Dreidel Sewing and Lacing Craft for Kids – Free Templates

Chanukah is the kind of holiday where little hands just need something to do. Kids are excited, candles are glowing, and you want something quiet and meaningful that keeps them busy for more than two minutes. This simple dreidel lacing and sewing project checks all those boxes. When you’re done with this, check out these Hanukkah no sew pillows.

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Last year at this time of year, I was running Sunday craft groups for preschoolers. One of our hit Chanukah crafts were these adorable lacing dreidels! I modified the craft this year to make a template and to make it more versatile.

I created a single free dreidel template (download at the end of this post) and share two creative ways to use it.

One is a soft felt dreidel plushy that you “sew” using simple lacing stitches that preschoolers can do – and stuff with poly fil.

The other is a flat lacing card dreidel, perfect for little kids who are not ready for real sewing yet. A lacing card is simply a sturdy shape with holes around the edge that kids “sew” through with yarn or laces.

Both versions work beautifully in the classroom, at home, or at a family party, and they sneak in a lot of fine motor practice and hand-eye coordination while kids just think they are having fun.

Why a Dreidel Sewing and Lacing Craft Is Perfect for Chanukah

This project gives kids something to touch, hold, and work on while they hear the Chanukah story, instead of just sitting and listening. It is low prep for adults, but it feels very special for kids, like their own tiny Chanukah keepsake. It’s low-mess, low guidance needed, and a real skill-building craft for preschoolers.

And since it uses a single template, you can decide on the spot whether today is a felt day or a lacing card day, or set up both as stations.

A hands-on way to teach dreidel and Chanukah

There is something about building the dreidel shape with your hands that helps the idea “stick” for younger kids. While they sew or lace, you can talk about the Hebrew letters on the dreidel and what they stand for, or about the miracle of the oil that lasted eight nights.

It is a nice time to share the rules of the dreidel game, and how it’s played.

Just like with the Hanukkah Menorah Crown printable craft, the project itself becomes a little teaching tool. You are not only talking about Chanukah, you are giving kids something they made that connects to the holiday.

Fine motor practice that feels like play

Sewing and dreidel lacing give kids a chance to practice:

• Holding a needle or lace in a steady hand
• Finding the next hole and going in order
• Pulling the thread through without yanking

The lacing card version is especially friendly for preschool and early elementary kids. It gives them the feeling of sewing, but the holes are big, the yarn is chunky, and nothing can really go wrong – even if they miss some spots.

For Hebrew school teachers and busy parents, this is the kind of low prep, high impact activity you can use again each year. Print a stack of templates once, keep them with your Chanukah supplies, and you are ready every time the menorahs come out.

Tips for Using This Dreidel Craft in Classrooms and at Home

You can keep this project very simple, or turn it into a more detailed hand-stitching lesson for older kids. A little planning makes it easy to run with a whole group.

Adjusting the project for different ages and skill levels

For preschoolers, treat the lacing card as the main project. Pre-punch the holes, give them thicker laces or yarn wrapped with tape at the end, and let them go in any order they like. They do not have to follow a pattern to get the benefit.

For older kids, the felt dreidel can be much more detailed. You can:

• Encourage them to make smaller, closer stitches. Punch extra holes in my templates
• Have them sew two colors of felt together
• Add felt letters or decorations on top

Very young kids can “sew” with a plastic needle and no knot at the end. Even if they pull the yarn all the way through with each stitch, they are still learning the motion and building confidence. Tie on a starting bit of yarn for easier crafting. A (age 5) did make a copy of this on her own – the felt pillow version – and she nailed it.

You an also adapt the felt project for younger kids as follows: hot glue the two pieces and pre-stuff it inside the stitches. They an then “sew” the edges together on a premade pillow.

Ways to send the craft home and extend the Chanukah fun

In a classroom, it helps to think about what happens after the bell rings. You can:

• Laminate the lacing cards before they craft it. Slip finished lacing cards into a folder, along with extra yarn so kids can relace at home. Make it a “lacing toy” that can be repeated.
• Let children take home their stuffed felt dreidels to keep near the menorah or on their pillow. Add googly eyes and a mouth for more of a “plush toy”.
• Attach a tiny note explaining what they practiced and how families can talk about the dreidel letters together.

This is similar to sending home the extra candles from the Menorah crown project so kids can keep adding pieces with their family each night. The idea is the same, you are stretching the activity into home time.

Supplies for making your Sewn Dreidels

The best part here is that you get two projects that use the exact same dreidel template. Print it once, and either turn it into a lacing card or use it as a pattern for felt.

If you plan to use it as a lacing card, print directly on cardstock. If you are making stuffed felt dreidels, print on regular paper and cut it out to trace onto the felt.

