment.
• Color issues: brassiness can sneak in fast, especially on darker shades.

The moment that pushed me to try again

My oldest son’s bar mitzvah is coming up, and I knew I wanted a nicer wig for that. At the same time, it wasn’t a good season financially to buy from a luxury wig brand. So I needed a solution that felt like a real wig, but priced like a mom on a budget bought it.

Discovering Hairvivi: the research, the cart, and the leap of faith

I “bumped into” Hairvivi (long story for another time), and I did what any slightly anxious shopper does. I researched it like I was writing a dissertation.

Recent reviews on the Hairvivi site looked very positive. Same story on Reddit threads I found. During that deep dive into unit measurements, I decided the 18-inch length was the right fit for me. I did see a couple of questionable things, but they seemed older, and the newer feedback was consistently good. That gave me enough confidence to try.

Then I did something dramatic. I added five wigs to my cart, stared at them, and realized the total still looked lower than one local salon-purchased low-end wig. I lept and bought one of them.

I paid under $500 for the Hairvivi Georgia (prices change, so I won’t pretend my checkout total is a law of nature). Still, it landed in the “this is possible” range for me.

If you want to see the exact wig I got, this is the affiliate link: Hairvivi Georgia wig (18-inch, Large, cappuccino lace color).

One thing I liked up front: Hairvivi’s return policy sounded solid. The catch is common sense, though, once you customize, returns get complicated. Also, if you request certain changes (like Brazilian hair), it may not be returnable.

Please note: creating content like this is time and resource intensive. I was not compensated in any way for this post, and wrote it based on a product I purchased myself. if you do choose to purchase, please do so through my affiliate link! It doesn’t cost you any extra and helps support the work that I do here.

Unboxing the Hairvivi Georgia wig: packaging, accessories, and first impressions

The unboxing felt fancy, which is not something I say often while my kids are doing background vocals (but I seriously couldn’t wait). The wig came in a shoebox-style box tied with a ribbon, reflecting thoughtful branding and packaging, and the overall presentation was genuinely nice.

Inside, everything was layered neatly, well protected, and padded.

It included paperwork with tips and pointers, plus protective packaging that made sense for travel. I also appreciated the satin pouch, because it’s not just pretty, it’s actually useful if you’re taking your wig to an event, a Shabbat at the parents, or anywhere you’d rather not throw $500 hair into a grocery bag. Satin specifically keeps the hair smooth.

What came in the box (and what I actually used)

Hairvivi included some practical extras. Inside the package, I found:

• Optional combs you can sew into the wig (I didn’t add them but considered it and was happy I didn’t purchase it just to not use it).
• An extra “piano key” elastic that clips in at the bottom (I did use this).
• Multiple layers of protection (tissue paper and plastic), which helped the wig keep its shape.
• A satin bag that serves as a travel bag.

That extra elastic added grip and made the fit feel more secure, especially since I wear this without glue.

Hairvivi Georgia wig details that actually matter on your head

Let’s talk specs, but in human language.

This is the Hairvivi Georgia wig. Mine is the “18-inch” length. In real life, it looks quite long. Hairvivi’s lengths don’t seem to match the way many Jewish wig sellers measure (often from the scalp). I’m not 100% sure where their measuring starts, but the wig does reach longer than you might expect for 18 inches.

If length stresses you out, Hairvivi usually shows where lengths fall on the body on the product page, so you can avoid buying too much hair.

Cap construction and why I didn’t need a wig cap

One thing that stood out: the wig has an artificial cap material under the lace that helps mimic a scalp tone. Because of that, I didn’t need a wig cap, and I didn’t need to part my own hair. You can see in this hairline image how my hair is matted beneath the lace (I didn’t push it back) but you can’t see my hair through the part.

That’s a big deal because many Orthodox women don’t wear wig caps (and even if we do, it doesn’t feel very good), and with regular lace, hair showing through can look less natural. This design felt like it was made with that reality in mind.

A few more build notes from what I observed:

• It’s a 13×6 lace front unit. That means that the lace is 6 inches from the hairline along the part, and 13 inches across the hairline.
• The top appears hand-tied, while the back looks wefted.
• It has ear tabs with lace, which helps the look, but also brings some quirks (we’ll get there).

I bought a size Large because I have a bigger head. It fit snugly and felt true to size with adjustable straps. Not every wig comes in Large, so I paid attention to that.

Color, density, and texture (aka what you notice in the mirror)

My wig cap (the part lining) is in Cappuccino, which was the lightest option for the Georgia style at the time. Hairvivi also has a “Honey” line, which is more of their lighter, “white women” shade range. If you have very fair skin and want a better scalp-toned match, Honey would be the better pick when a style offers it.

My skin tone is complicated. My face goes pale in winter, but the rest of me tans fast, like “drove carpool once on a sunny day and now I’m medium” fast. Cappuccino worked, but next time I’d go lighter if I had the choice.

Hair quality shocked me in the best way. It felt incredibly soft, especially for the price range. The wig is also described as ready-to-go: pre-plucked hairline, bleached knots, customized hairline for a natural hairline, pre-styled waves. Density is 160% density, and it reads on the thinner side among hair density levels, but in a natural way, especially when air dried (more on that later).

The color came through as a warm chestnut brown with a bit of a reddish warmth, but not as red as it can look in photos online.

First try-on out of the box: secure, comfortable, and a little surprising.

Minutes after opening the box, I completed the wig install because patience isn’t my brand.

I wore this glueless wig with a simple velvet wig grip underneath. No glue. No spray. No spiritual ceremony. It felt secure enough that I didn’t panic-walk around my house holding my head, but I did eventually feel a bit of movement.

The lace was still uncut at that point, and I could see it at the front, but the lace melting made the overall color and hairline look surprisingly natural.

“Wow, I just got myself a wig for under $500.”

That was the moment. Not because it was perfect, but because it didn’t look cheap. It looked like real hair that belonged to a person with their life together.

Pros and cons of the Hairvivi Georgia wig (the honest version)

No wig is flawless. If someone says theirs is flawless, they’re either blessed, or they never experienced a breeze.

Here’s what stood out after wearing it, washing it, and living a bit of life in it.

What I loved (and why it worked for my Orthodox life)

The best thing about this wig is how wearable it is. I wore it to a full-day event, traveled in it, and felt comfortable. That’s rare for me. I’m sensory, and I avoid discomfort (such as high heels) like a special form of torture.

In fact, after recording my video, I went ahead and wore it to two days of Toy Fair – (that is insanely long and intense 14 hour days where I walk 17k steps). It was rock solid and I wasn’t tearing it off my head. You can see the wig in action in my Toy Fair video here.

A few wins that mattered:

• The hair quality felt A++. It was softer than some falls and even some pricier pieces I’ve owned.
• The 160% density looked natural. It’s thinner than some wigs, but it didn’t look stringy or flat.
• It had very little shedding so far with no shedding issues or breakage, even with me touching it a lot.
• There’s a comb at the nape, which adds security in the back.
• The lace and cap design meant I could skip a wig cap, and my hair didn’t need a perfect part underneath.
• After washing, the air-dry texture surprised me. It dried into a natural body wave, like a person with wavy hair who simply washed their hair and didn’t fight it.

What bugged me (and what you should know before you buy)

A few things weren’t as dreamy up close. While I am 100% happy with this wig and hope to buy from Hairvivi again, here are some things to know before buying.

My main cons:

• The wig felt straighter than I expected at first, even though it’s marketed as wavy. After air-drying, it looked much better.
• The bleached knots and hairline weren’t my favorite when I looked closely. It’s pre-plucked for a natural hairline, but not “I can press my face to your forehead and see nothing” customized hairline levels of perfect. Filling in baby hairs at the hair line would fix this (and is often needed on pricier wigs regardless).
• The lace didn’t look pristine HD to me up close. It looked good overall, but I noticed a slight graininess. Again, baby hair filling helps this.
• The ear tabs didn’t lay down on their own. This is the big “not truly glueless” moment. If you want to slick everything behind your ears, you’ll likely need glue, or you’ll need to style hair forward near the ears.
• It’s not high pony-friendly (at least not for me).
• The color had some brightness out of the box, especially for a darker wig with dimension, which is common. Toning helped. And it took the toning and coloring well – something that is a huge deal, especially on cheaper wigs.

