Let’s craft some adorable Har Sinais for the upcoming holiday of Shavuot! This adorable paper craft includes a free mountain template. It is a spinoff of the color & craft version I designed for Parshat Yitro. this one requires more crafting. Choose the one that better suits your needs and have fun crafting!

Tips for crafting your Mount Sinai Shavuot Craft

We got so creative with crafting these, and while I wanted to show you the endless possibilities with making this, I had to limit myself so that I can actually get around to sharing it with you.

Here, I’ll be sharing what I did for each craft, but I’ll also be highlighting how you can switch it up, and share more of my ideas.

The base

For the base of my Mount Sinai craft, I simply printed the template on green copy paper. If you’re having kids cut this out, and yes, preschoolers should be able to do that on their own, paper is the easiest material.

Since you can print it directly on the material, that’ll be your easiest choice.

Here are some more ideas beyond green paper:

• Trace the template onto a paper plate and cut it out from there.
• Try it on green cardstock.
• You can even print it directly onto green construction paper using an inkjet printer. Just trim the construction paper to size if needed.

And it doesn’t even need to be green! Use white versions of any of the above and use a compatible material to decorate it:

• Dot markers
• Paints in yellow and green
• Watercolors

Adding your flowers

I had so many ideas for flowers, but stuck to a few (mixed and matched) to show you just some of what can be done.

One one, I used transparent flower stickers for a more sophisticated look. I filled in with Cra-Z-Art’s new Milky markers.

On the other, I mixed up flower and leaf sequins with self-adhesive gems. I specifically used gems that were in flower shapes, or those that can be the centers of flowers.

I had a whole stash of supplies I wanted to try, and while I couldn’t do it all, here are some of those ideas:

• Classic kiddie flower stickers
• Felt flowers
• Foam stickers
• Scrunched up tissue paper squares – a classic
• Flower punch-outs from construction paper.
• Gel pens for drawing flowers and leaves
• Mini fake fabric flowers
• Small dried flowers

You can really take this in any direction and make it your own. You can choose whether to add grass around the base or not. I drew grass on one, but you can also cut fringe on green paper strips or use sushi grass.

The Luchot or tablets

I made Luchot by cutting the tops of craft sticks and gluing them together. Mine are rounded mainly because they looked cute that way.

However, if you have the tradition that the Luchot were rectangular, go ahead and snip the top end off too.

The luchot are poked into a slit I added into the top of my Mount Sinai craft. You can also make Luchot by cutting them from cardboard or cardstock, construction paper, craft foam or anything really and then gluing them onto a craft stick.

Add letters to the Luchot if you want.

Making the Mount Sinai Shavuot craft with kids

The exact approach to crafting a Mount Sinai Shavuot craft will depend on the setting. Classrooms allow for different crafting sessions than one-time workshops, for example.

Here, I’ll offer adaptations and ideas that are too much to share in the actual process.

In the classroom + adapting it by age

When making this craft in the classroom, I recommend choosing in advance how they’ll be crafting it and sticking with one thing.

For example, if you’re crafting with toddlers, you should probably get them basic flower stickers. Allow them to paint the base before assembling the mountain for them, so that they made more of it.

Preschoolers can cut out the base. They’ll do well with glue-on elements, or more advanced stick-ons like gems. They can also do some drawing. But again, choose one.

And slightly older kids would do well with more sophisticated stickers and drawing supplies. They can also do more assembly, handle adhesives like glue dots or tacky glue, and cut out smaller shapes.

Even older kids/adults can do it! Once you have people responsible enough to use hot glue, decorations like sequins become easier to use.

At open-ended workshops

This Mount Sinai craft is actually open ended enough to make a fabulous craft workshop. You don’t need any dry time for it, especially if you prep the Luchot in advance.

When doing workshops, offering multiple supplies makes more sense. Let crafters choose from an assortment of stickers, sequins, gems, fabric flowers, and more. Add in gel pens, paint markers, and any other nice coloring supplies for the artists to choose from.

Create a few samples showing single-item use, or more aesthetically-pleasing strategic combinations.

How to make a paper Mount Sinai for Shavuot

You’ll Need

• The template – download it below
• Paper – I printed it on green copy paper
• Scissors
• Flowers! I used flower stickers, gems, and sequins
• Optional markers and/or gel pens
• Double sided tape or glue
• Glue for any embellishments that aren’t adhesive. Hot glue dries fastest and is secure, but for kids you can use a dollop of tacky glue or white glue
• A craft stick

Download the Mount Sinai craft template

Download your free template! 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 my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

Step by Step

1. Print your template and cut it out. on the solid line.

2. Start decorating while it’s still flat! On one, I made a grass border using paint markers.

Then, I drew on flowers.

Flower stickers finished the look on this one.

On the other, I started with flower and leaf sequins.

I added adhesive pearls in the centers of the sequins.

And adhesive flower gems finished the look.

Tip: avoid the area within the dashed line – that little flap, as that’ll be overlapped when glued.

3. Put a strip of double sided tape or glue on the flap, next to the dashed line.

4. Form a cone shape, remove the backing of the tape, and adhere that flap to the back of the corresponding end of the cone.

5. Now let’s make Luchot! Snip about an inch off each end of a craft stick. You’re left with about 2 inches in the center.

6. Glue the craft sticks tips side by side, with the rounded end on the same side. You can use hot glue if you want it to dry instantly, but tacky or wood glue would work too – you’ll just need to position it in place until it sets.

7. Glue the extra bit of craft stick to the back bottom portion of the Luchot to form a “handle”.

8. Stick it into the center slit of your paper Mount Sinai craft. You may need or want to widen it a bit, and you can secure it with some hot glue from the inside if you’d like.

Your Mount Sinai Shavuot craft for preschool is complete!

The post Mount Sinai Shavuot Craft for Preschool appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Creating working toys gives kids such a thrill, and today I’m going to show you how to make a working bow and arrow using very simple craft supplies (mostly), minimal tools, and not that much active crafting time.

This can be done by kids who are basically responsible with tools, and parts can be prepped in advance for younger elementary aged kids to make it too.

I’m going to walk you through the basics of this super fun and functional project, and then share step-by-step instructions with photos, along with a video tutorial at the end.

What we used to make a working bow and arrow

One of the cool things about this project is that the materials it uses are super simple. The tools can get a bit more complex. But STEM encourages experimentation, so if some of these tools feel cumbersome, you may want to try others.

The Bow

The bow was made by taking a super jumbo craft stick and bending it. It’s bent by soaking it in hot water until it’s pliable, then holding it in shape until it dries.

