8 Crazy Games for 8 Crazy Nights
Chanukah is a wonderful time of year to come together with friends and family, but what happens when the kids need something fun to do, or when the conversation doesn’t last as long as the oil? Here are 8 fun games centered around Chanukah that are fun for the whole family!
Light a Match Game
Materials: 2 dry erase boards or two pieces of paper (a new one for each round).
Ideal # of participants: 2 from each team
How to play:
Two participants from each team are given an opinion based prompt that has to do with Chanukah (ex- what was your favorite present that you received last year?). One participant must write down their answer, and the other person writes down what they think the other person will answer. If they match, then they get points for their team.
Chanukah Harry
Materials: Present in a box with nice wrapping paper
Ideal # of participants: 3 from each team
How to play:
The “mystery” present is passed around and without opening it the teams must guess what is in the box. Each team will receive 3 guesses (1 per player). Before the second and third rounds of guessing (1 guess per team = 1 round) a new clue will be given by the host. First team to guess correctly wins the points for their team.
Dreidel Spin-off
Materials: One dreidel per team (click here to purchase )
Ideal # of participants: 1 per team
How to play:
Each participant is given a driedel. On the Host’s “Go,” participants will spin their dreidel. When all dreidels land the participant(s) showing “nun” will be removed from the round. The last participant standing will receive points for their team.
Menorah Categories
Materials: An unlit candle
Ideal # of participants: 9 total people
How to play:
One participant designated as the “shamash” stands in the middle of the remaining participants in a circle. The participant in the middle is given a category (ex- foods you eat on Chanukah) from which they must name five things while the participants in the circle pass the unlit candle around as fast as possible. If the “shemesh” can name five things from the category before the candle completes it’s rotation around the circle, they get points for their team.
Hot Latke toss
Materials: 4 plastic latkes, 4 buckets, place markers
Ideal # of participants: 8 from each team
How to play:
All but one participant line up behind their team’s place marker and are identified as the tosser. The single participant stands across from their team holding the bucket and is identified as the catcher. When the host says “Go,” tossers begin sailing the latke through the air to get it in the “catcher’s” bucket. After a tosser makes a throwing attempt, whether they get it in or not, they go to the end of their line. The team that catches the most latkes in one minute, will receive the points. Teams that tie all get points. Have a staff member behind the “catchers” to keep score.
Chanukah Challenge
Materials: 4 white boards, 4 dry-erase markers
Ideal # of participants: 2 per team
How to play:
Participants stand in front of their respective white boards. On the Host’s “Go” participants will have one minute to write as many things as they can that have to do with Chanukah. They can be objects, activities or ideas. Examples: Dreidel, menorah, oil, Chanukah harry, 8 nights, the Chanukah song, etc. At the end of the 1 minute, each team’s items are added up and judged for accuracy. The team with the most will win points for their team.
Gelt Hunt
Materials: Dozens of gelt (plastic preferable), Four buckets
Ideal # of participants: 4-5 per team
How to play:
Before the game, the “gelt” is hidden all around the space. On the Host’s “Go,” participants have 30 seconds to find as much gelt as they can and get it back into the bucket before time is up. The participants with the most “gelt” in their bucket at the end of time will win points for their team, but participants can only hold one piece of gelt at a time!
The Sufganiyot Walk
Materials: One ball (of the relative same sizes) per team (4), One bucket/cone per team
Ideal # of participants: 6 per team
How to play:
Participants line up behind their respective starting marker. The first participant in line stands ready with their ball at their feet. On the Host’s “Go” the first participant will pick up the ball and place it between their knees/thighs and will hop, walk, jump down the “track” and around their bucket (as if they've eaten too many sufganiyot!). When the participant returns to the starting position, they give the ball to the next participant in line and goes to the end of the line and sits. The first team to have all members complete the track and be seated will win the points for their team.