To make the tradeoffs clearer, here’s a quick side-by-side:

The takeaway: it looked fantastic at normal conversation distance, and it felt good to wear. For me, that’s the whole point.

Styling and customization: what I changed, and what I’d do again

I don’t baby wigs, but I also don’t want to fry them. Heat styling can shorten the life fast, so I try to keep things gentle.

Washing and air-drying (my favorite surprise)

After washing, I let the wig air-dry. The texture came out better than the out-of-the-box styling. It dried into loose, natural waves, like a person who let their wavy hair do its thing. This style works great for a middle part or side part, adding versatility.

For dressier days, I’d curl it, but for everyday wear, air-dry felt like the sweet spot.

If I need extra body and curl without cooking the hair, I use clip rollers. I roll the ends, clip them, and let the hair set. If it needs help, I use low heat briefly with a hair dryer (this one has great heat control), not a full-blast blowout.

The sister effect: toning and face-framing highlights

My sister helped with two key upgrades:

• She toned down the natural brightness of the wig.
• She added face-framing highlights in front, which gave the wig personality without turning it orange.

That made a bigger difference than I expected. The highlights weren’t brassy at all, and they improved the hair quality with a noticeably soft feel that made the whole look feel more alive.

She also looked at the cut and basically said, “It’s good.” I agreed. Sometimes the best haircut is the one you don’t have to fix.

The wig grip that made it “rock solid”

This part matters if you want glueless wear that actually feels secure.

I recommend a lace-front wig grip like the one I used: lace wig grip from Amazon (affiliate link). It’s the kind with lace at the front/part so it blends better under lace wigs.

However, I found it uncomfortable at first because it sat too far forward and covered my ears. So I modified it according to a friend’s recommendation.

I cut an arch around the ear area, and I sewed around that cut for strength. After that, it stopped annoying me and started doing its job. I wore it to a full-day event and it didn’t slip once.

One important detail: the tag needs to face out. I wore it wrong at first, and it slipped like crazy.

How I put on the Hairvivi Georgia wig (the real-life method)

I don’t do anything fancy here for this glueless wig, which is exactly why I like this setup.

1. I put on the modified lace wig grip, with the tag facing out, and position it forward.
2. I slide the wig on from the front, then settle it into place so the internal elastic band secures everything comfortably.
3. I adjust in the mirror, especially around the hairline and ear tabs. The elastic band of the internal strap adds extra security and aids the fit.

Since I don’t glue the ear tabs, I don’t pull everything straight back. Instead, I style a little hair forward in front of the ears. That hides the grip and keeps things looking natural.

Important buyer notes: kosher questions, returns, and glasses

A few practical points came up that are worth knowing.

Is this a “kosher wig”?

If you’re Orthodox and asking whether it’s kosher, speak to your rabbi. There are different opinions, and this post won’t pretend to decide that for anyone.

From my understanding, this is not a kosher wig. I believe it’s Indian hair (which has ramifications if it was cut as part of a religious ritual), but I’m not 100% certain. Hairvivi also offers Brazilian hair I believe, for those seeking different options, and you may be able to request it. Still, once you customize, returns may not apply.

Returns and the risk of online shopping

Hairvivi’s return policy is part of why I felt okay trying them. That said, customization can change the return situation, so read the details before you do anything permanent.

Online wig shopping always has some risk. If you can afford a salon and want the full try-on and fitting experience, that route can be great. I’ve had rough salon experiences before, so I went online this time.

If you wear glasses, expect a little extra fuss

I wear glasses most days. Glasses and wigs can fight for the same space near your ears.

To make it work, the elastic band offers security for daily wear, but I still pull a bit of hair forward under the glasses arms. That’s not unique to this wig, but you’ll probably need to do it here too.

Summary of my Hairvivi Wigs Review: would I buy Hairvivi again?

Yes. I have zero regrets.

In this Hairvivi wigs review of the Georgia, this glueless wig gave me something I didn’t expect to get at this price: comfort. The lace construction and customized hairline made it feel lighter and easier on my head. Once I figured out the grip situation, I could wear it all day without thinking about it, which is the dream. It delivered a natural hairline that enhanced the overall realism.

It isn’t perfect. The ear tabs aren’t truly glueless for pulled-back styles, the lace isn’t flawless up close, and it needed toning and a little personality in the front. Still, it looked like my dream wig once it air-dried and got those subtle highlights.

If you’re considering it, you can get the Hairvivi Georgia wig here.

Comfort is the reason I’m obsessed, and I’m curious if that’s what you’re chasing too. If you’ve tried Hairvivi (or you’re thinking about it), what’s your biggest wig dealbreaker, elastic band fit, hot comb needs, side part versatility, lace, density, color, or the dreaded ear tab?

The post Hairvivi Wigs Review – Georgia (NOT Sponsored!) appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

These 5 Pesach mazes are a super fun Passover activity for kids – and include a free printable as well! Check out this Kids’ Interactive Haggadah Craft Template as well! This post contains affiliate links.

It can be hard to find tabletop activities for kids who are a bit less crafty, but puzzle-type activities that require a bit of brainwork are often a big winner. For Passover, when neat boredom busters are often in high demand, I figured that some Pesach mazes are in order!

Get the Pesach Mazes

I created a total of five Pesach mazes for you to download and print. They cover various cleaning and Pesach themes. I’ll explain more in-depth on each below, but meanwhile, here is where you can get them.

I decided to offer the first one for free – the “A Chametz Maze.”

Get the Full Bundle

The full bundle includes all five mazes as well as printable solutions – “spoilers”. That is the Chametz maze (the one available for free as well) a 4 cups maze, an Afikoman maze, a Seder Plate maze, and an exodus themed maze.

The full bundle of Pesach mazes is available for a few bucks in my shop, on Etsy, and on TpT. Purchasing premium products from me enables me to keep doing what I do, to give more focus to my Jewish blog, creating authentically Jewish resources for homes, educators, and parents.

Get the free printable Passover Maze

The free maze is a challenge to “bag” all the ten pieces of Chametz. It’s in the shape of a piece of bread. some pieces are off the solution path and are detours, some are along the way. It’s highly educational, and serves as a pseudo “bedikat chametz” (searching for Chametz) activity for kids.

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More about the 5 Pesach Mazes

My 9 year old, Y, is very into mazes and he tests them for me. This is important because he HAS found mistakes that I then went and fixed.

All my mazes are hand/digitally drawn using graphing paper and a very simple (but painstaiking and long) technique. In a world of AI, I hope you can appreciate it!

The designs

A 4 Cups Maze is one of my favorites. It has multiple entry and exit points, and you need to figure them out! Y took a few tries but he got it. If you have a child who doesn’t love that concept, you can simply look at the solutions (spoilers) pages and make arrows for them. But I wanted to add to the challenge and switch things up a bit.

An Exodus Maze is the only one that really focuses on the story behind Passover. It’s shaped in a kind of tapered squiggly rectangle intentionally to symbolize a journey. The maze starts at the pyramids (for Egypt) and ends at the date palms (for Israel.)

A Ke’Arah (seder plate) Maze is a simple shaped maze that uses the circles of the “bowls” on the seder plate as part of the maze. The pathway goes through some of the circles.

An Afikoman Maze focuses on the kids’ favorite part of the Seder – finding the Afikoman. Solvers need to help Moshe unearth the Afikoman before midnight.

A Chametz Maze has a really cool twist – and is the one you can download for free above. I added some pieces of Chametz (mostly bread, but a few others too) througout. Some were added along the solution pathways, and some are detours. All pieces must be collected.