I used rubber bands and a round container to hold it in shape.

To make the holes, I used a Power Punch on the ends. The center needed a larger hole, so I started it with a 1/16 inch power punch and enlarged it with an awl.

The cool thing about the Power Punch is that it works really well, just punching right through the craft stick. The problem: the one I have is discontinued. The solution: they now make one with adjustable sizing! That means that you may also be able to use it to punch the arrow hole in the center. But since I haven’t tried it, I can’t say for sure.

Play around with different tools to make the hole if you need to. You can try to make it while the wood is wet – it may be easier to poke. Try hammering a nail in and then pulling it out. Use thicker nails for larger holes… Experimentation is valuable here!

A rubber band provides the tension needed to propel the arrow forward.

The arrow

The arrow was made using a wood lollipop stick because that’s what I had. A skewer cut to size can work too, I’d assume. That was my original plan, but I had lolly sticks in my craft room and skewers were all the way upstairs in the kitchen…

The arrow is tipped with felt to keep it from hurting humans and beasts. It also looks cool. I used stiff sticky felt to make life easier and recommend you do the same. Keep this glueless…

More ideas

I would love to try making a larger, sturdier bow one day with a paint stir stick. I’ve never tried bending them, but would imagine it could work, so feel free to try it!

For the elastic, you can use larger rubber bands if needed, or even try it with a very taught string.

Finishes and final touches

I painted some of the arrows, and left the bows as-is. You can paint and/or decorate them both – depending on how much crafting you want to do for this project. I recommend painting the bow after bending and making the holes, but before assembling.

Think: stick on gems, glue on sequins, add some glitter glue, or for a fast drying solution, color them with paint sticks or markers.

Learning how to make a working bow and arrow with kids

While this is a fabulous activity to do with kids, learning how to make a working bow and arrow is not just a cut and paste activity. It’s great in some settings and might need some tweaks in others.

A Lag Ba’Omer STEM Activity

Headed to the park with the class for Lag Ba’omer? Preceed it with a STEM activity! This is such a cool way to get kids crafting something functional.

If you’re using this to encourage a little engineering problem solving, you may want to give kids more options and supplies to use.

If you’re doing this in a classroom setting, I’d highly recommend pre-curving the bows. It’ll just make the process much smoother! You can also add the holes.

This is best for older kids (8+) but younger kids can craft it with A LOT of help. They can also play a heavy part in decorating it.

Taking it outdoors

These working bow and arrow sets are totally fun for playing with in the park. As I mentioned, they are a fabulous pre-field-trip activity as kids can really play with it. Make lots of extra arrows if you’ll be using it that way, as some will get lost. That’s the easier part of the activity, anyway.

You can play games with it, such as competitions for distance, target hitting, and more.

How to make a working bow and arrow step by step

Follow the step by step instructions to learn how to make a working bow and arrow set.

You’ll need

• An extra large craft stick (about 8×1 inch) or similar
• A pan with hot water
• A round container
• Rubber bands
• A very strong hole punch, awl, and/or hammer and nail for making holes in the stick
• A wood lollipop stick or small dowel, or similar
• Adhesive stiff felt
• Marker
• Detail scissors
• Optional: craft acrylic paint and brushes.

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Written tutorial with photos

1. Place a towel (or paper towels) on your surface to absorb any splashes. Carefully, (adults only) fill a pan or shallow dish with hot water. Place your craft sticks inside. Try to keep it submerged with something heavy propped on top.

2. Let it sit for about half an hour. When you come back it should be softened and pliable. Gently curve it into an arch shape.

3. wrap a rubber band or two around the two ends to somewhat hold the shape. Make sure it’s straight, avoid any twisting.

4. I recommend also putting it into some sort of container that will help it hold its shape. Leave it overnight to dry (exact dry time will heavily depend on temperature and humidity.)

5. Meanwhile, let’s work on or arrows. If you’d like to, paint the wooden dowels.

6. Draw a simple arrowhead on the back of your felt (the paper backing).

7. Cut it out and trace the reverse side so you get two mirrored shapes. Cut it out.

8. Remove the backing, and place the tip of the stick in the center. Curve the ends around the dowel slightly, about halfway around.

9. Starting from the left side, connect the reverse side of the arrow head, and slowly wrap it around to meet the other side of the arrow and wrap around the stick. The should be roughly even, but you can trim it with scissors if you want.

10. Let’s go back to our bow! Remove the rubber band once the bow has dried. You should have a pretty little curved stick – but it doesn’t need to be perfect.

11. Punch a hole in each side of the stick – about 1 cm from the end.

12. Cut a rubber band in half. The ideal rubber band is longer than your bow’s diameter but a few inches.

13. Use a pin or toothpick to poke the end of the cut rubber band from inside to outside. You don’t want to make the hole bigger – just do your best to poke it through. It might take a few tries.

14. Pull it out about an inch and make a double knot on the outside to secure it in place. Pull the knot tight and pull a few times to test that it’s large enough and won’t go through the hole.

15. Stretch the rubber band to the other side and repeat steps 13 & 14 on the other side. I found that it helped to pull it and hold the end against the stick while poking in the tip.

16. Now it’s time to make the hole for the arrow to go into. This needs to be larger than the arrow’s body – large enough for it to go through really smoothly. I started by punching a few holes with my 1/16 inch power punch next to each other.

17. I then used a (very old and rusty) awl to make it large enough.

You’re done when your center hole is large enough for the arrow to go through smoothly! To shoot, thread the arrow through the center hole, pull back with the rubber band, and let go.

I hope you enjoyed learning how to make a working bow and arrow with basic craft supplies!

The post How to Make a Working Bow and Arrow – Lag Ba’Omer STEM appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Last year, I picked up this pretty plastic serving tray from the dollar store, with the intention to turn it into a decoupage Ke’arah – or seder plate. I wanted a craft that kids of multiple age groups can craft and then actually use.

I created this decoupage seder plate craft using fabric, craft paint, a base plate and some Mod Podge. It’s quite simple, can be adapted to different age groups, different materials, and finished different ways.

In this post I’ll be sharing with you the process that I followed as well as loads of ideas for adapting it. But the basic premise is: decoupage fabric circles to a foundation plate to make markers and spaces for the different foods.

The basics of making a decoupage seder plate

I’ll be sharing with you here what I did to create this from start to finish, including my mindset behind the materials I chose.

The foundation plate

To make this, I used a clear plate that’s a bit larger than a typical plate. That’s ideal, since a Seder Plate is usually a statement centerpiece. Mine is a decorative one from Dollar Tree (meant as a cake plate).

