thenewestrant
Playing With a Dreidel for Hanukkah
At Appletree Preschool, they celebrated Hanukkah by discussing the history of the holiday (the oil lasted for eight days and nights, eating latkes, and playing a popular game often associated with Hanukkah--Dreidel!
How to play with a Dreidel
Your class can play with a dreidel too by following the rules of the game:
1. Any number of people can play in a game.
2. Every player starts the game with an equal number of game pieces (about 10-15). These pieces can be anything from pennies, to nuts, chocolate chips, or the beloved Hanukkah chocolate, gelt.
3. At the beginning of each round, every participant puts one game piece into the center “pot.” In addition, every time the pot is empty or has only one game piece left, every player should put one in the pot.
4. Every time it’s your turn, spin the dreidel once. Depending on the side it lands on, you give or get game pieces from the pot. If you get Nun, you do nothing, if you get gimel, you take everything from the pot, if you get Hey you take half the pot (or if its an odd number, one piece extra, if you get shin, you add a piece to the pot.
5. Once you run out of pieces you stop playing. Everyone plays until someone has all the pieces, then the round is over!
Source for photos: Appletree Preschool and Today's Parent for the Drediel guide image.