It sounds hard, but it’s not! Kids can complete the whole maze, circle pieces as they pass them, and then go back along the path (starting from the solution) to collect the ones they miss. The goal of this one was twofold: 1. They learn the basics of Bedikat Chametz (searching for Chametz) and Biur Chametz (they collect the pieces and bring them to a dumpster fire) 2. They get a bit of a review of different foods that in their standard wheat form are Chametz.

Tips for solving and completing it

I don’t REALLY have a system for “grading” the mazes. I have a system for drawing them to make sure they are solvable one way and not too easy. I switch between grid sizes and try to add a little twist to switch things up.

My best system for doability is my 9 year old. He gets excited when I’m done a new set and does them right away.

My goal is to have him need to use a pencil, but able to solve it with minimal frustration. So I definitely recommend doing this with a pencil – as I encourage him to. That way, it can be erased and restarted. Of course, since it’s printable, you can always print a new copy if needed.

When the maze is completed, I usually encourage him to outline the final path with a marker. I used to color in my maze solution pathway totally.

Since I also provide Spoilers with your purchase, you can also provide hints for kids as needed. And of course, when complete, kids can always color them in too!

If you didn’t get get the Pesach mazes in my shop, on Etsy, and on TpT.

The post Pesach Mazes to Print – 5 Medium Passover Maze Printables appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

When I was going through my Purim stash last year, I realized that we were surprisingly short on Graggers. I don’t usually keep projects beyond the year they were made, and I like to offer my kids choices. I ended up shopping around a little and thought I’d share some favorites with you

I’ve organized this list of graggers for Purim by purpose – including graggers that you’d probably choose individually to have at home, novelty-style graggers and noisemakers that are more bulk-buys for parties and classrooms, and a handful of DIY ideas, focusing on easy-to-find materials.

I tried to include some unique finds as well, to give you ideas beyond the traditional ratchet gragger.

Fun and Pretty Graggers for Purim

Wooden Graggers

Last year, I picked up a jumbo wooden gragger (I believe at Amazing Savings). These are so much fun and great for older kids. They feel more mature and a little story-book like. While the one I got is not available online (or at least I couldn’t find it). This is a similar idea. – it’s just painted differently.

Or, go with something more artsy, like this Jerusalem scene one.

You can also go for a simpler plain wood one, that can be fun to decorate, or classy to leave as-is.

Musical Instruments as Purim Graggers

Anything that makes noise is a gragger! And we all know how noisy the kids’ musical instruments can be. Just make sure it’s something that can be stopped and started as needed so that the Chazzan can continue reading the Megillah.

Some ideas of musical instruments that can be used as graggers for Purim are:

• Tambourines
• A mini Djembe
• A more full-size spin drum (or Monkey drum)
• Or any easy to transport drum, like this wearable kids’ drum
• A harmonica

Gag Graggers that are loads of fun

There are so many gag noisemakers out there, and those are my kids’ favorites to choose every time. These are more on the creative end of things, and are really fun as a Purim gift or Purim carnival prize.

Air horn

I’m not gonna like, I hate this one – but the kids love it. An air horn makes a really loud blast of noise, and as long as the child knows when to stop, it’s fun to use.

The kids do fight over this one. It makes the kind of noise that stands out and is recognizable among the cacophony of noises when Haman’s name is said.

More fun “prank” noisemakers

One of my personal favorites is a hand bell. It’s a really fun one to bring to Megillah and to use. Years ago, I had a ceramic one from a friend that I liked to use for this purpose.

Depending on shul-style, audience, a game buzzer button can be a super fun way to X out Haman’s name in a way that kids can relate to.

A stadium horn is another fun noisemaker with big drama.

Party Favor/Bulk Graggers for Purim

If you’re a teacher or institution looking for graggers for Purim or other noisemakers to hand out, these are some fun traditional and non-traditional picks! These are great as party favors, as non-candy Mishloach Manot add-ons, and even as Purim sensory bin toys.

Traditional Gragger Favors

I picked up these graggers for my Purim sensory bin, and it’s a great one to have handy for all sorts of Purim needs! While not so pretty, they’re bright, colorful, and kid-friendly.

You an also get metal noisemakers for a bit of a more nostalgic feel – in a generic theme, or with fun Purim pictures.

Bulk novelty instruments

We have this fun light-up half tambourine that we keep as a dedicated Purim gragger. It adds a little party spirit to our Purim. In general, instruments give the whole gragger setup a more festive vibe.

Wood Maracas in a Purim theme or any plastic novelty maraca. Harmonicas in fun patterns also come in affordable bulk packs.

A few more musical instrument graggers for Purim that you can get in bulk as favors and group handouts:

• Plastic cymbals
• Mini trumpets
• Finger castanets make really fun instruments for little kids
• And another favorite is jingle bell shaker sticks.

More unique noisemakers that can be bought in bulk

These novelty noisemakers are super kid-friendly! Some also cross the line into instruments, but in a more approachable, kid-recognizable way.

• Clappers are a classic go-to
• Spin drums
• Party blowers (great if you need a lot and very cheap
• Train whistles

DIY Graggers for Purim

I created a big list of DIY noisemakers and Graggers for Purim, but here are a few favorites:

Guess the Sound Gragger Game

Make a few simple graggers and fill them with different fillings. Challenge people to guess what’s inside. It makes for a really fun Purim game – and it’s a gragger!

Pillow-Style Paper Graggers

These color & craft graggers can be crafted and assembled so many ways! They sandwich a filling (I used poly pellets) and are fun for kids to color and craft.

DIY Hand Drum Craft

And just to round things out, here’s a DIY instrument you can make: a DIY hand drum!

The post Graggers for Purim – 28 Traditional & Unique Noisemakers appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

The highlight of every Chanukah party in our house is the kids’ craft or activity table. We always have something fun to do to keep the kids happy, away from lit Menorahs, and not just eating junk.

Hanukkah party activities can also serve as bonding experiences when people don’t know each other so well. Instead of just milling around, it provides a conversation starter. And yes, these Hanukkah party activities are great for adult parties too. In-fact, the icebreaker element is stronger at adult parties!

And a final note: craft activities done at parties can double as a fun take-home activity too.

Different types of parties and choosing activities

A Chanukah party can be so many different things – and so while I categorized the ideas below by activity type, I figured I’d also share some pointers for how to choose, which categories to look at based on who’s attending.

The small, intimate family party

For smaller family parties, gift-giving games can be a hit – especially if you’re not the type of family where everyone is exchanging gifts anyway.

You can also do slightly more involved crafts that require supervision or instruction. Choose ones that are good for multiple age groups and have parents help. Dry time shouldn’t be a big issue if all family is local – it can stay at the host’s house until pickup time. If family traveled in, look for crafts that dry within an hour, and close down the activity early enough for things to dry.

For very small families, Hanukkah-themed (or not!) board games can really be a win.

The “friends and family” party where not everyone knows each other

For parties where not necessarily does everyone know each other, activities serve as ice-breakers too. Avoid games (like those gift-giving ones I mentioned above) where knowing each other is more necessary. Stick to open-ended crafts that can be put out and enjoyed without much instruction.

Things like decorating crafts that don’t require assembly – you’re just decorating an item – work best. Opt for those with minimal dry time so that they can be brought home the same day. We also like non-craft activities like coloring pages, activity sheets, sensory bins, etc for this type of event.

The large extended family party

When the crowd is very big, the activity needs to be staggered and very simple. Each family member can contribute for a larger activity (I have one super cool idea that our extended family has been doing below) or keep it to a simple puzzle that people can do individually.

Another idea is once again to have a very simple no-explanation-needed tabletop decorating activity. Avoid food for this (it’ll make such a mess and get chaotic fast) but coloring, decorate-your-owns, etc work well for this. Printables work well here too as they are super cheap and self-explanatory.

If doing a craft, make sure there’s no dry time at all – parents should be able to tuck it right into their bags to take home.