The only issue was that originally, I had wanted to decoupage the reverse of the plate. That way the surface is food-ready (more on that below.) But the plate I got had a very not-smooth back, with loads of ridges. So I ended up decoupaging the front.

I will share in the next section of this post, some alternate ways to make this decoupage seder plate craft, including food safety concerns, specific alternate plates, and more. But the one I used is really pretty and came out quite lovely.

Decoupage Mediums to try

Mod Podge comes in many different mediums. Some of them finish harder than others. When making a functional, usable finished craft like this, I always recommend using a hard finishing formula.

I used Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge, which works wonderfully and might be a bit of overkill for a kids seder plate craft like this.

If you’re making this with older kids who may want to actually have their own usable seder plate, dishwasher safe Mod Podge works, but takes 28 days to cure to dishwasher safe. But also, most people won’t put it in the dishwasher anyway. It just make it good and waterproof, even after a few days.

Other good options for function are Mod Podge Super Gloss (the regular gloss doesn’t finish hard) or Outdoor Mod Podge.

What to decoupage

I absolutely love the look of decoupage fabric. It still retains the look of the textured fabric, and comes in many fun prints.

The easiest fabric to work with will be a quilting cotton fabric in a bit of a stiffer texture. I had some leftover from mask-making (remember those days) that is bright and graphic.

If you’re crafting this with a group, getting a fat quarter bundle with an assortment of simple, graphic prints is ideal.

More ways to decoupage a seder plate craft

Here’s your full rundown of variations and more ways that you can make it your own.

More things you can decoupage

Fabric can be a bit harder to cut than other options (although stiff fabric is a bit easier than soft fabric). So you don’t need to stick to that!

Cut your circles out of fun scrapbook papers for a similar eye-popping look (minus the fabric texture.)

You can also use circles that feature the images of the foods (you can even steal it from this craft template.) Have kids color the images and then decoupage them on. Please note: decoupage can cause many mediums to run, so do test in advance, or only use glue on the back.

If you find mini doilies in a size that works with your base plate, go ahead and give that a try!

More ideas for your base plate

For something more substantial and durable (an “adult-ified” version of this), go for a large glass plate or platter.

You can use an opaque ceramic plate and decoupage to the front. Upcycled serving plates (Kosher for Passover, of course) can work too.

You can also use more basic plastic plates for younger kids, or even colored plates (if you’re decoupaging to the front.)

More ways to decorate the plate

I painted my plate white to provide contrast for my fabric circles. Different colors can be used – they should just contrast nicely with the fabric.

You don’t even need to paint the plate – it just makes the circles stand out more.

For more of a kid-crafty look, glitter glue, stick-on gems, and other decorations can be added. Lines of gems or glitter glue can be used to outline the circles too.

Finishing it up

I didn’t really think beyond marking spots for the foods. You can, of course, add small glass or plastic bowls (make sure they fit) as a modular seder plate. Keep them transparent so that the design still stands out.

For a kid-crafting, more “pretend” experience, you really don’t need to add bowls. But if you do, glue them on.

If you’re making a more durable, real-life use version of this, consider adding the names of the foods using Cricut cut decals, or even Aleph Bet/alphabet stickers.

Adapting the seder plate craft for different age groups

This craft is purposely open-ended and adaptable to different crafting skills and needs. Here are some pointers (but you know your crafter best):

• Toddlers: Pre-cut circles with the pictures for them to color. Have them glue it on, guiding them. Skip the decoupage 🙂 You can offer clay, paper cutout or felt toys for them to play with. They can paint the plate before gluing circles on top, or after gluing the circles on bottom.
• Preschoolers: A similar approach to toddlers, but you can throw in things like stick-on gems and they can cut the circles themselves.
• Younger school age: Go for rigid plastic platters or plates, and let them cut out scrapbook paper circles. They can trace a template (make one that fits your plastic plate size) and cut it out themeselves. Bring out the regular Mod Podge, and do it in two stages. First decoupage the circles and seal it. Then, paint the back of the plate.
• Tween/Middle school: Here’s where you can bring out the stiff fabric – just make sure you have good fabric scissors for them to use, or they’ll get frustrated. Bring out the hard finishing Mod Podge for this age group.
• Teen and adult: I’d definitely see if I can get better base plates (glass or ceramic) for these age groups. You can even allow them to finish their crafts with ceramic paint markers or paints.

Care and post-crafting a decoupage seder plate

Here are some general tips for how to treat your finished seder plate.

Sealing your craft and food safety

The Mod Podges I suggested above are going to basically protect your craft. However, they are not food safe. They ARE non-toxic, they’re just not FDA approved for direct food contact.

My approach to seder plates is usually to assume the foods aren’t eaten (they are left out for SO many hours) but if they might be eaten, your best options are:

1. Either have little bowls to actually put the foods in.
2. Or, decoupage to the back of the plate only (you’ll need a smooth-backed plate for that, though. The ones I used wouldn’t work). Leave the top the original plate surface.

For very young kids, it really won’t matter – they won’t really be using it. If you’re afraid they may, you can also just stack another clear plastic plate on top of their craft.

Washing your seder plate after use

The finishes that I suggested are supposed to make it washing-friendly. The outdoor Mod Podge will allow it to be soaped down and rinsed. I wouldn’t soak it, though. Same for Super Gloss Mod Podge.

The Dishwasher Safe formula is absolutely good enough to put it in the dishwasher. I have decoupaged glass plates with fabric using that and run it through the dishwasher many times safely (just make sure to follow cure time directions).

The paint is another story. If the paint is exposed, I’d really just wipe the front clean and leave it at that. You can also seal the paint with Mod Podge.

How to decoupage a seder plate craft – step by step

You’ll need

• A base plate – I used these but a smooth-backed rigid plastic or glass plate would be ideal
• Fabric scraps or fat quarters – I used one from this bundle. I recommend something stiff and easy to cut, that won’t fray easily
• A circle to trace. Mine is 2.5 inches, but size something to fit your plate
• Good fabric scissors
• A pen/marker/erasable fabric marker to trace
• Decoupage – see notes above. I used Dishwasher Safe Mod Podge
• A paint brush for Mod Podge and one for the paint
• Good quality acrylic paint in a contrasting color

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Process

1. Trace your template six times on the back of your fabric.

2. Carefully and slowly, cut them out.

3. Arrange them in an equally-distanced circle around your plate. You can do this on the back if you’re using a smooth-backed clear plate, just make sure the good side of the fabric faces down if you do this

Then, one at a time, apply a thin, even layer of Mod Podge to the back.

