Phew! What an exhausting yet meaningufl Chanukah evening in our home/chabad! For the first time we actually have a blossoming Hebrew School (dont tell anyone I called it that!)…I mean “Aleph Art Room”!
We had a little over 40 people, kids and parents and it was like having family over! Such a nice feeling!
Anyways, after re- arranging furniture, cooking and perfecting the snow globe craft I wanted to share some little things that made a difference in case you decide to do this craft too.
1. I found it really helpful to write the instructions!! This way I did not have to repeat myself as people came in and out of craft room (i.e playroom). You can use poster board or an easel like I did, which after moving it from corner to corner it finally found it’s home on top of my desk!! In fact the height was great because everyone could see it!
2. I pre-glue gunned the dreidels and “snow” to the lids since I was worried about the glue gun and all the smaller kids. I left a couple of jars without dreidels i case the older kids wanted to do the craft by themselves with their parents help. This was a really important idea because even with all this prepared I was still running form child to child…thankfully not with a glue gun in hand…just glitter and glycerine!
3. Keep wipes and paper towels on hand so they can wipe jars dry from water. This will help when they decorate with stickers!
4. I would use really good jars with a great screw-on lid. (I would avoid baby food jars because they do not twist well). Mine were from the container store and did not need to be glue gunned to seal.
Anyways, just a fun craft, happy kids and a new Chabad experience to last forever.
I made sure to take pictures and email them to everyone who attended (this is the benefit of smaller attendance:). I wrote a personal letter thanking them for coming and a reminder about upcoming aleph art room workshops. I included the parents emails, even those who could not attend so they could see what they missed and to inspire future attendance!
12 Responses
Chana, I love getting your updates! and srsly, when I see your setting, I think I would have loved to be your guest.. 🙂
I wish I had been a bit more organized.. unfortunately, with a still nursing-only baby, and my terrible trait of procrastination, our event did not look nearly as nice. AND I committed the grave sin of appointing someone to take pictures for us… I am only an amateur when it comes to taking photos, but oy- i’m not sure if she took 3 usable photos 🙁
Anyways, at the end of the day, I know we touched pple’s neshamos, and hopefully next time, we’ll be more efficient about it!
A freilechen to you!
PS: re the scratch cards: instead of cutting laminate to cover the point area of the card, I am trying a heavy clear packing tape.. This seemed a bit easier than pealing cutting and then pealing the clear laminating stuff. Another idea that I had, but wasn’t sure of- and possibly a bit more expensive, would be to laminate the entire sheet of scratch cards, and then when adding the paint to only paint on top of the point area of card. This would save a lot of time.. And we have found a fairly inexpensive laminating machine at walmart.. I dont know how ‘good’ it is, b/c we have only had it a short while.. however, truth be told, if even only use a few times, it is worthwhile and cheaper than taking things to a copy center to laminate. DO YOU think these 2 ideas mentioned above would work?
Also- just an fyi, that I wasn’t aware of.. a friend from here mentioned that target has scratch cards for chanukah- who would have thought?! but, they are not a ‘point style’ card- rather they have cute sayings or games, or game suggestions etc.. also, i’m thinking that it would be hard to know if they are all ‘kosher’ tochen-wise…
Thanks for sharing all your ideas! It is so strengthening to see pictures and hear someone else’s ideas… from someone who I know is also juggling what seems to be a crazy life just as I am!! In addition to all the great ideas, which are beneficial, it is incredible to just hear your thoughts as a support line 🙂
All the best, Hashem should show you amazing chanukah miracles, btov hanir’eh vhanigleh mamosh mamosh, individually and collectively, together with all yidden with moshiach now!
Take care, Chaya
HI Chana.I just discovered your blog. WOW. Im in LOVE with everything on here! what you do and how!
What kind of glycerin did you use… also how much were the glass jars you got and do you think they still have them? what is that inder the dreidels? cotton? would so appreciate if you could help me out 🙂 rteldon@gmail.com or 2103251837 if texting is better..
Thanks a millioN!
Rochel Teldon
Thanks! Glad you like it!
I just emailed you privately:)
all the best,
CHana
I’m looking to do this with about 40 K-2 students and their parents at a Chanukah program I am running. I am looking for the glass jars. Please tell me where you got them and their cost and any other helpful tip! my email address is jrosenberg1974@yahoo.com.
Thanks so much for this amazing idea!
Jill
I found them at the container store.
Would you be able to share the link to these jars. They look like the perfect size and I don’t want to mess it up.
Thanks!
CS
i bought mine at the container store
Very cute! What did you use for the “snow” in the lid?
Also- are these the glass mason spice jars with handles or the commercial plastic screw top jars from the container store? http://www.containerstore.com/s/commercial-plastic-screw-top-jars/d?productId=10025845&q=jars%20ith%20lids (1 oz or 2 oz?) You can also email me privately if that is easier senorahicks at yahoo dot com
I would like to make these this Thursday (12/3) with my girl scout troop. Thank you!
I am looking to do this at a preschool. Do you know the size of the glass jars? 6 oz? And what did you use under the dreidel? You can email me sproutingscientists@gmail.com
I think 6 oz is right, check to see if your dreidel fits. The white fluffy stuff is batting from crfat store.