The classroom party

Classroom parties can be hyper-targeted towards the age group you’re working with. That means you can do much cooler things as it’s a naturally calm setting, where oversight is the norm.

Dry time won’t be an issue with crafts done in the classroom – that’s the norm.

The shul or school-wide party

When working with a very large group with various ages, activities that work best are passive entertainers – like magicians, game shows, or similar receptive activities. If you want something the kids (or adults) can actually do, follow the model of the large family.

For schools, if it’s for students only (and not families), you’ll want something kids can do totally independently, with a staff member or two there for oversight. If you want to do something more involved, you’ll need a few helpers and to do it in batches.

Since shul parties are usually family parties, you can work with things that parents can oversee for their own kids, just avoid crafts that require dry time if you can.

An Adults-only (work, shul, etc) party

Here’s where I highly recommend that you work with the workshop model. You can do a real cool take-home project that teaches a DIY skill.

You can also do gifting games in this setting but a workshop is really a cool thing to have.

The Big List of 32 Hanukkah Party Activities

Ready for some actual ideas? Choose the ones that work best for the crowd that you’re hosting! Some of these are ideas I’ve shared in this space, some are fresh ones, and some are more generic or third-party ideas. For those that I have a more involved tutorial, I’ll share a link with more info.

Kids Crafts and Craftivities

Crafts and craft-type activities are always a win with kids. I try to have a craft table at any get-together with kids, but for a Chanukah party, let’s give it a Chanukah theme!

Tip: cover your craft table with a colorable tablecloth! We do this most years and the kids ask about it year after year.

Low-Supervision Crafts for Kids

These are crafts that can be set up for kids to do. Some require more supervision than others – especially for the toddler and preschool age, but all can be supervised by a parent. None of these need any real instruction.

Hint: for items that require dry time, choose fast-dry supplies. Tempera paint sticks are my go-to for younger kids, and paint markers are great for kids who are old enough for it. Both dry in minutes.

Color and craft projects are really fun for this category – bonus points if they can be pre-cut to avoid mess.

• Decorate Dreidels – simply decorating wooden dreidels is a fun on-theme project with a take-home end product.
• Clothespin Menorahs – this color & craft project is fun for toddlers and preschoolers. Provide cut out, ready-to-go elements (base, clothespins with candles attached) and coloring supplies.
• Hanukkah suncatchers – While this does require some prep-work, it’s a really fun one for any age group. Just cut the black cardstock frames, attach them to clear contact paper, and have kids toddler and up tack on tissue paper squares.
• Hanukkah puppets – Another fun color & craft project! When I do stick puppet crafts at parties, I always prep the craft sticks with some double-sided tapes/glue lines with backing. That way, when the puppet is colored, the stick is self-adhesive and ready to tack on.
• Black glue watercolor painting – you’ll need to prep it, but once you do, all you need is watercolors for everyone to make artwork they’re proud of! Watercolors are washable and dry relatively quickly so they’re party-friendly if you can allow for some dry time.
• Dreidel making STEM challenge – this is a really fun any-age activity where you set out supplies and challenge kids to make their own dreidels that are playable! It’s super creative and great for a school setting.
• Dreidel lacing craft – I provide the template and you can do dreidel lacing two ways: either as flat lacing cards, or as a felt plushie.

Coloring Pages

While coloring pages don’t make for high profile Hanukkah party activities, they are one of the easiest things you can set out, especially in mixed adult/kid gatherings, just so that there’s something to do.

In years where I had low energy, low patience, or just didn’t get to it, I still set out a pile of coloring pages and art supplies.

• Dreidel coloring page – a really pretty adult coloring page that’s fun for big kids too
• Hanukkah coloring pages for Kids
• Hanukkah coloring pages for adults (great for kids7+)
• Dreidel Game Rules Coloring Page – This any-age coloring page features a fun poem with the dreidel rules. Put it alongside dreidels and coins for a 2-in-1 activity.

Printable Activity Pages

Activity or “fun” pages are grea tfor kids who might not strictly enjoy coloring but will enjoy pen-to-paper activities. They are low key and easy to set up – some are even easier than coloring pages!

• Hanukkah Mazes – I designed these with my son in mind and they are a classic fun activity.
• Hanukkah Dot to Dot – my son had also been asking for dot to dots so I created this set as well. Kids can color them in when they’re done the drawing.
• Hanukkah Do a Dot – Bingo markers are always a hit, but you can also do this super fun activity with dot stickers! These are ideal for toddler, preschool, and maybe early elementary aged kids.

Family Games

When you get together with family, games are often a hit! These require more face to face interaction than craft tables so go ahead and give them a shot. Some are only for smaller crowds, some can work for bigger crowds.

Just as an FYI: “Jewish” versions of games should always be vetted in advance of giving it to kids – sometimes there are some cards that are a bit off, you may want to remove.

• White Elephant – this is a popular gift exchange game. Full rules here, but in a nutshell: Everyone brings a wrapped gift within a budget (you can choose a theme too.) It’s placed in the center. First player chooses a gift, unwraps it. Next player can choose a new gift or steal a previous one (and then the one who it’s stolen from chooses or steals again.) Find some favorite white elephant gift ideas here.
• Dreidel Game – Of course you can simply put out supplies to play some rounds of dreidel! Bonus points if you play with something real that the can take home. Pennies are a bit obscure right now, but you can do nickels, chocolate coins, jelly beans…
• Dreidel Roulette – a twist on the dreidel game where you need to knock the balls into the slots.
• Hanukkah Mad Libs – classic mad libs but in a Hanukkah theme! This top-rated game comes with 21 pages that can be done as teams or individually.
• Hanukkah would you rather – Would you rather always makes for some fun and hilarious conversation, and this one is in a Hanukkah theme.

Guided Craft Workshops

Craft workshops have their time and place – especially in an adult setting, or with older kids. For a more structured party format with a timeline, a craft workshop offers not only a cool way to fill the time – but an incredible take-home project. These tend to lean pricier (but these types of parties are also often fundraising events with a fee). Here are some favorite guided workshops to do at a party for ages tween through adult.

Most (but not all) of these require finishing and/or dry time rather than immediate take-home.

• Resin Menorah Trays – resin is a popular workshop type, just make sure you have the proper protective gear for each participant, as well as good ventilation. Menorah trays are a fun spin on Chanukah crafts – they’re so popular but you don’t see them a lot! I put Chanukah candles in mine.
• Mosaic Menorah Trays – if you don’t have the ability to work with resin, these mosaic trays are even cooler! I made mine on a sheet pan base!
• Clay dreidel making – Go with the popular song, and make dreidels out of polymer clay!
• Clay Menorah making – This craft is one of my most popular Chanukah crafts and it’s a classic. Always use non-flammable materials when making Menorahs.
• Hanukkah stained glass – a classic that can be done on cheap frames. You an provide a few templates and work with Gallery Glass supplies for easy results.
• Easy Hanukkah Pillow Craft – perfect for tweens, this classic summer camp craft spinoff requires no sewing and can be taken home the same day.
• Beaded star of David – as trivets or as pendants. This easy beading tutorial requires no dry time at all.
• Clay star of David – Use air dry clay or polymer but the air dry clay does do best with an after-it’s-dry layer of paint.
• Hanukkah candle making – and finally, grab a candle making kit and craft some candles! Allow participants to make 9 candles for a full menorah rather than the 44 required for the full Hanukkah.

More fun Hanukkah Party Activities

Looking for even more ideas? Try these!