4. Carefully glue it to the surface of the plate. Smooth it out, allowing any excess Mod Podge to ooze out of the sides. If it’s more than a thin smear, wipe it off.

Repeat with all your circles.

5. Give it a few minutes to set just so that the circles don’t glide around. Cover it with a thin layer of Mod Podge. The trick with Mod Podge is: don’t overwork it. Just spread neat, even strokes. Err on the side of thin, and seal with multiple layers if needed.

6. When the circles have dried, flip you plate over and paint the back. If your circles are on the back, paint right over them. I decided to leave the border unpainted.

7. Paint doesn’t adhere so well to smooth surfaces, so you may need to apply a few layers. Again, a few smooth, even, thin layers beat one thick layer every time.

Note: you may experience some chipping on the final project. Sealing it can help but won’t be perfect. This adds to the “shabby chic” charm of this decoupage seder plate craft.

You decoupage seder plate craft is complete!

How will you be crafting your decoupage seder plate craft? Comment below!

The post Decoupage Seder Plate Craft – Functional DIY Ke’arah for Kids! 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.

Download your free 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 my emails. I respect your privacy and the law, and won’t share or sell your email address.

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.

I wanted to share a doable tutorial for DIY Purim tags to supplement the slightly more complex sewn paper tags I shared a few years ago.

I decided to go a little rustic and create some fun Kraft tags that anyone can make. This does require a little more confidence and illustration, but with a little guidance, anyone with a bit of a creative streak can doodle these!

Each tag takes just a couple of minutes to doodle, making them perfect for making a pile of tags. They’re also great for doing at lettering workshops, in the classroom, or for a Mishloach Manot exchange. I feel like it’s a great way to incorporate a bit of skill learning in a regular Purim craft workshop – that is, hand lettering.

Tips for making DIY Purim Tags

Here I’ll walk you through my material choices and more tips for success. You’ll find a step-by-step process at the end of this post.

Kraft Board vs other materials

I chose Kraft board as a sturdy and rustic looking material. It can match many different package types and is really easy to find. Keep in mind the weight (thickness) of the Kraft board that you use.

If you want to go even quicker with this, you can use pre-made tags. You can find that in all sorts of materials. Black is a great option for a really chic look. Avoid patterns or anything busy.

The best markers to use

I tested my full range of markers for these DIY Purim tags, and my main discovery was really in color. Look for markers that are well-pigmented (brand DOES matter, though mid-range markers will work well here.)

You want an OPAQUE (not see-through) marker like an acrylic marker – not something that’s meant for layering like an alcohol or classic water-based marker.

For a high quality option that’ll last you a long time, try Poscas (the 3M size is a good in-between size that’s fine enough for some detail but thick enough for coverage.) For a mid-range option, Ohuhu has a few lines that will work. These brush tips are great for brush lettering (and were really a favorite for this craft), and these are great for both bold and fine lines.

And finally, gel pens look great on this. I recommend Gelly rolls (again, cheaper gel pens are often disposable, but you can get a small pack with just/extra blacks or whites for this.)

The colors you choose will matter. Test the colors in advance on your chosen paper.

Cutting your tags

I cut my tags myself. While, as I mentioned above, you CAN buy pre-made tags, it’s really easy to cut a basic tag shape.

A few options for cutting neat tags:

1. I used a paper trimmer to cut the rectangles, and a quick snip with scissors for the angled top.
2. A 2-2.5 inch circle punch makes a fun round tag.
3. Or cut square tags and use a corner punch (I use this on my business cards) to give it a polished feel.
4. You can even get a tag-shaped punch.
5. If you’re a Cricut owner, they have tons of base tag shapes you can use.

Tips for lettering your DIY Purim tags

Hand lettering is a whole art in itself, but it’s surprisingly simple. I like to advise that it’s not about your handwriting – it’s about drawing each letter.

If you’re doing this on your own, definitely watch a video or two on some hand lettering tips before getting started. But, unlike traditional calligraphy, you don’t need to really learn and remember a large variety of fonts.

Setting up the structure

If you’re concerned with your DIY Purim tags looking neat, penciling in lines can help. I simply imagined the main square (minus the top portion) and started from there.

You can definitely pull out a ruler and make some grids to show where you want to place your letters. To avoid having to map out each letter, you can start your words from the center. For Purim, for example, R is the center letter and should be centered. But because there’s a narrow I, make it slightly to the right of center.

Decide where/if you want doodles and borders and work from there.

Lettering tips and inspiration

Lettering is about drawing the letters instead of just writing them. I played with many different types of lettering. You can definitely practice some ideas on scrap paper before taking it to the tags.

Some specific ideas I like to play with:

• “Bubbles” or rectangles for only one downward stroke of each letter
• Filling with doodles vs. leaving blank vs. filling in blocks
• Tall and skinny with very short top-portions of letters (like the semicircle on the P) or very fat and chunky letters with exaggerated top-portions of letters.
• Playful all-caps
• My favorite: brush lettering. Start with very basic script and the following rules:
  • Up strokes are skinny, down strokes are thick.
  • DRAW, don’t write, your letters.
  • Work slowly

You can definitely play with alphabet stickers, “Ransom note” magazine cutouts, etc.

Doodles, borders, and more!

To add a little pizzazz, I switched between doodled borders, images, and both! I really like simple pattern borders the most. This can be around the whole tag, around the focal “square” of the tag, around just the words, top/bottom, etc.

Hamantaschen are the easiest to doodle and so appropriate for Mishloach Manot. Dont’ just stick to Purim – think flowers, paisley, butterflies…

And if you’re not confident with your doodles, pull out the craft stash!

Think: adhesive bling, Purim stickers, dot sticker borders (cut in half) with added doodles around them…

How to make DIY Purim tags for Mishloach Manot

Obviously, I’ve shared so many variations above, but this will take you through the basic process that I followed.

You’ll Need

• Kraft board
• A paper trimmer
• Scissors
• Paint markers and gel pens in white, black, off white, etc. I used a mix of Posca, Ohuhu direct ink brush markers, Ohuhu double tipped markers, Gelly roll gel pens, etc.
• Hole punch (standard 1/4 inch is best)
• Twine

Watch the Video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Step by Step Tutorial

1. Cut your tags to size. Decide how large you want them (about 2×3 inches is great). Cut your Kraft board into strips the correct width and then cut the strips to the correct height.

2. Snip off a small corner on the top.

3. Flip that corner over to measure and cut the second corner. A quick, confident snip will get you the neatest cut.

4. Punch your holes. I tried to do 1/16th inch holes at first, but ended up punching them larger when my twine didn’t fit, so I do recommend going with a standard 1/4 inch punch to begin with.

