When does Hanukkah start in 2026?

Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 4, 2026, and lasts eight nights. Check a Jewish calendar for exact dates and candle-lighting times in your area.

What are easy Hanukkah activities for toddlers and preschoolers?

Coloring pages with thick outlines, counting candles, and simple matching games work well. Keep each activity to a few minutes.

Are these Hanukkah printables free for classrooms?

Yes. Everything on SparkleCraftClub is free for personal and classroom use.

How can I use a menorah page to practice counting?

Each night, have your child color that many candle flames and say the number out loud. It connects the number to something they can see.

Hanukkah Activities for Kids: Easy Ideas With Free Printables

November 5, 2026 · 6 min read

Easy Hanukkah activities for kids are short and hands-on: coloring a menorah, solving a picture puzzle, and counting candles night by night. Print a few pages ahead of time and you will have something calm for the eight nights, whether you are at home or in a classroom.

In 2026 Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 4. Check a Jewish calendar or your community for exact dates and traditions, since families celebrate in different ways. The ideas here are meant as a simple starting point for kids ages 3 to 8.

Coloring pages for the eight nights

Coloring helps little kids settle in before or after candle lighting. The Cute Hanukkah Friends Coloring Pages pack has 20 pages of baby animals with a menorah, a dreidel, gold coins, and jelly donuts. The outlines are thick and simple, so even younger kids can finish a page.

Color one page each night and hang them in a row on the wall.
Ask your child to tell you what the animal in the picture is doing.
Let kids pick the colors for the candle flames.

Coloring

Cute Hanukkah Friends Coloring Pages

20 Pages

Cute Hanukkah coloring pages for kids: menorahs, dreidels, latkes, jelly donuts, gelt, and friendly baby animals.

Preschool Activity Sheets

Hanukkah Sudoku for Kids: 4x4 Picture Puzzles

15 Pages

Easy 4x4 sudoku for kids ages 5 to 8: 20 number puzzles with Hanukkah pictures to color, plus answer keys.

A first logic puzzle: 4x4 sudoku

Kids ages 5 to 8 who know the numbers 1 to 4 can try a small sudoku. In Hanukkah Sudoku for Kids, each puzzle sits next to a Hanukkah picture to color, so finishing the puzzle turns into a coloring break. Every row, column, and box holds the numbers 1 to 4 once.

A good first tip: find the row or box that is missing only one number and fill that in first.

Counting candles

A menorah is a natural counting lesson. Each night, have your child count how many candles are lit and say the number out loud. Younger kids can draw the candles on a blank menorah picture and color the flames for that night.

Ideas for the classroom

Keep coloring pages in a learning center for early finishers.
Use sudoku pages as a quiet-time choice for older students.
Ask students to share how their family celebrates, only if they want to. Not every child celebrates, so keep it optional.

Frequently Asked Questions

When does Hanukkah start in 2026?: Hanukkah begins at sundown on December 4, 2026, and lasts eight nights. Check a Jewish calendar for exact dates and candle-lighting times in your area.
What are easy Hanukkah activities for toddlers and preschoolers?: Coloring pages with thick outlines, counting candles, and simple matching games work well. Keep each activity to a few minutes.
Are these Hanukkah printables free for classrooms?: Yes. Everything on SparkleCraftClub is free for personal and classroom use.
How can I use a menorah page to practice counting?: Each night, have your child color that many candle flames and say the number out loud. It connects the number to something they can see.

More free pages are in our coloring pages and preschool activity sheets.