• Carnival – my mother’s parents hold a party every year for the very large extended family, including lots of kids. Last year, we did a mini carnival at the party (usually held in a synagogue or school lunch room, with plenty of space).
  Each set of siblings takes on a booth and man it. Kids can swap off with sibling so that they get to play too.
  Tickets are provided by the grandparents, and prizes are provided by families (mainly things like closed toys they don’t really need, regifted duplicates, or even good condition pass-ons of toys they really love, depending on the family vibe. You can also ask each family to contribute an actual purchased toy with a budget. It’s a bit hit – and something we’re repeating because the kids loved it.
• Scavenger hunts – I’m not a pro at this, but it’s always a fun idea! Make it Chanukah-themed of course.
• Donut Decorating – The easiest way to do this is to go to your local bakery and ask for unfrosted donuts. Provide 2-3 “flavors” or colors of frosting and some sprinkles (themed or not). Bonus points for mini chocolate chips, crushed Oreos, and other toppings. Kids hardly finish it before they eat it!
• Hanukkah Sensory Bin – this was possibly our most successful Hanukkah activity ever, but there is a germ factor to consider.
• Cookie or Cupcake decorating – at last year’s party, my sister-in-law got some simple Hanukkah cookie decorating kits and the kids went to town with it. You can DIY this by baking cookies using Chanukah shaped cookie cutters and putting out prepared icing in piping bags, and of course loads of toppings.

Got any favorite Hanukkah party activities to add to the list? Comment below!

The post Hanukkah Party Activities: Fun Ideas For Kids, Families, And Classrooms appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

I’m always looking for ways to entertain kids who don’t love very structured activities and this one is a win! As the mom of some boys who are very into STEM, anything that brings those kinds of elements usually go over very well.

A while ago, we threw M a Dog Man themed birthday party and as one of the activities, we had a “robot making workshop”. I put out all sorts of supplies and told the kids to go to town with it. Really, that’s all.

It entertained them for longer than I’ve ever managed to keep boys busy at a tabletop activity.

I wanted to replicate that with a dreidel making workshop – as really fun and open ended Hanukkah STEM challenge. The main difference? In this case it actually needs to work!

M wasn’t around when we did it but me, Y (9 year old boy) and A (5 year old girl) all had fun with it. A didn’t actually make anything that worked but Y and I did. She still had lots of fun with it.

How to Set up a Dreidel Making Workshop for a Hanukkah STEM Challenge

I’m going to walk you through different ways to run this workshop. First, we’ll start with the actual setup. Then I’ll share some tips for different age groups, settings, and group sizes.

I will, of course, also share what we made!

Choosing Supplies

The core of this Hanukkah STEM challenge is to offer the correct tools. Offer supplies with dreidel structure in mind, but don’t tell kids what to do or how to use them. Let them figure all that out.

I’ve categorized it for your convenience but I don’t recommend categorizing it for them – just put it all out!

How many you choose should depend on your group size – for smaller groups, go for a few choices in each category, and for larger groups do more. We didn’t put out all of this because we were a small group – I’m including ideas that I can simply recommend.

A fabulous place to start is simply to walk around your house (or explore your craft closet) and see what can be used. Then fill in where you think it can help. Tip: if doing this in a school setting, send home a list of materials kids can bring in – the “found” ones from the list especially.

I included some ideas with a specific use in mind and some to let them just experiment with.

Basic Craft Supplies

You’ll want to have some basic tools out to support their crafting. These aren’t specific to any part of the dreidel, and some are more essential than others.

• Scissors
• Glue – something like tacky glue can work with different materials. Older kids (12+) should be able to handle hot glue which might be needed for some things.
• Paper Tape such as washi, masking tape
• Air dry clay – this can be used in so many ways, definitely have it there
• Paint Markers
• Cardboard scraps
• Pom Poms
• Chenille stems
• Face stickers – just for fun

Dreidel Body

• Wood Cubes
• CDs and DVDs
• Wooden wheel – and similar wood turnings
• Wheels from old toy cars or LEGO wheels
• Large buttons
• Bottle caps
• Plastic shot glasses – we didn’t make a successful dreidel with it, but it can be played more with making a cone base, etc.
• Other recyclables like small boxes, bottles, etc. for jumbo dreidels

Stem & Base

Some things in what we crafted worked for both since it’ll often spin on a stick-like item, so I’ve combined these sections.

• Wood spools (works on larger dreidels)
• Toothpicks, skewers
• Old crayons
• Pencil stubs
• Paperclips
• Mini and full size clothespins
• Marbles
• Wood beads
• Half-ball wood pieces
• If you can find shapes like cylinders, pyramids and cones from wood – go for that.
• Toy pieces – like snowflake toys, etc
• LEGO bits and pieces – don’t give too many of these, unless you want them just building LEGO! Stick to 1-2 shapes to offer – like cylinders and cones

Letters

You don’t need to provide anything for letters. On this wood dreidel craft, we used Cricut letters. I had planned to do the same for this dreidel making workshop but didn’t get to it, so we just wrote it on with paint markers.

• Aleph-bet stickers
• Nun, Gimmel, Hey, Shin/Pey stickers cut on a Cricut
• Small Aleph bet stencils
• Preprinted letters cut from paper that they can glue on.

Laying it out

You want to have everything laid out in a way that kids can easily see what they have and choose their materials.

Place smaller items that roll in bowls. Especially if crafting with a larger group, clear bowls or jars can help them see it easier. Larger items should be on plates.

Place tools like scissors and glue in easy reach.

Items that you have only a few of should be combined.

You can organize it for larger groups into “choose a body” and “add a stem” etc. This works for groups that need more direction and support. My preferred way to run this is to let kids totally work it out on their own.

Tips for running this Hanukkah STEM Challenge

When running any group activity, coordination is everything – here are some favorite settings for a dreidel making workshop, as well as tips for doing it based on different circumstances.

Different Settings & Different ways to run a dreidel making workshop

• Family – since it works so well with different age groups, you can do this as a family activity. Set it up after Menorah lighting as a bonding activity. If you’re the type of family that does different themed nights or activities each night, this one is a unique one that they’ll want to repeat! Follow it up with a game of dreidel.
• School – My kids often have PTA events or crafts on Chanukah in school and this activity is perfect for that. You’re dealing with kids close in age so you’ll be able to offer more targeted supplies.
  You’ll want to set up a long table with the supplies (as opposed to doing it at desks) so kids can choose, pass, etc. Kids can have more help here, as it’ll be a highly supervised activity.
  You can also divide kids into smaller groups and turn it into a contest with an impartial set of judges. Judge based on functionality, fairness (does it fall on all the letters a good amount of time), how well it spins, how creative it is, how well constructed, etc.
• Family parties – I always like to set up a craft or activity table at a family party, and no, there is no one there to run it. The kids do their own thing. In this setup, you want it as easy as possible. You’ll have kids from lots of different age groups here. Set out a few samples that they can learn from and keep supplies basic. If it’s the kind of crowd where parents will supervise, you can go a little further with it. And you can also do a contest for this one.

This is also a fun Hanukkah STEM challenge for Sunday workshops, shul parties, and virtually any setting – you’ll just need to adapt.

Adapting it by age

If you’re targeting a specific age group, you can really get much more specific with you you set up your dreidel making workshop. Here are some age-based pointers:

• For younger kids, I’d recommend aleph-bet stickers. You won’t be able to use a glue gun, of course, but you can have an adult there to glue things on as kids instruct. You may want to stick to lightweight, porous materials to avoid the need for a hot glue gun.
• For older kids, you can provide more options – and a hot glue gun. Skip the more “classic” craft supplies like pom poms but go double on the paper and cardboard- they’ll know how to use it better. They can form stems by rolling it, bases by forming a cone, etc.

The outcome of our dreidel making workshop

Ready to see our results?

Our favorites (Y copied me on these) were the CD dreidel – with a clothespin shoved through the center and a bead glued to the base. The wooden wheel with a straw through the center was hands down the best.

We also used clay to make bases for wooden blocks. Y’s straw stem worked better than my clay stem. The clay does need to be reglued after it dries.

This Hanukkah STEM challenge is one that really anyone can enjoy. It’s fun, it’s cool, and it is so satisfying.

Got any more ideas for a dreidel making workshop? Did you try it yourself? Comment below!