5. Choose your markers. Test them on your corner scraps.

6. Start lettering! Opt for high contrast where possible, but light beiges that show up really milky will look amazing too!

Start with some lettered text.

Or start with your borders.

Mix up bold and thin strokes. Mix images with patterns.

Try doubling up and adding patterns. Images don’t have to be Purim-themed.

7. Add a string. Cut a length of twine about 4-5 inches long. Loop the center through the hole from back to front.

8. Put the ends of the strings through the loop you formed on the front and pull tight.

Your DIY Purim tags for Mishloach Manot are complete!

The post DIY Purim Tags for Mishloach Manot appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Paper plates are the perfect medium for making masks – because you have the round shape, in the right size, and the curvature that fits over the face! Today I’m going to share with you some of my best tips for making them with kids of all ages.

We’re going to explore different shapes and ways to cut it out, how to use the ridged edge as elements, and even show you what my kids came up with! I’ll be sharing our art supply experimentation and recommendations based on our successful results.

We tested this with kids ages toddler (2.5) through 9!

These are great for the classroom, Purim parties, and even make a great Purim carnival booth idea!

Tips and Variations for crafting paper plate masks

Crafts like this are very open-ended and I highly recommend allowing room for creativity. Here are some of our experimentations, as well as ways you can take it to the next level.

Different ways to color it

One of my favorite ways to color paper plate masks is using paint. However, with limited dry time, I wanted to give paint sticks a go. They are my go-to paint solution for any time a project needs paint, so why should this be different, right?

However, I ran into one major issue? they were too wide and clumsy for the textured paper plate!

So while they worked, control was challenging.

On round two, I pulled out two more mediums to try: watercolor paints and gel watercolor crayons. They both worked fabulously! The watercolor crayons are similar in texture to paint sticks, fast drying (although you’ll need more time if you’re watercoloring over them) and have finer tips that allow for much more detail.

Watercolors are just EASY – especially for younger kids. They can do a simple wash or paint in additional details.

They can also use markers to add details afterwards.

We also used paint markers (I recommend instant ink ones when crafting with kids). Those are fabulous, especially for older kids who will want to add real detail.

Playing with Shape

The shape of the paper plates really lend themselves to adding pretty designs – especially if you’re making the paper plate masks for Purim!

We cut some with a crown edge to make different characters.

You can also simply play up the shape of the plate to make half masks. I like outlining the eyes in a winged shape.

And my 9 year old got really creative! He traced one of my masks on his own to make a template and cut it out entirely on his own. He added cat eyes and whiskers – and it was all his ideas.

More Decorating Ideas

There are more ways you can craft this and here are some tips and pointers. I’ll also offer different styles of setting up this paper plate masks craft based on group size and age later in this post.

• Use colorful plates with permanent/paint markers for a bright, colorful effect with less coloring needed.
• Add feathers to the center of the forehead.
• Add stick-on gems around the eyes and to the crowns.
• Bring on the foam shapes!

How to turn it into a mask

There are a few ways to turn anything into a mask. One of my favorites is to stick a dowel on the side. A paper straw or craft stick does the job too. These handheld masks are more fun for kids to use as a toy – it’s less uncomfortable to wear.

Of course, you can also go the traditional route and use elastic! Opt for 4mm round braided elastic. You can get it in white or in fun colors, or get pre-made mask elastics with metal stoppers at the ends.

Making Paper Plate Masks with Kids

When you’re crafting this, so much of what you might want to do/how you do it depends on the size and age of the group! Here are some pointers for making paper plate masks for Purim with different group types.

Tips for younger kids vs. older kids

Since we crafted this with a nice range of age groups, I can share some pointers based on personal experience.

• Toddlers – Precut the masks and keep the shapes basic. Use watercolor gel crayons if possible, stickers are great too. Use washable paint if you’re brave. You can use regular crayons but the color will be very faint.
• Preschool – Precut the masks. You can incorporate simple shapes like crowns, cat ears (one-piece). Some kids will use it, some won’t. Stick-on embellishments like foam shapes and gems are great here too. They can watercolor or use gel crayons, paint sticks, paint, etc.
• Grade school – Older kids can cut their own masks. Younger ones will need pre-cut. You can offer a mix of options. They can use paint markers (as long as they’re wearing junk clothes) for more detailed drawings. Or allow them to play with watercolors, gel crayons, etc.
• Tween and up – Just hand them the supplies (the more sophisticated the better) and let them explore!

Tips for small groups vs. large groups

When crafting this with a smaller group, you can go more detailed with the instruction, and higher end with the materials. You can also wait and see if they need help with cutting out the masks.

For larger groups, you will really want to have everything set up and self-serve. Precut masks. Offer more bulk of more basic supplies. Go for paint markers if you can as it’s easier to spread out for a group (but get cheap ones and plan for them to be “used up” in this craft session.)

I also recommend instantly drying materials only for larger groups since it’s harder to track which project belongs to which kid. And stick-on embellishments are a win for large groups.

How to make fun paper plate masks

You’ll Need

• Paper plates
• If possible, grab a mask you have handy to trace
• Scissors
• Coloring supplies. My top 3 are: watercolor paints, watercolor gel crayons (fine tip but instant dry if not actually watercoloring), and paint markers
• Optional: embellishments like stick-on gems, feathers, and foam shapes
• Hole punch: if you can swing a 1/16th inch one that’s ideal, otherwise use a standard one
• Elastic or pre-made mask elastics
• OR use a hot glue gun (adults only) or tape to stick on a dowel, jumbo craft stick, or paper straw

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Step by Step Instructions

1. Cut your mask from the plate: Use a mask (or a nearby child) to figure out eye placement. Sketch out and cut your mask. Keep your first mask as a template to trace more masks.

On average, you can fit two masks to a plate.

Try using the plate in different directions and ways for a bit of variety.

2. Color your masks. Try outlining the eyes and adding detail based on the winged eye shape.

Use paint markers to get around the ridges, and use the ridges as a crown shape.

Add facial details like eyebrows and lashes if you want.

3. Turn it into a mask. Punch holes on each side and add an elastic. Or tape or glue on a dowel.

Your paper plate masks for Purim – or anytime – are complete! Which styles will you be crafting next? Comment below and then check out this fun mask decorating activity.

The post Paper Plate Masks for Purim appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

When I was making my triple chocolate hamantaschen a couple of years ago, I realized that it would be so cool to practice on air dry clay! I decided to craft these quite simple clay hamantaschen this year as a fun little Purim craft that’s fabulous for kids and adults.

