A Special Chanukah Gift from PJ Library: Storytelling Cubes

“Who can retell the things that befell us?
Who can count them?
In every age a hero or sage
Came to our aid.”

These words of the popular Chanukah song, “Mi Yimalel” (Who Can Retell) pose a challenge to all of us: Who can retell?

Now all of us can!

This Hanukkah when your family lights the menorah and is enjoying the dancing flames, PJ Library invites you to tell the story of Chanukah – and create your own stories – using special Chanukah storytelling cubes that subscribers are being mailed as a 2023 Chanukah gift.

How to Put Your Cubes Together

Assembling the large and small cubes is very easy. Watch the video below to see just how to do it – no tape or glue required!

How to Play

Tell the Chanukah Story:

After you’re done reading the Chanukah story, your family can assemble the large cube — which features the same six illustrations — to tell the Chanukah story in your own words. (Can’t find your booklet? No worries – watch an animated version of the Chanukah story below):

 

Make Up Your Own Stories:

Set your imaginations spinning like a dreidel! Use the eight small cubes to play a fun family game and invent your own Chanukah-inspired stories. You can assign one person to be the storyteller or create a story as a group.

Solo storyteller:

Have one player roll the cubes and tell a story using all the faceup pictures (“Once there was a robot who had never celebrated Chanukah … ”). The purple cube establishes your story’s main character. Good stories have a beginning, middle, and end.

TIP: Before you start your tale, take a minute to organise your cubes — use two or three pictures to begin your story, two or three for a middle, and two or three to bring your story to a satisfying ending.

Group storytelling:

Divide the cubes among the players. Take turns! Have one person roll a cube and begin the story. On each player’s turn, have them roll a cube and add to the story based on the faceup picture.

Wishing you a happy and creative Chanukah, one story after another!

More

PJ Library Chanukah Hub