What you need for the felt dreidel sewing project

Here is a simple supply list for the soft felt version:

• Printed dreidel template (download at the end of this post)
• Soft felt fabric sheets in your choice of colors
• Embroidery floss or yarn. Use embroidery floss is if you’ll be skipping the holes and sewing it more properly. Yarn if you’re punching holes and lacing.
• Large blunt needle – metal embroidery needle if not punching holes, plastic for younger kids, if punching.
• Good fabric scissors
• Recommended: Power punch 1/16mm hole punch for pre-punching holes for kids.
• I also used a hot glue gun to glue on the letter.
• Sewing clips (optional) makes it easer for kids and adults.
• Optional fabric marker or chalk to trace the template
• Small amount of poly fil stuffing per dreidel

You can match your colors to your other Chanukah decor, or let kids choose from a pile of felt and make wild, fun color combos. For group settings, adults or older kids can pre-cut the felt dreidels from the template.

What you need for the dreidel lacing card

For the flat dreidel lacing card, you will need:

• Printed dreidel template on cardstock – I printed it directly onto colorful cardstock, but you can also go with white and allow kids to decorate it.
• Scissors
• Standard hole punch
• Optional: craft knife and cutting mat (adults only)
• Yarn, ribbon, or colorful shoelaces
• Optional laminating sheets, clear contact paper, or thermal laminator and 5mil sheets

Laminating or covering with contact paper makes the cards sturdier, especially useful if you want this as a “toy” to keep. This version is very flat, so it travels well in a backpack or folder.

How to Make the Felt Dreidel Sewing Craft (With Free Template)

This is a relaxed project that kids can handle with a little support. Adults can help with cutting, tying knots, and threading needles, then let kids do most of the sewing.

I did cut mine using the SVG file and my Cricut. However, I found that it took a really long time for the machine to cut each hole using the rotary blade (which is what I like to use for soft felt).

Step 1: Print, cut, and trace your dreidel template

Print your free dreidel template and cut out the shape as neatly as you can. Place the paper dreidel on your felt and trace around it.

Cut out two matching felt dreidels. They do not have to be perfect twins. A loose cut still works and it all comes together once it is sewn and stuffed.

Punch your holes through both halves of the dreidel at once.

Step 2: Add any decorations or letters before you sew

Before you sew the two pieces together, decorate the front one. This is the time to:

• Embroider the dreidel letter if you want
• Glue on felt letters (I used a hot glue gun for this)
• Add a simple happy face with fabric paint, googly eyes, or whatever.

Doing the details now is so much easier than trying to sew or glue on a stuffed shape that keeps rolling away. Let kids decide whether they want a simple classic dreidel, or one with lots of personality.

Step 3: Sew around the dreidel and stuff it

Clip the two sides together, matching up the holes.

Thread your blunt needle with yarn or embroidery floss and tie a knot at the end. Alternatively, you can tie the end to the first holes.

Stack your two felt dreidels so the edges match and start sewing around the sides with a basic whip stitch (around the edge of the dreidel) or running stitch (in and out). Keep sewing, leaving the top open.

Leave a small opening, then gently push in some poly fil. Use a pencil to push it all the way to the point if needed. Don’t overstuff – since the edges are not fully sealed, you’ll get some leakage. The holes are close enough that it will hold it if not overstuffed.

Close the opening with a few more stitches and tie a good knot. Imperfect stitches are part of the charm here, the goal is for kids to feel proud and a bit more confident.

How to Make a Dreidel Lacing Card for Kids

Now let us turn that same template into a quick dreidel lacing activity. This is fast to prep and great to set out as a calm table task.

Step 1: Print, cut, and prepare your lacing card

Print the dreidel template on cardstock and cut it out. If you want it to last through many classes or siblings, cover it with clear contact paper or run it through a laminator.

You can leave the card plain, write “Happy Chanukah,” or add each child’s name.

The template has a plain dreidel and one with a gimmel. These can be used on their own, but I decided to layer them.

I cut the gimmel out of the top layer using a craft knife so that it shows the darker blue bottom layer through.

Step 2: Punch lacing holes around the dreidel

If making a double layered lacing dreidel, tape the two layers together.

Use a standard hole punch to create holes around the edge of the dreidel. I’ve marked the spots for the holes at decent increments to make it easier.

Adults can prep this step before class so kids can start lacing right away.

Step 3: Show kids how to lace the dreidel

Cut a length of yarn and tape one end to the back of the dreidel, or tie it around the first holes.

Show kids how to go in and out of the holes. A bright yarn color makes the “stitches” stand out nicely.

There is no wrong way for them to lace, as long as they are going through the holes and practicing the motion. It makes a quiet, calming activity for a Chanukah party, circle time, or early finishers who need something meaningful to do at their seat.

When they are done, you can either tie it shut and trim, or make it “reusable” and leave it untied.

Download your free dreidel lacing craft templates

With one free template, you get two Chanukah projects in one, a soft felt dreidel to sew and stuff, and a simple dreidel lacing card for younger kids. Both are easy to prep, build fine motor skills, and give children a hands-on way to connect with the holiday story. Download the template, try it with your class or family, and then peek around for more Jewish holiday projects to keep little hands busy and happy all season long.

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