Adults can make it for little kids to play with, and kids can make it to just have fun and learn the basics of how to make perfect hamantsachen. Well, it won’t quite take them all the way to perfect, but they’ll have fun making it.

The idea is that they can get really hands on and do it “for real” but not on food, and without dealing with messy jelly!

Including DIY Clay Hamantaschen in your Purim prep

I figured before I dive into the clay Hamantaschen tutorial, I’d share with you some ways you can include them in your classroom or home pre-Purim prep.

What to do with them when you’re done

I made these having in mind my kids’ play kitchen. I love updating it with seasonal supplies and I know that many classrooms convert their play kitchens seasonally. We did this with felt hamantaschen in the past, but clay really does mimic the real thing better.

FYI the kitchen toys I have pictured are from this set – a favorite in our house.

Just a word of caution: if making it for younger toddlers, or any kids who might try to eat it, you’ll want to closely supervise it at the very least. J tried taking a bite out of it, and he didn’t manage to, but he did break it. Air dry clay can mimic ceramic when cured so it’s not exactly a shatterproof toy. It’s more likely to crumble, and really just a corner came off, but again, young kids might abuse it .

They are still totally functional, just not as nice!

Some more fun ways to use these clay hamantaschen after you craft them – beyond the play kitchen:

• Use them as part of a Purim sensory bin.
• Have them as a seasonal bowl filler that almost looks real.
• Or add them to a tiered tray.
• Play Purim jokes “shtick” with them (on the right people).
• String them up into a garland (either by folding it around a string and letting it dry that way or by hot gluing a string to the back.)

Adapting this for younger kids’ crafts

This was a mom-made craft, but it’s totally the type of thing that older kids can nail. In fact, if you’d consider offering your kids to help assemble hamantaschen, they can definitely help craft these!

If you’re doing these with younger kids, here are some adaptations:

• Definitely pre-color your filling – that’s a very messy part of the process. Just make sure to store it properly until it’s ready to craft with.
• Work together with them, one-on-one to fill the hamantaschen.
• Do the pinch-corner style and not the overlapping corner style of folding.
• Skip the glitter!
• Consider making a small mark (such as by pressing in a toothpick to make a line) at the corners so they know where to pinch.

More tips for making clay hamantaschen

Here are some tips for success. These are designed to help you understand a little more about the process and my material choices so that you can make it work for you.

Coloring and painting options

There are so many ways you can color air dry clay (which typically comes in white or terra cotta colors). One of the absolute messiest ways to do it is to add paint ot your clay. That’s probably how you want to paint your filling, because you will have a hard time painting it when you’re done!

For the outside, watercolor paints just look so cool – like freshly baked hamantaschen. You can also use acrylic paints – or washable paints. You can even color it with paint markers, but it may ruin the marker, so get cheap ones for one-time use.

There are also all sorts of things you can press in. I really wanted to do the chalk pastel shavings method that I had done in the past on these seashell necklaces, but I couldn’t find my pastels (time to purge the craft room!)

I instead pressed in glitter. Glass glitter works the best for this (and doesn’t get on everything), but I also used tinsel glitter and microbeads.

Sealing the clay Hamantaschen

I chose to seal my clay hamantaschen with outdoor Mod Podge for a water resistant finish. You can use dishwasher safe Mod Podge as well (it takes 28 days to cure but will be playable after a few days).

If I had the time, I’d seal them with UV resin for a real hard finish. I think that would have made it more durable and less crumble-able.

Whatever you use, choose something non-toxic if you’re using it as a toy.

How to make clay hamantaschen

What you’ll need

• Air dry clay – I’m a big fan of the quality of DAS brand
• Acrylic paint in red, purple, etc.
• Optional: glitter
• Rolling pin dedicated to clay
• Watercolor paint
• Paint brush
• A bowl/glass about 3 inches round to trace – and a clay-dedicated craft knife (if it’s a good, straight edge glass, you may be able to just press it in to cut it) – or a cookie cutter that shape and size
• Hard finishing Mod Podge (such as Super Gloss, Outdoor, Dishwasher Safe) or UV resin to seal it.

Watch the video

Watch the full-length video on YouTube if you prefer to learn that way! Or scroll down for written instructions with photos.

Step by Step tutorial

1. Protect your surface. Start by softening your clay if needed (just knead it in your hands a bit) and separate small bits of clay for the filling – a bit bigger than a marble.

2. This part is messy: add a glob of acrylic paint to your filling and mix it in. It’ll be very diluted in color.

3. Roll out your clay to about 1/8 inch thick (don’t measure! It should be thick enough to be durable but not crazy thick).

4. Trace and cut out your circle.

5. Carefully remove the excess.

6. Place your filling in the center of the circle.

7. If you’d like, you can add glitter on top.

8. Assemble your Hamantasch! There are two ways to do it. One way is to fold over each third of your circle towards the center.

Overlap the sides – each side should go over one side and under the other.

Give a little pinch at the corners to secure them. Make sure the center opens up a bit to reveal the filling.

9. The less-neat-but-easer method is the pinch method. Pinch each corner (fold up the sides of the circles in three spots to form these corners.

And pinch them together to form your triangle.

10. Allow your clay hamantaschen to dry completely. How long it takes will depend on your environment – temperature, humidity, etc. Then, paint it with a wash of brown watercolor paint.

11. When the top is dry to the touch, flip it over and paint the back. Just a tip when doing watercolors on air dry clay – don’t overwork it or make it too wet.

12. Allow it to dry completely (an hour or so) and seal it with your choice of sealer.

Your clay hamantaschen are complete and ready to be played with!

The post How to Make Clay Hamantaschen from Air Dry Clay appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

This paper gragger craft for Purim is so much fun to color and assemble – and you have eight designs to choose from! If you want a more traditional shape Grogger craft, try this. This post contains affiliate links.

One of the reasons that I love turning coloring pages into crafts is that kids can really get busy with it, playing a meaningful part in the “design”, and then come out with a functional creation.

Sometimes I create something that requires a bit more assembly – more of a complex template. With this paper gragger craft for Purim my goal was the opposite: keep assembly as simple as possible and leave room for creativity there too.

I’m going to share loads of assembly tips and ideas, plus a closer peek at this, but first, you can download it here.

Download the Paper Gragger Craft for Purim here

The paper gragger craft for Purim 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.

About the Paper Gragger Craft for Purim

The design of this craft is meant to be a simple “pillow” gragger. You have two designs back to back (identical deigns mirrored) and sandwiched between them is a filler that makes noise when shaken.

