Rosh Hashanah Activities for Kids - Fun, Meaningful, Hands-On Activities for Children of All Ages

Rosh Hashanah is a wonderful opportunity to help children experience the sweetness of the Jewish New Year through family traditions, Scripture, creativity, prayer, food, reflection, and celebration. These activities can be adapted for toddlers, elementary-age children, tweens, and teens.

🍎 1. Apple & Honey Tasting

Let children sample different varieties of apples with different kinds of honey.

Try:

Red apples
Green apples
Honeycrisp
Gala
Fuji
Local honey
Clover honey
Wildflower honey

Activity idea: Have children vote on their favorite apple-and-honey combination.

Discussion:
“What is something sweet you hope God brings into your life this year?”

🍯 2. Make Apple & Honey Snack Cups

Give each child:

Apple slices
A small cup of honey
Cinnamon
Optional nuts or raisins

Let them create their own Rosh Hashanah snack.

🎨 3. Design a Rosh Hashanah Greeting Card

Children can make cards for:

Grandparents
Parents
Friends
Teachers
Congregation members
Someone who may be lonely

Encourage them to write:

“Shanah Tovah!”
or
“L'Shanah Tovah Tikatevu!”

They can decorate their cards with apples, honey jars, pomegranates, shofars, stars, and flowers.

🐏 4. Shofar Craft

Make a pretend shofar using:

Construction paper
Cardboard tubes
Paper cups
Paper plates
Tape
Markers
Stickers

Children can decorate their shofar and learn about the significance of the shofar blast.

Shofar Challenge

Teach children the traditional sounds:

Tekiah — one long blast
Shevarim — three broken blasts
Teruah — a series of short blasts
Tekiah Gedolah — a very long blast

If an actual shofar is available, let children observe or hear it being sounded by an adult.

📖 5. Rosh Hashanah Bible Scavenger Hunt

Create clues that lead children to passages about:

Creation
Abraham
Isaac
God's promises
Repentance
God's faithfulness
The shofar
God's kingship

Suggested Tanakh passages include:

Genesis 21
Genesis 22
Leviticus 23:23–25
Numbers 29:1–6
Psalm 47
Psalm 81:1–4
Psalm 98:6
Psalm 100
Psalm 150:3

✨ 6. Rosh Hashanah “New Year, New Beginning” Activity

Give every child a sheet of paper divided into three sections:

Last Year

“What am I thankful for?”

Teshuvah

“What is something I want to change?”

New Year

“What kind of person do I want to become?”

This can become a beautiful annual family tradition.

❤️ 7. Teshuvah Heart Activity

Cut out large paper hearts.

Ask children:

“Is there anything you need to make right with God or with someone else?”

They can privately write or draw something on their heart.

Then teach them that teshuvah means turning back/returning.

Depending on age, explain that repentance can involve:

Recognizing what went wrong.
Taking responsibility.
Asking forgiveness.
Making things right when possible.
Turning toward a better path.

🌳 8. Rosh Hashanah “Apples of Kindness” Tree

Draw or create a large tree.

Cut out paper apples.

Every time a child performs an act of kindness, they add an apple to the tree.

Examples:

Helped a sibling
Shared a toy
Encouraged someone
Helped clean
Gave something away
Prayed for someone
Wrote an encouraging note

By the end of the celebration, you'll have a Tree of Kindness.

🍎 9. Apple Stamping Art

Cut apples in half and dip them into washable paint.

Children can stamp apple shapes onto paper.

Add:

“Shanah Tovah!”

This is especially fun for preschoolers.

🍯 10. Honey Jar Craft

Give children a paper outline of a honey jar.

Have them decorate it with:

Bees
Flowers
Honeycomb patterns
Apples

Inside the jar, write:

“May my year be sweet because…”

Children complete the sentence.

🐝 11. Rosh Hashanah, "Bee & Honey Learning Activity"

Teach children about how bees make honey.

Discuss:

Bees
Flowers
Pollination
Honey
God's creation

Then connect the lesson to the Rosh Hashanah tradition of eating honey.

Question:
“What are some ways God's creation shows His wisdom?”

👑 12. God Is King Activity

Rosh Hashanah emphasizes God's kingship.

Give children paper crowns to decorate.

Write across the crown:

“God Is King”

Then invite children to write words describing God's character:

Faithful
Holy
Merciful
Just
Loving
Powerful
Wise
Good

🧩 13. Rosh Hashanah Puzzle Station

Create simple puzzles featuring:

Apples
Honey
Shofars
Pomegranates
Crowns
Hebrew letters
“Shanah Tovah”

For younger children, use large-piece puzzles.

🔤 14. Learn Hebrew Rosh Hashanah Words

Create flashcards for words such as:

Hebrew	Transliteration	Meaning
שנה	Shanah	Year
טובה	Tovah	Good
דבש	D'vash	Honey
תפוח	Tapuach	Apple
שופר	Shofar	Ram's horn
תשובה	Teshuvah	Returning/repentance
ברכה	Berakhah	Blessing
שלום	Shalom	Peace

Turn the lesson into a matching game.

🎭 15. Rosh Hashanah Bible Story Drama

Assign children different characters from a Tanakh story.

Possible stories:

Abraham and Isaac
Hannah praying
Samuel hearing God's call
David worshiping God
Jonah and repentance

Give children simple props and let them act out the story.

🕊️ 16. Forgiveness Role-Playing

Give children scenarios:

“You broke your sister's toy.”

