see also: Picture Books With Recipes
Let’s be happy, let us cheer
Hanukkah, again, is here.
All the lights are shining bright.
Isn’t it a lovely sight?
You know these lights remind us,
Of the time, long, long, ago.
When God caused one, tiny light
For eight long days to shine so bright.
--Malvina P. Hoenig
(Sing to: Mary Had a Little Lamb)
Hanukkah’s a happy time,
Happy time, happy time.
Hanukkah’s a happy time;
The festival of lights.
(Sing to: Row, Row, Row Your Boat)
Spin, spin, spin the dreidel,
Spin it round and round.
Wait to see what letter comes up,
And the prize, which you have found.
I Am A Little Dreidel
I spin, and spin, and spin,
And when I get too tired,
I drop and then I win.
I have a little dreidel, I made it out of clay,
And when it's dry and ready, oh dreidel I will play.
Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, my dreidel, I will play,
Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, my dreidel, made of clay.
Added verses:
* I have a little dreidel, I made it out of soap,
I spun it in the bathtub, it will not melt, I hope.
* I have a little dreidel, I made it out of ice,
It melted when I spun it, which wasn't very nice.
* I have a little dreidel, I made it out of straw,
It went 80 miles an hour, and it broke the speeding law.
* I have a little dreidel, I made it out of sand,
And when I went to spin it, it crumbled in my hand.
* I have a little dreidel, I made it out of mud,
When I went to spin it, it landed with a thud.
* I have a little dreidel, I made it out of air,
It spun around so softly, and as silent as a prayer.
* I have a little dreidel, I made it in my mind,
Imaginary dreidels, are the hardest ones to find.
Hanukkah at our house,
Is always lots of fun.
With our friends and neighbors,
There are jobs for everyone.
First, we’ll decorate
With ribbons blue & white.
Dreidels, stars and candles,
Oh, what a lovely sight.
Baking is the next step,
With rolling out the dough.
Cookies by the hundreds
For everyone we know.
Then, the real fun starts,
Making latkes, what a treat--
With applesauce as topping.
All our friends can eat.
Hanukkah at our house,
A time to show we care.
Our family grows closer
On the holidays we share.
-- C. Schwartz
MY LUCKY DREIDEL
(Sing to: Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
Dreidel, dreidel, little top,
Spinning, spinning, ‘til you drop.
Landing on the side you choose,
Will I win or will I lose?
Dreidel, dreidel, little top,
Spinning, spinning, ‘til you drop.
(Sing to: 10 Little Indians)
1 Little, 2 little, 3 little candles,
4 Little, 5 little, 6 little candles,
7 Little, 8 little, 9 little candles,
And the 9th one is the Shamash.
(Sing to: My Darling Clementine)
In the window of my house
A menorah shines
With a candle for all eight nights
It must be Hanukkah time.
Oh, it’s Hanukkah, oh, it’s Hanukkah,
Oh, it’s Hanukkah time.
In the window of my house,
A menorah shines.
--Judy Caplan Ginsburgh
5 Little dreidels spinning in a row.
The first one said, “Spin me slow.”
The second one went round and round.
The third one fell down on the ground.
The fourth one spun like a happy top.
The fifth one said, “I’ll never stop!”
5 Little dreidels, look and see—
Spinning on Hanukkah for you & me.
--Marjorie Debowy
Light the candles, light the candles
In the menorah, in the menorah.
It is time to celebrate, (repeat)
Hanukkah, Hanukkah.
--Susan Miller
Take a potato, pat, pat, pat,
Take it and roll it flat, flat, flat.
Put it in a pan with fat, fat, fat,
Hanukkah latkes, clap, clap, clap!
I have 5 little pieces of Hanukkah gelt,
The 1st one said, “Eat me before I melt.”
The 2nd one said, “I have gold foil on my side.”
The 3rd one said, “Peel me to see where chocolate hides.”
The 4th one said, “Eat me fast.”
The 5th one said, “I am last.”
--TODDLE ON OVER
Hanukkah, Hanukkah, one for the kitty!
The four-sided spinner has already spun.
Promising plenty of pennies to winners—
It’s wobbling, toppling over YOU”VE WON!
--J. Patrick Lewis
POEMS FOR JEWISH HOLIDAYS
Sing a song of Hanukkah,
Holiday of light.
We get to light the candles,
One for every night.
Gather round the table,
With family everywhere,
Holidays are special times,
When we get to share.
--Lynne Copeland
Extras: Winton The children flip latkes (hot pads) on frying pan screens. Each latke might have an activity: Spin like a dreidel, hop on one foot...