The post Hanukkah STEM Challenge – Dreidel Making Workshop appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Enjoy these fun Sukkot mazes, including designs for Simchat Torah, too, and a free printable sample of the Sukkah maze! I’ve got Rosh Hashanah mazes for you to download too!. This post contains affiliate links.

Mazes are a super fun brain-building activity, and so we love having them for every holiday! I’m working through the High Holidays now with these Sukkot mazes, and we already have shared Hanukkah and Purim mazes in this space.

I find that mazes are perfect for less-creative kids who still like taking pen to paper and figuring things out. They really build spatial awareness and problem-solving skills, memory, focus, and organizational skills. Y, age 9, tests all of my mazes for me (and yes, he does sometimes catch mistakes which I then go and fix!)

All of my mazes are digitally illustrated by me, including hand drawing (on my device) and plotting the entire thing from scratch.

I try to balance out my free and paid content, and I want to offer something free for every holiday. However, this is extremely work-intensive and can’t realistically be given away totally for free. So just like I’ve done in the past, I chose one page to give away for free (in this case, the Sukkah maze, as a nice standalone classic) and the full bundle is available for a few bucks.

If you have the budget to “donate” to keep this blog alive and going, and/or want more mazes, you can get a full bundle of 5 mazes – you’ll get this maze included, and four more fun designs. You’ll also get a printable solution page with it.

Each maze is unique and was individually hand-designed with no shortcuts taken.

About the Sukkot Mazes

These mazes are mid-level to slightly harder mazes – a bit more challenging than my Rosh Hashanah ones.

Since you can print them out multiple times, they make for great fun pages for the classroom or to put out at Sukkot events for your shul or school. Just print out a pile and put out pencils too, and you have a cool activity!

The 5 Sukkot mazes included in the full bundle are:

1. A Sukkah Maze
2. A Lulav Maze
3. An Etrog Maze
4. A Shaking Maze – Help Moshe get his Lulav and Etrog so that he can shake them!
5. A Simchat Torah Maze – Help Rabbi Mendy get the Torah to shul so that everyone can dance!

I again included a less organized swirly curvy maze to create more challenge opportunities. And I included one for Simchat Torah – it didn’t make sense to do a whole bundle for that, but I figured it warranted its own maze.

The final page shows the solutions.

I’ve been working on dot-to-dot (connect the dot) pages as well and hope to eventually continue that series but for now, I need to streamline to get mazes out for every holiday. I hope you enjoy them!

I separated the Lulav and Etrog, since the shaped mazes tend to work better with simpler images.

Download the Sukkot mazes

Get the full bundle

The full bundle of 5 mazes (plus solutions)  is available for a few bucks in my shop, on Etsy, and on TpT. Purchasing premium products from me enables me to keep doing what I do, to give more focus to my Jewish blog, creating authentically Jewish resources for educators and parents.

Pages include the Sukkah, Lulav, Etrog, Shaking, and Simchat Torah mazes plus solutions.

The free printable sample

Download your free Sukkah maze! It’ll arrive right in your inbox. By downloading, you’re subscribing to our FREE newsletter with updates on cool printables like this, ideas to simplify Jewish life, and more. Unsubscribe at any time at the bottom of my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

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I’ve created sensory bins for Passover before – including this splitting the sea one, as well as a really fun ten plagues one.

But with the amount of prep and teaching that goes into Passover, it’s the perfect opportunity to switch up the sensory play weekly!

So the theme of this one is the Israelites traveling in the desert. Now, before I start, I will tell you: I make a small bin that is designed for one or two kids to play with at a time. That means that our space is limited and we need to prioritize. If you’re making larger classroom-sized bins, you can add so much more and I’ll drop a list at the end!

Meanwhile, I’m going to walk you through the process of creating an Exodus themed sensory bin.

The bin foundation

We always start with a big box, but of course if you have a dedicated sand table, you can use that. It’s a generic storage container on the flatter end of things that will fit what we need it to fit.

Next is our filler. This lays the foundation for the play-style of the bin. This one was a shoo-in for using natural colored Kinetic sand.

What we put inside

Next are the things inside that the kids play with. I divide these into two categories: tools that work with the filler, and props. You want some of each. In some bins they overlap, but in this particular one they are two distinct categories.

The people

A big feature of this bin was the people – in particular, the Passover peg dolls that I created to put inside.

In the past, I’ve used just the plain wood dolls to represent non-specific people but in this one I had fun including my artwork.

If you are not going to be creating these peg dolls but want alternatives, here are a few to try:

• I sell printable Passover puppets in my Etsy shop – you can use those. Get the full-color set as they can just be printed, cut out, and used. The cool part is that the stick will hold in the sand – just cut it shorter so it sits better.
• I’ve seen in the past Pharaoh LEGO figures – a really cool addition thanks to the imprints it makes
• Commission an Etsy artist to make peg dolls for you – it might cost quite a bit but it’ll feel like a keepsake that you can use year after year in different applications.
• You can use any toy figurines and just call them Israelites. Find one with a beard for Moses…

More props

To bring the various story of the exodus to life, I added some more relevant props – again, be creative, find what works best.

First, I “sourced” this huge rock from the great outdoors for the one that Moses hit for water. I forgot to include the stick – oops! Just add any small twig from outside.

As I share the details of this Passover sensory bin, you’ll notice that I’m trying to include as much texture as possible.

For Manna, I included pom poms. Both my middle kids (Y, age 8, and A, age 4 – who’s the “tester” of this bin) LOVE pom poms. It’s soft, and it’s cozy.

I used white and beige pom poms in both plain and sparkly varieties. If you are purchasing special for the bin, I do think that the tinsel pom poms have more of a fun vibe that gives kids the excitement of the fantasy of the Manna – that sparks their wildest imagination with their “taste like anything” feature.

Now add in tools. Sometimes we “theme” the tools, sometimes we don’t, and in this case, I chose not to. I just pulled out a small selection of our best Kinetic Sand tools that we have from our odd assorted kits from over the years.

And finally, some PolyFil fiber makes for the cloud that led them by day.

More tips & tricks

There are lots more things that you can add to an Exodus themed Passover sensory bin. Some I considered, some I just didn’t have space for.

Here are some ideas you can try if they work for you.

• Fire by night – Since they were led by a fire by night, you an add that too. I didn’t have a standout idea for it – and ran out of space – so I ditched it.
• Water – to incorporate the sea behind them, or the water coming from the rock, you can use washable sensory sand and add a small bit of water. Make sure everything inside is allowed to get wet and prepare for some fun mess.
• Desert props – I do kind of regret not having space for desert props, such as small cacti and possibly additional “normal” sized gravel or rocks.
• Desert animals – I also considered adding toy desert animals, but again, I prioritized the tools for space.
• Tents, flags – In a larger bin, mocking up the encampment of the tribes with more neutral/vague props can be fun and create more of a “small world”.

Got any more ideas to add to an Exodus/Desert themed Passover sensory bin? Comment below!

The post Passover Desert (Exodus) Sensory Bin appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

These sanity-saving must haves for Passover include both ways to make your Passover prep easier – and ideas to make sure you don’t forget those easy-to-forget items that need replacing! When you’re done, make sure you download the full Passover master shopping list to make your list-making so much easier! This post contains affiliate links and some gifted products.

I’m here to make your Pesach prep as easy as I can make it, so I’m sharing some of the top Passover must haves on my own list.

Some of these are things you actually really need but might forget about. And some of them are just affordable (mostly) gadgets and gear to help your cleaning and food prep go smoother.

Then there are those things you think you may need but can totally ditch. I try to share a few of those here as well, so that you can figure out where to prioritize your budget.

Scan this list for new ideas, for things you need to add to your master list, or for just-this-year items that you know you’ll forget!

Please note that traditions vary. Mine follow a looser but halachically-minded Orthodox tradition. So obviously, ask your Rabbi or do as you do – this list of Passover must-haves is just to provide you with ideas and insights to make things easier!