“You said something unkind to your friend.”

“You took something without asking.”

Ask:

What would teshuvah look like here?

Children can practice saying:

“I'm sorry.”
“I was wrong.”
“Will you forgive me?”
“How can I make this right?”
“I will try to do better.”

💌 17. Make a “Shanah Tovah” Mailbox

Create a family Rosh Hashanah mailbox.

Children can write anonymous or signed notes of encouragement throughout the holiday.

Examples:

“You make me laugh.”

“I'm thankful for you.”

“May you have a wonderful new year!”

🍎 18. Rosh Hashanah Bingo

Create bingo squares containing:

Apple
Honey
Shofar
Pomegranate
Crown
Prayer
Challah
Family
Blessing
Teshuvah
Torah
New Year

Use stickers, buttons, or small candies as markers.

🎨 19. Pomegranate Art

Pomegranates are traditionally associated with Rosh Hashanah.

Children can:

Paint pomegranates
Make pomegranate collages
Count pomegranate seeds
Create paper pomegranates
Make pomegranate greeting cards

Discussion:
“What good things would you like to grow in your life this year?”

🌱 20. Plant a “New Year” Garden

Let each child plant a small seed.

Write on a label:

“What I want to grow this year:”

Examples:

Kindness
Patience
Courage
Wisdom
Prayer
Faithfulness
Generosity

Explain that spiritual growth takes time, just like a plant.

📜 21. Create a Family New Year's Scroll

Give every family member a piece of paper.

Have them write:

This year I want to…

Learn ______.
Improve ______.
Help ______.
Pray for ______.
Thank God for ______.
Become more ______.

Roll the papers into scrolls and keep them until the following Rosh Hashanah.

🎵 22. Rosh Hashanah Sing-Along

Teach children Jewish and biblical songs about:

God's goodness
God's kingship
Creation
Thanksgiving
Repentance
The shofar
Peace

Have children create simple instruments from household materials.

🎲 23. Rosh Hashanah Trivia Game

Ask age-appropriate questions:

What does Rosh Hashanah mean?

What instrument is traditionally associated with Rosh Hashanah?

What sweet foods are commonly eaten?

What does teshuvah mean?

What animal's horn is traditionally used to make a shofar?

What greeting do people commonly exchange?

Give small prizes such as stickers, bookmarks, or pencils.

🧠 24. “What Would You Do?” Teshuvah Game

Read a situation and let children choose the best response.

Example:

“You accidentally hurt someone's feelings.”

A. Pretend nothing happened.
B. Blame someone else.
C. Apologize and try to make things right.

Then discuss why C reflects teshuvah.

🥖 25. Make Round Challah

Bake or decorate a round challah together.

Explain that the round shape can remind us of:

The cycle of the year
Continuity
God's sovereignty
The hope of a new beginning

Children can help:

Mix ingredients
Shape dough
Brush egg wash
Sprinkle toppings
Set the table

🍪 26. Bake Rosh Hashanah Cookies

Make cookies shaped like:

🍎 Apples
🍯 Honey jars
🐝 Bees
👑 Crowns
📯 Shofars
⭐ Stars
❤️ Hearts

Let children decorate them.

🧺 27. Prepare a Rosh Hashanah Tzedakah Box

Decorate a box labeled:

“Giving With a Generous Heart”

During the days leading up to Rosh Hashanah, children can put money into the box.

As a family, decide where the money will go.

🤲 28. Children's Prayer Circle

Gather children together and allow each child to pray for one thing.

Possible categories:

Thank You:
“God, thank You for…”

Forgive Me:
“Please forgive me for…”

Help Me:
“Please help me…”

Bless:
“Please bless…”

Protect:
“Please watch over…”

🌟 29. Rosh Hashanah Gratitude Stars

Cut out paper stars.

Each child writes something they are grateful for on a star.

Hang the stars around the house or classroom.

Create a display titled:

“Counting Our Blessings”

🗓️ 30. Make a Rosh Hashanah Countdown Calendar

Create a countdown leading to Rosh Hashanah.

Each day can contain a small activity:

Read a Bible passage
Perform an act of kindness
Say a prayer
Give tzedakah
Learn a Hebrew word
Help prepare food
Call a family member
Forgive someone
Write a gratitude note

🎉 Rosh Hashanah Party Activities

For a children's celebration, create several stations:

🍎 Station 1 — Apple & Honey

Taste different apples and honey.

📯 Station 2 — Shofar

Learn about the shofar and its sounds.

🎨 Station 3 — Crafts

Make cards, crowns, apples, and pomegranates.

📖 Station 4 — Bible

Complete a Scripture scavenger hunt.

❤️ Station 5 — Teshuvah

Complete a kindness and forgiveness activity.

🧁 Station 6 — Food

Decorate Rosh Hashanah cookies.

🎵 Station 7 — Music

Sing and dance to Jewish and biblical songs.

🤲 Station 8 — Prayer

Create personal New Year's prayers.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Family Rosh Hashanah Challenge

Give your children a 10-Day New Year Challenge:

☐ Do one secret act of kindness.
☐ Give something to someone in need.
☐ Apologize to someone.
☐ Forgive someone.
☐ Help around the house without being asked.
☐ Memorize a Scripture verse.
☐ Learn three Hebrew words.
☐ Thank God for five blessings.
☐ Encourage someone who is struggling.
☐ Write a prayer for the coming year.