Passover is an eight-day long celebration, observed each year by the Jewish community. It honors the freedom of Jewish slaves from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh; Ramses II. Families and friends get together to celebrate Passover by having Seder. The Seder is the central point of the Passover celebrations which includes special food, traditions and customs, prayers, and songs. Kids are an important part of this festival. There are many activities, games and crafts that parents can choose to make Passover a learning experience as well as a fun time for kids. Passover printable activities are excellent ways for children to learn about the Pesach traditions. Parents can use articles printed from the internet to teach kids all about the Passover holidays or just to add some fun to the celebrations. For children who are internet savvy, there are various websites to help them make greeting cards, crafts, decorations and games. Read on to learn a few activities that can be arranged for them and for yourselves too.
Activities for children
Matzoh Cover
Materials Required
Passover is a fun time for families along with being a religious event. This article has some activities to keep everybody engaged. Read on.
Passover Activities
- 4 square pieces of Cloth or Felt of 9 inches on all sides
- Fabric Paints or Permanent Markers
- Fancy items like Sequins, Small Bits of Ribbon, or Buttons
- Needle and Thread for sewing if needed
- Glue
How To Make It
- Ask your children to decorate each square of fabric.
- If they are good at drawing ask them to paint it and decorate it with sequins and buttons. Encourage their creativity.
- Let it dry overnight. Layer the four squares on top of one another, keeping the decorated piece on the top.
- Next stitch around three sides of the square. Matzah cover is ready.
- Kids can participate in Seder and bring something on the Seder table that is uniquely theirs.
Seder Plate
Materials Required
Materials Required
- Acrylics and craft paint (nontoxic)
- Plates
How To Make It
- Ask children to make drawings of fruits or flowers on the plate with markers.
- Let children of all ages hand paint their own Seder plates. If you intend to use it make sure the paints are nontoxic, otherwise they can be purely decorative.
- As they are ready with their own decorative plate, highlight the whole Passover symbol which includes:
- A charoset, which is a delicious mixture of apples, walnuts, red wine, cinnamon and sugar, symbolizing the mortar that the Hebrews used when they built the pyramids in ancient Egypt.
- Bitter herbs, usually represented with horseradish, which remind one of the difficulties that have been endured by ancestors.
- Greens (parsley, lettuce or celery), which represent spring and a time of new beginnings
- An Egg, symbolizing the circle of life
- A Shank bone or neck of poultry, which represents God's mighty arm.
The 4 Questions
Materials Required
Materials Required
- Print out questions
- Cards (3 x 5 inches)
- Glue
How To Make It
- Paste the printed questions on the cards.
- Present the set home with each child.
- Depending on the age of the children you can ask them to memorize or write them in Hebrew on the board.
Passover Reclining Pillow
Materials Required
Materials Required
- Pillow Case (Light colors or white work best)
- Markers or cloth markers
- Insert a piece of cardboard so that it does not bend through
How To Make It
- You can really go wild with imagination with this one as far as what to place on the pillows
- You can use these ideas for Illustration like, The 10 Plagues - The child's name in Hebrew, Moshe/Moses parting the sea, Miriam finding water for the nation of Israel, The Seder Plate and all of the things on it.
Activities For Adults
Skits
Skits are a great way to involve the family and have fun at the same time. Try taking some inspiration from movies such as the 'Ten commandments' or 'Prince of Egypt'. You can call in a few neighbors and get the whole family together and enact the story of the Exodus and how Passover day came to be. This will not only add a personal touch but will make it easier for younger kids to understand the story behind the tradition better. Try not making it blasphemous. Adhere to the actual story and try not hurting any religious sentiments. The idea is to just have fun during some free time on a traditional day. Try not goading those who don't want to participate in the act. Keep it flexible and free for people.
Crossover Puzzles
Who ever thought crossword puzzles could be used for entertainment on a religious festival day? Sounds different doesn't it? Crossword puzzles are a great way to keep adults engaged. It can really push analytical boundaries and make you think and engage your thought processes. It's the best way to understand what you didn't previously learn or know about the Passover festival, and a fun way to see how much you and your opponents know about this special day.
These are a few activities you could use for Passover day. Let all the religious ceremonies take place, relish all the lavish food, sing till you fill your heart, but don't forget to have fun. Celebrations are all about getting together with the family. Try doing something new for a change. Activities like these can bring you even closer on days that are meant to be rejoiced.
Skits
Skits are a great way to involve the family and have fun at the same time. Try taking some inspiration from movies such as the 'Ten commandments' or 'Prince of Egypt'. You can call in a few neighbors and get the whole family together and enact the story of the Exodus and how Passover day came to be. This will not only add a personal touch but will make it easier for younger kids to understand the story behind the tradition better. Try not making it blasphemous. Adhere to the actual story and try not hurting any religious sentiments. The idea is to just have fun during some free time on a traditional day. Try not goading those who don't want to participate in the act. Keep it flexible and free for people.
Crossover Puzzles
Who ever thought crossword puzzles could be used for entertainment on a religious festival day? Sounds different doesn't it? Crossword puzzles are a great way to keep adults engaged. It can really push analytical boundaries and make you think and engage your thought processes. It's the best way to understand what you didn't previously learn or know about the Passover festival, and a fun way to see how much you and your opponents know about this special day.
These are a few activities you could use for Passover day. Let all the religious ceremonies take place, relish all the lavish food, sing till you fill your heart, but don't forget to have fun. Celebrations are all about getting together with the family. Try doing something new for a change. Activities like these can bring you even closer on days that are meant to be rejoiced.