Must Haves for Passover for Babies & Toddlers

If you have a baby or toddler, you likely have some feeding supplies you’ll be needing in Kosher for Passover version. This is the one thing that I forget almost every time – and find myself scrambling the day before for!

Things to remember to get!

Baby Bottles

As a mother of a toddler, I know I should be letting go of bottles soon, but yes, he’s still using them, and Passover is the WORST time to try to change things for him.

Comotomo makes soft silicone bottles with natural shaped nipples. They come in newborn and larger bottles, with multiple nipple levels, and have air vents to prevent colic.

I love that the wide open mouth means that we can skip the bottle brush this year.

Pacifiers

While not everyone needs to replace this, for those of us who pop ours into the dishwasher to sterilize them (or even the chametz sink)… well, I was told to have fresh ones for Passover.

Baby J uses only the round nipple ones (and yes, I’ve introduced it to some pacifier reluctant family members who were sold!) BIBS makes these in the coolest color – and yes, they have other shapes too for the babies that need those! J prefers the natural rubber latex nipples on the BIBS round pacifiers, and I recommend them too!

Sippy Cups

Again, switching up the toddler’s… anything really, should not be done Passover time and so we’re choosing to restock our sippy cups then too! I use the weighted straw kind, and find that Dr. Brown’s has a much slower flow than others, which works best for us.

I also find that some of the weighted straws aren’t flexible enough – and Dr. Brown’s really does work in both sitting and lying positions.

Silcone Bibs

Yes, you want the same good bibs you use throughout the year for Passover – to protect those brand new beautiful holiday outfits! Do it! I always tell myself I’ll just wash some fabric bibs for that one week… and watch all those brand new stuff turn colorful.

KeaBabies 2-packs come at an affordable price point in gorgeous colors. It’s a silicone bib with a catch tray – and the closure is very secure, so even a stubborn toddler like mine can’t pull it off easily.

Things I personally skip

• Baby spoons – unless I find them at the Dollar Tree because it’s less specific and they can go without it for a bit.
• The same goes for special plates, etc. They can just live without it over Passover.
• Burp bibs aren’t used for food so we treat them like clothing.

Must Haves for Passover Cleaning

Cleaning the whole house is HARD WORK and for those of us who AREN’T getting that extra cleaning help, spending a small fraction of what that would cost on more functional cleaning tools can make a big difference.

Here are some favorites.

Must-have cleaning gear for Passover

Casabella Power Spin Scrubber

Last year, while cleaning my living room, I noticed just how bad the rug had gotten. I was honestly sure a Cheerio would surprise me in middle of Passover from its depths. So I took it outside with some scrubby drill attachments on one freezing cold Friday and cleaned it.. beautifully.

And my back had a fit for the next week or so.

The Casabella Power Spin Scrubber is great for all sorts of applications – those places that need a little more elbow grease (the scrubber’s – not yours). Those hard-to-reach spots, or even more so, the places where you’ll be endlessly bending and turning into awkward positions.

It extends quite far and comes with a few attachments for different needs. If you’ll be using it in your kitchen and bathroom, you can also dedicate specific attachments for specific uses to keep things hygienic.

We’ve been using it for a few months around the house already and will definitely be using it to clean the carpet this year!

Casabella Clean Water Flat Mop Bucket

A mop and bucket system that “organizes” your water, keeping clean with clean and dirty with dirty seems like a fairytale, but yes, it exists! And it exists in such an easy-to-use system that stores so well!

The Casabella Clean Water Flat Mop Bucket is a flat mop with pad that features a bucket that squeegies out the dirty water into a separate section. When you dip your mop, you get clean water (which you can feed from one compartment) and the dirty water squeegies out separately.

The dirty water has a covered spout for easy emptying. And my favorite part is that the whole mop can be dismantled and fit right into the bucket, which is compact enough to go under my sink – literally the only spot on the main floor of the house where I have space to store a mop and bucket system.

As I am Passover cleaning the whole house, having a system like this is a game-changer for my back and my morale. It’s easier to carry around, easy to store closer to where I need it, and actually cleans and doesn’t just smear around dirty water.

Dyson Vacuum

I mostly kept this list to affordable items, but I can’t create a “Passover must-haves” list without sharing the game-changing vacuum that yes, I have been using for about eight years!

It’s hard to find a vacuum that lasts that long (and we did need to replace an easy $30 part that cracked at one point). It’s also very easy to carry around and use, with no cords holding me back and it works so much better than any other vacuum cleaner I’ve owned.

Things to skip

• Any corded mops, steam cleaners – etc. Yes, this is controversial, but I don’t understand why anything used around the home would be corded! It’s just so much harder to use!
• Magic eraser – If you need to magic eraser it, you probably don’t need to worry about it…
• Dusters – Dust isn’t chametz. Period. If it bothers you, vacuum it.

Must Haves for Passover Kashering

You’re going to Kasher your kitchen – and you may be covering it too! Here are some must haves for Passover that’ll help you switch over that kitchen.

Things we’re totally using

No Residue Duct Tape

My friend introduced me to this last year – and it’s a game changer! We used it to cover the edges of the counters and yes, it pulled right off, with no residue. It’s great for wherever you need to create a waterproof seal, but don’t want residue.

(We kashered our counter tops with hot water but didn’t want to make a crazy mess so we covered the edges with this tape – it was a flawless system).

Note: I doubt it would stop at pulling off paint from painted surfaces – I wouldn’t use it there.

Foil tape

Foil tape is what we use around the stovetop – however, please beware that it WILL pull off paint! Ask me how I know!!

Things we skip

• Covers and inserts – since our tradition is to Kasher OR cover (and not both) we’re totally skipping all those inserts. I’m sharing this here because every year I buy fridge and cabinet covers and then remember that if it’s cleaned well, our Rabbi has said that it’s not needed. And who isn’t cleaning these areas well anyway?
• Counter tape – I used to use this before my introduction to no residue duct tape – and I found the duct tape to be a better option (though pricey).

Must Haves for Passover Food Prep

So much time is spent in the kitchen both before and after Passover – more than all the holidays combined (or so it feels like).

Sometimes, simple tools can make a world of a difference and here are some favorites.

Things we’ll be using

GoodCook Pro fruit and veggie divider

In my notes from last year, I have “get cutting tools for next year”. There is so much cutting and dicing that happens that to me, anything that helps with minimizing the fruit and veggie prep is a game-changer.

GoodCook makes a few such aids all at very affordable price points, but I like this one because of how compact it stores – and we all know that Passover storage is a hot commodity. I wanted to see how it works with potatoes specifically, since… well, you know why. I did have to cut down potatoes to fit but then it cut them quickly further into wide French fry shapes. It sliced through smoothly and easily.

It can fit whole baby potatoes, cucumbers, and more and is surprisingly wide. It can cut grape tomatoes quickly for a salad, turn veggies into snacking sizes, and basically feed your family in half the time…

Serrated peeler for tomatoes

While it’s not our custom, some families have the tradition to peel all fruit and veggies for Passover – or not use them! Just imagine what that looks like with tomatoes. If this is your custom, I highly recommend you look into getting a serrated peeler.

I bought this for my mom a couple of years ago (since she follows this tradition) so I don’t have a photo to share with you. But she said it worked fabulously!

Peelers. Just get dozens of peelers

You’re going to lose the one at least once. Just have spares!

Good paring knives – and two spares.

Same as the peelers! Don’t skimp on Passover knives – get good ones, especially the ones you grab for everything (like paring knives).

Things we’re skipping

• Bulky appliances – you don’t need a Passover air fryer, and you don’t even need a blender! Stick to an immersion blender for your soups and dips (but get a decent one). For grating – if you’re making lots of kugel, yes, you will want a decent food processor, but otherwise… just skip it.
• Cutting boards – honestly, it’s just another thing that I don’t need to store for Passover. I use a plate. Sometimes I get the Dollar tree ones to toss away when I’m done, but it’s really not needed.