They’re like mini paper stuffies.

Different ways to craft it

I wanted to keep assembly versatile and assembled it a few different ways. The clown was crafted with a craft stick as a handle for easy shaking.

The Gragger style was designed with a stick in mind. I used a dowel in the same color as I colored the stick.

The tambourine I kept flat – it leads less into having a stick or anything like that. All of these were glued shut.

On the Hamantaschen, I wanted to show you how you can lace these. I punched around the edge and laced it up. It’s purely decorative – you don’t want your filler to fall out so it’s anyway glued around the edge.

The versions your craft comes with

To make this paper gragger craft for Purim fabulous for everyone, I’ve included repeats of the ones with text in Hebrew as well as English.

These are PDF files, with each design on one page to make it really easy to hand out. You can put these out at a shul event or workshop, let everyone choose, and finish it off different ways. Provide a simple printout of instructions, the supplies needed, and a few crafted samples.

Each Gragger has a secondary border to allow for a bit of a border around the project so the actual image can stand out. You can cut that border off if you don’t like it.

8 Styles to choose from

To keep things creative, I provided eight styles of Gragger – that way everyone can craft the one THEY want. These are fun illustrations made special for this craft.

Some can be crafted in more unique image-specific ways. For example, the Gragger can be crafted with a stick that “continues” the illustrated one. Maracas would be filled only at the rounded point, with the base glued together.

The Gragger styles included are:

• Gragger top
• Clown
• Megillah
• 3 Hamantaschen
• Single Hamantasch with text
• Tambourine
• Maracas with text
• Different maracas without text

How to Assemble the Paper Gragger Craft for Purim

You get a printable version of instructions with your download.

You’ll Need

• The templates (get them in my shop, on Etsy, and on TpT) printed on paper
• Markers, crayons, etc.
• Filler – I used plastic pellets. You can get more ideas in myPurim gragger game instructions here.
• Glue – if an adult is assembling it, hot glue is best because of the fast dry time. Otherwise school glue works, Tacky glue is better.
• Optional: yarn and plastic needle for lacing.
• Optional: hole punch for lacing
• Optional: Sticks – dowels or craft sticks

Assembly Instructions

1. Print your chosen templates on paper.

2. Color it in. I skipped coloring the extra border.

3. Cut it out around the outer border.

4. Glue it most of the way around, leaving an opening. If you’re not using hot glue you’ll want to let it dry.

5. Fill it with about a tablespoon of plastic pellets.

6. Glue it shut.

7. If you want to lace it, you can follow the same process as above. But make sure to glue it on the inside perimeter of the border, so you don’t poke holes in the actual container that’s holding the pellets.

8. Punch holes around your border.

9. Tie on a piece of yarn.

10. And sew around the edge!

11. To add a stick: First, glue your stick in position on the back of one piece.

12. Glue around the edge, leaving an opening, and glue securely over the stick so it totally seals.

13. Glue the corresponding side. You may need to smush it down a bit so it seals around the edges. Fill and glue the last bit.

14. Do a craft stick the same way – but you don’t really need to glue along the hole thing. A dowl needs more secure gluing or it’ll poke through.

Your paper gragger craft for Purim is complete! Just a reminder that you can get it in my shop, on Etsy, and on TpT

The post Paper Gragger Craft for Purim appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Color and craft a fun Shivat haminim garland with this beautiful printable – or print the full color version instead! When you’re done, try this felt Shivat Haminim template too. This post contains affiliate links.

Ready for a low-key and fun way to decorate for Tu B’shvat? Assemble this simple Shivat Haminim garland printable! There are two crafting styles:

• The full color garland to print, cut, and assemble OR
• The color-in one for when you want more of a detailed activity, and you want to sit and color!

Both of these are available in my shops: my own website shop, Etsy, and Teachers Pay Teachers. Or scroll on for more details and a few ways you can assemble this!

Get the Shivat Haminim Garland Printable

The Shivat Haminim Printable Garland 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 color-in version:

Get the FULL COLOR version:

Crafting your Shivat Haminim garland printable

Here are some general tips for crafting these – but I do have a full tutorial at the end.

Stringing it up – & More cool ways to craft this

The garland is scaled to full pages so that you can display it large. Since images can be scaled down without losing quality but not up, I wanted to leave you with the maximum quality. I did not include any specific hanging mechanism in the template so that you can choose that as well. Here are some ways you can string this Shivat Haminim garland printable – or not!

• Print it any size by using the PNG images. On Windows, you can right click all the images and choose “print” (under “show more options”) and it’ll give you the option to print them in different sizes. I chose 5×7 for this.
• I glued the full color one along a string – simply gluing the back.

• You can glue two back to back to make a two-sized garland. If using the above method, first glue one side, flip it over, and glue the second side to make sure it’s in order.
• For the color-in one, I punched two holes in each one and strung it up with a ribbon.

• You can make tabs on the top of your garland to make hanging loops. Leave two tabs on the top when cutting out your pennants and loop them over. Or, attach loops from a separate piece of colored paper.
• This is a really fun craft for Tu B’shvat or as a Sukkah decoration. If you’re making it for Sukkot, laminate it and leave a laminated border around any cuts. Even if crafting it for Tu B’shvat, laminating it will really protect it and allow it to last from year to year.
• Print it in full size and use it as a bulletin board. Even though these are pennant shapes, you don’t even need to turn it into a garland! You can even make these as a coloring or flip book.

Coloring Tips

If using the color-in version, there are many ways you can color this in!

I used these paint markers to color mine. They are somewhat opaque and a good low-key grown-up marker. Colored pencil gave me a light background. Alcohol markers are also great for adults, as are colored pencils. For kids, colored pencils, markers, or anything really goes.

You can also simply print it on colored paper. Or print on colored paper AND color them in with opaque paint markers.

Variations

There are different options to print – I’ll walk you through them here!

Full color vs color-in

Available as two separate downloads, you can choose from full color Shivat Haminim garland printables or from a color-in version.

If you want more of an instant decoration with minimal assembly, the full color one is the way to go. The photos hardly capture it, so check out the preview below.

It is digitally colored, using digital watercolor brushes for dynamic, artistic color.

The color-in one is great for kids to create home decor for Tu B’shvat or the Sukkah. It’s great for crafting workshops, as an activity that can be started and taken home.

With Text vs. Without

For each version, I’ve made one both with text and without. The text says the Hebrew word for that fruit. The biblical verse for the fruit isn’t always an exact match (for example, dates are referred to as Devash – or honey.) I used the Hebrew word for the fruit (dates are Tamar).

