So, maybe in the old days kids made dreidels out of clay (I think there’s a song about that…), but not only is that difficult and expensive (a kiln isn’t cheap), it would also likely result in a dreidel that would break very quickly. Here is a more modern way to make this traditional Hanukkah toy.

You will need:

• One old CD or DVD
• Sharpies or other permanent markers
• A ruler
• Two regular-sized marbles
• Tack-it putty (usually comes in blue or white, for hanging posters) or a hot glue gun

That’s it, our dreidel is done! You will find that this is a very efficient top that will spin for quite a while. If you find that yours always lands on the same letter, you may have to use a bit of tack-it to weight the the bottom of the other side slightly. You could also glam it up with glitter, sequins, etc.

Don’t know how to play dreidel? Click here for the rules.

Dreidel Fun Fact: One reason that people play dreidel on Hanukkah is that under Greek Rule, Jews were not allowed to study from the Torah. In order to keep from getting caught studying, Jews would post a lookout, and whenever a Greek soldier came to check on them, they would take out the dreidel so that it looked as though they were gambling instead of learning.