More must haves for Passover

There are so many things that didn’t fit into a perfect Passover must-have niche but are high on the list.

A plan (or a planner)

Until I started keeping a Pesach planner, I was always double buying, forgetting, or at least I had things scattered in different places!

Having a plan consolidates everything in one spot and makes sure that you remember how things went down last year. Fill out the Kashering page so you don’t need to refer back to the rabbi each year. Plan your menu in an effective and fun way. Keep track of what you have and what you need for next year.

Water bottle

If you’re a carry-a-water-bottle-everywhere kind of person, don’t forget to get one for Passover too! (It’s on this list because I did forget it in the past)

Trivets

Once again, this is here because we needed them in the past and didn’t have them. To me, something like this was thought of as excessive… until I realized how much hosting and cooking we do. And for the eight (or more) Passover meals, we don’t want to burn our table or tablecloth.

I personally like getting small cheeseboards as gorgeous trivets – especially for larger dishes, like roasts.

Something new to wear

Did you know that one of my favorite Mitzvah’s is to have something new for the holiday? It’s considered a way to bring joy to the holiday, and to elevate materialistic items by using them for a holy purpose.

Whether it’s a new pair of earrings or a festive dress to wear, it doesn’t have to break the bank – just bring a smile to your face!

New toys and games for the kids

While not a MUST, I find that it’s so helpful to have some new toys to pull out during a long holiday. In fact, while we are cleaning all the toddler-preschool toys, we are only cleaning a handful of the big kid toys and games, because they are just so much harder, with endless pieces.

Not only that, but these are the kids rewards for the incredible help they’ve been with Passover prep. They have been taking things on their own, have had an amazing attitude towards cleaning, and rewards are in order!

Some recommendations:

• For games, I picked a classic, a new take on a classic, and a totally new game:
  • Classic: Mancala – my kids have been asking for it so we’ll surprise them!
  • New take on a classic: Monopoly Bid – I don’t get it, but my kids love playing the three or 4 versions of Monopoly that they have, so I picked up another more compact one.
  • Totally new game: The How I Survived Game – While we already played this a few times, this is one of the two games that my kids chose from their big stash to clean for Passover, so that says a lot! And it’s so unique – something we’ve never seen before!
• For toys, I haven’t yet picked anything new up yet, but here are some great ones that are perfect for Passover. We’re looking for things that are non-electronic and Shabbat-friendly, and of course have lots of positive play value, and high entertainment value – see more non-electronic toy ideas here:
  • Keva planks – this Structures set has 200 of these carefully engineered, precise planks. It’s like a wood building block but next level, with cool and elaborate structures to build once you learn how to use them properly.
  • Clixo – My kids love Clixo, and sometimes a new set of a toy they already love (especially if it’s one of the few they chose to clean for Passover) is the perfect way to go.
  • I’ll probably still be getting them a new LEGO set or two, and I still need a couple of new ideas – so drop them in the comments if you have any!

Passover themed activities and seder props

The Seder can be long and we love having some exciting things that are on theme! My favorites are those that can be prepped in advance, keeping them busy during busy times, and then used by the seder to bring the story of Passover to life.

Some ideas:

• Makkot scratch art – I got this for the kids today (in-store at Amazing Savings) because scratch art is always a win here! I figure these can double as table decorations or puppets.
• Color & Craft printable projects – I have designed so many of these over the years. The ones pictured will be available soon, but you can see what else I have available here. The cool thing about printables is that you buy them once and print them for everyone – year after year!
• Props – I got some squishy frogs (for the plague of frogs) for the kids – and there are so many similar props you can get for kids to play with during the seder!

What we’re skipping

• Toys – Toddler and preschool toys live on the main floor so we’re going through those. We won’t be adding any new ones to our stash unless we find something compelling – or if we’re getting anything new anyway, we may save it for Passover.
• No need to overdo it with the clothing – your last year’s stuff are good too! The Mizvah is to have something new.

Got any must haves for Passover to add to this list? Comment below!

The post Sanity-Saving Must Haves for Passover (and what you can skip) appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

We love a good sensory bin as our go-to activity for any holiday! Today I’m sharing you a sample Purim sensory bin, however, you can really make this however you’d like. My main goal is to start with sharing ideas.

I like to include a mix of textures, things to discovers and ways to play with the main filler. Of course, different things might be accessible to you, and you may prefer to craft some things for it (or not).

The Purim sensory bin base filler

The main filler you put in is the real core of the play the kids will get and sets the tone – will it be molding and shaping, cutting, sorting, scooping, or wet play?

Kinetic Sand

We always start with a base material and this time I chose Kinetic Sand. This is one of my favorites – my kids can play with it for hours. It’s moldable and holds. While not quite neat, it’s easy to vacuum up the mess after.

We used natural colored sand from this set but you can definitely go for something that feels Purim-y – like a rainbow spectrum or purple…

You should get more sand than we had (and in fact, I’ve since purchased more for our next bin… coming soon!)

I put mine into a relatively small container as it was a single-person sensory bin – you’ll need much more if doing this for a few kids.

More filler ideas

Shredded paper is a really fun sensory bin filler – just make sure to toss in scissors if that’s what you’re using – it’s great for cutting practice! It fits with the Purim vibe, and you can even put the whole sensory bin in a picnic “Mishloach Manot” basket to be on-theme.

However, it’s not quite moldable so it’s not something that’s really compatible with the shaping tools I’ll be sharing below.

Another fun moldable substance that I love using in sensory bins is Pluffle. I really only use it for sensory bins, and didn’t have one that I liked for this bin handy.

And finally, you can do Play Doh but you’re better off using it as an open activity tray due to quantity concerns. You’ll also want to use dedicated play dough tools since they tend to get dough stuck in the cracks.

What to put into a Purim sensory bin

The perfect balance of any good sensory bin is a few good tools to scoop, mold, and dig around with, and a few additional items to discover. Here are some ideas for a Purim sensory bin.

Tools

Purim cutters – What’s a sensory bin without a good cookie cutter?

Castle scoops/molds – These came with my sand and I thought they were cute for making Achashverosh’s castle (or just scooping sand with.)

Hamantaschen party picks – I had these handy already made in my craft room as I was assembling this Purim sensory bin, and decided to put them in too so that kids can make shapes in the sand with it! However, had I crafted them special for this, I would have put them on something bigger, like craft sticks for digging.

Things to discover

We like to pack our sensory bin with things to discover, and while I found it easy to put in small holiday-centric “real” items for our Hanukkah sensory bin, our Purim sensory bin was a bit tougher. Many of the classic Purim items are larger or more edible…

Still, I found enough things to make it fun, and I’ll share some more suggestions below. A lot of these items work fabulously with the sand because you can press them in and make imprints.

• Plastic Graggers – use the flat plastic kind – that almost works as a cutter too!

• Costume accessories – small things like toy glasses, necklaces or plastic bangles are lots of fun for kids to play with while discovering, and adds another dimension of play to this Purim sensory bin. They’ll probably put them on, press them in to make shapes and listen to the beads jangling.

• Felt hamantaschen – you can’t really put in real ones, but make them out of felt for a new texture introduced to the bin. Sand will get in, so don’t expect to save them.

More ideas for a Purim sensory bin

My bin was small, like I said, and I didn’t want to overwhelm, so I stopped here. However, here are some more ideas for what you can add to a Purim sensory bin:

• Make hamantaschen from clay – a lot of small ones can be hidden throughout the bin for a cool dig.
• Small plastic masks – This is another material that can be used as a fun mold for the clay.
• Mini plastic baskets – if you can find these in the right size, they are fun “mishloach manot” scoops.
• Mini crowns, scepters, horses, and other elements of the Purim story. You can also choose to do the whole bin based on the story instead of the traditions.

Got any other ideas for a Purim sensory bin? Comment below!

The post Purim Sensory Bin – Toddler & Preschool Activity! appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.