Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, lasts eight nights. Each night families light one more candle on a menorah (also called a hanukkiah), using a helper candle, the shamash, to light the others. Many families also eat foods fried in oil, such as latkes and jelly doughnuts, and play the dreidel game. In 2026 Hanukkah begins on the evening of December 4 and ends on December 12.
Five pages of Hanukkah counting. Page 1 shows six menorahs: children count the candles on the branches, leaving out the helper candle in the middle, and write how many. On page 2 each menorah has a dashed candle to trace, one more for the next night, and children write how many candles there are now. Page 3 has candles in ten frames to count, up to 10. Page 4 shows two menorahs at a time: circle the one with more candles. On page 5 children draw the number of candles shown on an empty menorah. The first problem on every page is a worked example.
Read each direction aloud. Point out the helper candle in the middle on page 1 before children count, and count one menorah together, touching each candle. For page 2, act it out with blocks or crayons: put out 3, add one more and count again. On page 4 ask children how they know which menorah has more.
Count the candles together, touching each one. If your family lights a menorah, count the candles each night and talk about how there is one more than the night before. Line up spoons or crayons to show one more.
This pack supports the following Common Core State Standards for Mathematics:
© Copyright 2010. National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. All rights reserved.
Hanukkah counting practice with menorahs that hold one more candle each night. Children count candles and write how many, trace one more, count candles in ten frames, find the menorah with more and draw the candles themselves.
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