Family Passover Resources
Here’s the thing about Passover. We are obligated to come through the holiday feeling as though we were freed from Egypt, but so many people feel enslaved to the Seder, either to family traditions or to the words of the Haggadah. I’m giving you permission to mix it up this year. Don’t change everything but if something feels particularly onerous, ask yourself if it is really necessary to do it. Then, use some of these resources to try to change it up.
http://tinyurl.com/creativeseder This is a fantastic, crowd-sourced website with just about any idea for any part of the Seder that you could possibly want. You could spend hours reading through this and still not make it to the end. You can also add your own ideas.
Creating Lively Passover Seders: A Sourcebook of Engaging Tales, Texts & Activities by David Arnow (you can get this book on Amazon). It has a wealth of stories and ideas for engaging people of all ages in the Seder.
The PJ Library has all kinds of Passover stories for younger kids and you can also find lots of kid-appropriate books on Amazon
The Hamilton Haggadah. ‘Nuff Said.
Passover Rube Goldberg Machine
Uptown Funk Passover Parody
You’ve Never Heard MaNishtana Like This
God Split the Ocean Passover Parody
The Maccabeats Latest Justin Bieber Parody
Dayeinu, by the Maccabeats
Video Haggadah from G-dCast
Give People Some Homework
If people have to prepare in advance, they are more likely to be invested in these Seder. Here are some ideas:
The road to freedom is paved with questions. What's at least one question you want to bring to this year's Seder? (from Mishkan Chicago)
My family asked everyone to bring an object that represents freedom to you and we shared them at different points during the Seder.
Ask everyone to bring something to the Seder that they would bring out of Egypt. Then ask people to share at various points.
Ask little kids to make something to bring to the Seder. Whether it be a Seder plate, a dish for salt water or a matzah cover, little kids get super excited to see their object in use.
Some Tips for Children the Night Of
Passover is a grand adventure story of the Jews leaving Egypt late at night. Take a little of that mystery and magic and bring it to your kids on the evening of Seder. The goal is to get them to ask questions, be excited and want to engage.
Your seder may start late if you are dealing with a mixed age group. If your Seder is going to start late, don’t be afraid to do a mini-seder and then put your kids to bed. If you do all the fun parts (songs, 4 questions, breaking the matzah, dipping, etc.) and read a great book to tell the story and then give your kids dinner and let them hunt for the afikoman, they won’t be any wiser to the fact that an adult Seder is happening after they snoozing in their beds.
Or the opposite. Let them stay up until they can’t stay up anymore. You will have some issues the next morning (sorry!) but it can be a great experience for kids to stay up super late and experience the magic of the Seder. Just be sure to bring a stroller if you are walking home.
Get them excited before the Seder. Read books, watch fun YouTube videos, sing songs and talk about what is going to happen. The more excited they are, the longer they will participate in the ritual. If they have learned a song or made something in pre-school, be sure to give them a moment to share it during the Seder.
Do something crazy with the table. You want their eyes to light up and for them to ask a million questions when they see the table. There are tons of ideas on the internet and little trinkets you can buy to decorate the table, or ask your kids to do it and see what wild and crazy things they come up with.
Incorporate movement into the seder. This is for kids and for adults too. Re-enact the Passover story, or do different parts of the Seder in different rooms (if your apartment allows for that). If all else fails, put a yoga or jumping-jacks break into the middle to get the blood flowing. And try not to stress if your kids are antsy. Bring them some toys or books to play with if the Seder is getting long.
Don’t be afraid to feed them. If you are the host, put out lots of snacks and appetizers after you do the karpas, so everyone can snack while they talk. You can also incorporate themed-food, like marshmallows for the plague of hail, dipping fruit in chocolate after the karpas, or giving people the chance to make their own charoset according to their liking. If you are going to someone else’s house, ask in advance if it would be ok to bring some snacks or if you can feed your kids early. I am sure they will say yes. No one likes a hangry 3-year-old. We basically relax all our food rules so that we and our kids can enjoy the Seder, so they end up eating quite a bit of candy before dinner, but it works.
Go with what your kids love. Do they love instruments? Use them during the songs. Do they love stickers? Get some Passover stickers from Amazon and let them create scenes at the table (or even put down butcher paper, so they can make scenes directly ON the table). Do they love puppets? There are tons of Passover masks and puppets out there or you can make your own before the Seder for them use. Do they building? Let them use blocks or magnatiles to build Egypt next to the table. You can bring the things they already enjoy and re-purpose them for use during the Seder.