Choose if you want it with text or without and print the one you want.

PNG vs. PDF

As usual, I offer both PDF versions and PNG. The PNG does have in mind Cricut crafters who want to use their machines to Print then Cut, but it’s also fabulous for crafting them different sizes.

The PDF size is quite large. You can print it at scale (for example, 75%) if it’s too big. I did want to give the option of having it large enough for a bulletin board, for example. Print one page to test before printing them all.

This Shivat Haminim garland printable makes gorgeous home or classroom decor for Tu B’shvat, Yom Ha’atzma’ut (celebrating the special fruit of Israel), or as a Sukkah decoration. It’s easy to assemble and will look gorgeous – whether you’re coloring it yourself or using my colored version.

How to assemble your Shivat Haminim Garland Printable

You’ll need

• The files – get them in my shop, on Etsy, and on TpT – printed, preferably on cardstock
• Markers or other coloring supplies, if assembling the color-in version
• Scissors
• Hole punch – optional
• String
• Hot glue gun – optional

Process

1. Cut out your pennants.

2. Color them in.

3. Punch holes at the top if stringing it that way.

4. Run a string through them.

You can also just hot glue them along a string. Hang them and enjoy!

Just a reminder you can download these in my shop, on Etsy, and on TpT. Enjoy!

Get the color-in version:

Get the FULL COLOR version:

The post Color & Craft Shivat Haminim Garland Printable appeared first on Jewish Moms & Crafters.

Celebrate Tu B’shvat with a fun Shivat Haminim puppets craft – featuring the 7 species of Israel. When you’re done, check out these Neviot puppets too! This post contains affiliate links.

If you’re looking for a fun and engaging Tu B’shvat craft that can be made by many different age groups, you’ll want to give these Shivat Haminim puppets a try! This is a really easy craft that can be made more simply, or colored more ambitiously. And I created a color-in AND full color version based on how much crafting you really want to do.

I explain more about each puppet and how to assemble the set below, but meanwhile, if you want to get them, you can do so in my shop, on Etsy, orTpT.

Get the color-in version:

Get the full color version:

The Seven species of Israel feature five fruit, plus wheat and barley. These are the fruit that were biblically the celebrated “special” foods that Israel was blessed with, and so they have always been special in Jewish culture, and even have significance in Jewish practice, in the priority given to foods when reciting blessings on mutliple foods.

While some of these are featured as Rosh Hashanah simanim (and I made puppets special for those too) This set is very specifically the seven species. In order, they are: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegrate, olives, and dates.

Tu B’shvat is a Jewish holiday that celebrates the “birthday” of the trees (or more accurately, the new year for the trees). It falls of the 15th of the Jewish month of Shevat (its name is actually that as “tu” spells out the Aleph-bet of the number 15). This usually is sometime in February – about a month and a half after Hanukkah and a month before Purim.

IT’s a very minor holiday, usually celebrated by eating fruits, with a focus on the five of the seven species that are fruit. Okay, grapes grow from a vine, but they are included in our Tu B’shvat fruit celebrations.

These puppets are fabulous for Tu B’shvat, or any time you’re highlighting the seven species. It’s great as a Parshat Eikev craft – the portion of the Torah that lists the seven species.

About these puppets

The puppets were hand-illustrated digitally (that is, with a stylus but without any generation or anything along those lines) on my Surface Pro using Adobe Fresco. They were colorized the same way and then turned into puppets for you to enjoy using Illustrator.

2 versions: Color-in and full-color

I love “color & craft” projects – they offer the same easy entertainment of a coloring page, with lots of input from the kids, and an educational factor. But they also give kids an end product to play with! For that reason, I offer a line-art only version, which is perfect for classroom or at-home activities.

These offer so many options for any age group. I pulled out alcohol markers (perfect for teens and older) for a more professional color. Toddlers can use do-a-dot markers, preschoolers can use crayons, and grade-schoolers can use SuperTips.

Sometimes, you just want a quick finished product to cut and assemble as a classroom tool, toy, or visual. For that reason, I decided to create a full color version too! And while the puppet itself is a bit smaller than you might want for a bulletin board or classroom decor, you can scale up the PNG images a little to get a larger size for more versatile use.

The Shivat Haminim(the 7 species)

The seven species featured are as follows. If you want to learn more about them, I recommend this resource. You do get printable instructions as well as explanations with your download.

The source – Deuteronomy 8:8 – lists them as: “ אֶ֤רֶץ חִטָּה֙ וּשְׂעֹרָ֔ה וְגֶ֥פֶן וּתְאֵנָ֖ה וְרִמּ֑וֹן אֶֽרֶץ־זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן וּדְבָֽשׁ׃ – a land of wheat and barley, of vines, figs, and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey;“

• Wheat: Chita (חִטָּה)
• Barley: Se’ora (שְׂעוֹרָה)
• Grapes: Gefen (גֶּפֶן) – This translates to vine but refers to grapes
• Figs: Te’ena (תְּאֵנָה)
• Pomegranates: Rimon (רִמּוֹן)
• Olives: Zeit Shemen/Zayit (זֵ֥ית שֶׁ֖מֶן/זַיִת) (olive oil/oil) – While it refers to olives as the fruit, the Torah refers to it as olive oil.
• Dates: Devash/Tamar (דְבָֽשׁ/תָּמָר) (honey/date honey) – Once again, it states honey but we understand it as dates/date honey.

The puppets were illustrated to be playful, with some showing more than one of the fruit and adding character to them.

Get them here

The Shivat Haminim puppets craft is available for a few bucks in my shop, on Etsy, orTpT. 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 color-in version:

Get the full color version:

How to assemble your Shivat Haminim Puppets Craft

You’ll need

• The puppets, printed on cardstock
• Craft sticks
• Glue or glue lines. I like to prep these in advance with glue lines for kids, with the backing still intact, so that they can just peel it off and stick it on without glue.
• If using the color-in version, crayons, markers, etc, depending on the age group. I used alcohol markers – perfect for teens and adults,
• Kid-friendly scissors.

Process

1. Print your puppets on cardstock. Choose the color-in or full color version.

2. Color them in if crafting the color-in version.

3. Cut them out on the solid outer line. To make it easier, I placed each one in a shape that creates the puppet.

4. Glue or tape a stick to the back/bottom.

5. That’s it! Your Shivat Haminim puppets are ready to play with and celebrate Tu B’shvat.

In case you missed it, you can get the Shivat Haminim puppets craft here!

Get the color-in version:

Get the full color version:

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