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L’shana Tova
This year the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah begins on Wednesday, Oct. 2, and ends on the evening of Friday, Oct. 4. Rosh Hashanah marks the beginning of the Jewish new year and commemorates the creation of the world. It commences the Days of Awe, a 10-day period of reflection before Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.
Rosh Hashanah is a perfect time to slow down and get crafty with kids, while thinking back on the year and contemplating the one ahead. Contrary to the hype of Hanukkah, which came about mostly from its proximity to other holidays celebrated in winter, Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, known as the High Holy Days, are two of the biggest holidays on the Jewish calendar.
Apples, honey and pomegranates are traditional symbols of the holiday that signify a sweet and prosperous upcoming year. These Rosh Hashanah crafts for kids can be used as décor to make the home and Seder table feel more ceremonious during the most special time of the year.
Use the arrow above the image or the link at the bottom of the page to see all the crafts. Or, use the list below to jump to the type of Rosh Hashanah craft you want to make first:
Happy crafting and L’shana Tova!
Up first: Apple craft ideas
Editor’s note: This article was originally published several years ago, and was updated most recently in September 2024 by ParentMap’s editorial team to verify that all information and resources are up-to-date.
Apple craft ideas
Garlands
An adorable yarn ball apple garland from The Best Ideas for Kids is far easier and quicker to make than it looks. The perfectly imperfect shape of the apples is not just whimsical, it’s a relevant metaphor for the nature of creation.
Get the kids outside to collect pinecones for this simple project from Non-Toy Gifts. Make the pinecone apples into a garland by spacing them evenly along a length of twine and tying them with green ribbon.
If you have some yarn left over, try making these cute yarn apples from Red Ted Art. These yarn and cardboard apples would make a great garland, or can be hung from the ceiling or lights to decorate a whole room.
Napkins
Stamp napkins from Busy in Brooklyn make for a cute craft that requires few supplies and is great entertainment for preschool-age children.
With napkins this cute you’ll want a special napkin ring to bring it all together. Tori Avey has a great napkin ring project using wooden beads painted to look like apples and bees. This project will take a little more planning, but the results are worth it.
Table decorations
Decorate the table with some sweet polka-dot paper apples from Creative Jewish Mom. This simple project is doable for kids of all ages and involves a stapler, which is always a hit!
You’ll need toilet paper tubes to make sweet 3D paper apples from Reform Judaism. This project is a great exercise in fine motor skills for littles and is a relatively mess-free activity.
DIY painted terracotta apples from Real Housemoms would make charming honey pots scattered about for a festive Seder table. They’re sturdy enough to be brought out year after year, though it might be wise to line them with something before using them for food.
Up next: Honey craft ideas
Honey craft ideas
Table decorations
These simple and elegant beeswax-wrap candles from A Daily Something are easy enough for any age child to delight in creating. Lovely on a holiday table, they’d make a thoughtful handmade gift for Hanukkah, too!
Add a little punch of color to your Seder table with DIY decorated honey jars from Reform Judaism — there’s a lot of room for creativity with this useful project.
Arts and crafts
Your kids will love creating a masterpiece and getting a little sticky with this honey painting project from Tamar Teitelbaum, found on kosher.com.
Up next: Pomegranate craft ideas
Pomegranate craft ideas
Paper crafts
Stamped pomegranate cards from Alpha Mom take a bit more prep time for parents, but are so beautiful it’s probably worth it. Or take a simpler route with these beehive cards (also from Alpha Mom) and wish friends and family a happy, sweet and fruitful year ahead.
If you are looking for a box to hold a small gift or prize, these cute and easy paper pomegranate boxes from Growing Up Creative are your answer.
These origami pomegranates would make a great garland, or you can write names on them and use them as place cards at a meal. Find all the details and instructions at Jewish Moms and Crafters.
Up next: Celebratory crafts
Celebratory crafts
Celebrate the creation of the Earth with a super beautiful garland craft from Kitchen Counter Chronicle. This project makes use of that stack of old newspapers you’ve not yet recycled. Make this one easier for younger kids by using a hole punch so the cutouts can be strung without using an embroidery needle.
Finally, what kid doesn’t need their very own shofar for blowing? This one from Highlights is made with a paper plate but thick card stock would also work. Kids can run wild with their imaginations adding embellishments.
