Handprint Menorahs – with Paper or Paint

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This photo shows supplies for both versions (glitter not pictured)

Choose your supplies based on which version you want to create:

Paper Menorah

  • Things you probably have at home:
    • Scissors
    • Glue stick
    • Pencil
  • Things to buy: Schedule a reminder 1 week before you want to do this activity to buy supplies

Paint Menorah

  • Things you probably have at home:
    • Smock
    • Table covering

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Ideal Age Range:

Ideal for 3+. (Paint version is easier to adapt for younger kids – but have a second adult to help!)

Mess Factor:

Paper version – Low
Paint version – Medium – High

Prep Time:

About 5 minutes – have all of your materials gathered. For younger children, you should have paint on a plate ready to go. If you are using paint, have a cup of warm soapy water in the sink where you can drop the brushes once you are done, and a wipe or wet paper towel ready to wipe paint off of hands.

If you read through our projects regularly, you know that I love things that are fun activities but also keepsakes for me. Creating either the paper or paint version of the menorahs lets you start to talk about the Hanukkah holiday. It also creates a decoration that you can save from year to year (to look at their tiny hands :-).

Active Instructions:

Paper Menorah

  1. Trace hands on the blue paper and cut them out.
    • Encourage older children to cut the hands out themselves.
  2. Glue hands onto the white paper, making sure the thumbs cross over each other.
Step 1 – trace hands + cut them out

Step 2 – place the hands on paper with thumbs overlapping
  1. Using the yellow paper, cut 9 flame-shaped pieces and glue them on top of each finger tip.
  2. Using blue paper, cut a strip to use as the base of the menorah and glue underneath the hand cutouts. (See photos for a guide, but you can make this look however you want.)
Step 3 – cut out flames

Step 4 – create a base for the menorah
  1. (Optional) – use glitter to add sparkle to the candle flames.
Step 5 – sprinkle glitter on the flames if you want to

Happy Hanukkah, Chanukah, however you spell it!

Paint Menorah

  1. Spread blue paint onto one hand and press firmly onto the white paper.
  2. Repeat with the second hand and place carefully when making the print, so the thumbs slightly cross over in the middle.
Step 1 – cover your hand in blue paint

Step 2 – when you print the second hand, make sure the thumbs cross slightly
  1. Paint a thick blue line under the handprints to make the base of the menorah (see photo above).
    • Tip: Draw the line with a pencil as a guide for your child.
  2. Use yellow paint and a small paint brush to add a flame on each finger tip.
    • If your child prefers, they can also use their finger tips to create these flames.
  3. (Optional) Use glitter to add sparkle to the candle flames.
Step 4 – add yellow flames

Complete!

An option once you are finished: frame your menorahs with contrasting color paper and write “Happy Chanukah”, child’s name, and date.

What do your Hanukkah traditions include? Do you have a menorah for the kids and a menorah for the adults? Leave us a comment or message us on social media, we’d love to know how your family celebrates!

If you want to pin this project, please use the image below.

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