Hanukkah Games for Family and Adults: Dreidel Rules Plus 12 Party Games

The classic Hanukkah game is dreidel: spin the four-sided top and the letter it lands on tells you whether you take nothing, all, half, or put one in. For a full night of games, add Hanukkah trivia, Hanukkah charades, a latke toppings debate and Hanukkah Would You Rather. They need nothing but a dreidel, some gelt and one phone.

Below are the dreidel rules, 15 Hanukkah trivia questions with answers, and 12 more Hanukkah games for kids, families and adults. In 2026, Hanukkah begins at sundown on Friday, December 4.

Key takeaways

• In dreidel, Nun means nothing, Gimel means take the whole pot, Hei means take half, and Shin means put one in.

• Hanukkah trivia and Hanukkah charades work for the whole family.

• For adults, debate latke toppings in Hot Take Court and play Hanukkah Would You Rather.

• CardYard games accept "Hanukkah" as a theme and run free in a browser.

How to play dreidel

You need a dreidel, two or more players, and tokens for each player, such as chocolate gelt, coins or raisins.

1. Give each player the same number of tokens, about 10 to 15.

2. Everyone puts one token in the middle to make the pot.

3. Take turns spinning the dreidel. The letter facing up decides your move.

4. When the pot is empty or has one token left, everyone puts in one more.

5. A player who runs out of tokens is out. The last player with tokens wins, or the player with the most tokens wins when time runs out.

What the dreidel letters mean

The four letters stand for "Nes gadol haya sham," which means "a great miracle happened there." Dreidels made in Israel use Pe instead of Shin, for "a great miracle happened here."

Hanukkah trivia questions and answers

Read these aloud and play in teams. They work for older kids and adults.

1. How many nights does Hanukkah last? Answer: Eight.

2. What does the word "Hanukkah" mean? Answer: Dedication.

3. How many branches does a Hanukkah menorah have? Answer: Nine.

4. What is the helper candle that lights the others called? Answer: The shamash.

5. In which city was the Temple rededicated? Answer: Jerusalem.

6. Who led the Maccabees? Answer: Judah Maccabee.

7. According to tradition, how long did one day's oil burn? Answer: Eight days.

8. Why are foods fried in oil at Hanukkah? Answer: To remember the miracle of the oil.

9. What are latkes made from? Answer: Grated potatoes, fried in oil.

10. What are the jelly doughnuts eaten at Hanukkah called? Answer: Sufganiyot.

11. What is Hanukkah gelt? Answer: Money given at Hanukkah, often chocolate coins.

12. Which two toppings are the classic latke debate? Answer: Applesauce and sour cream.

13. On which Hebrew date does Hanukkah begin? Answer: The 25th of Kislev.

14. How many candles are lit in total over the eight nights, counting the shamash? Answer: 44.

15. Which letter replaces Shin on dreidels made in Israel? Answer: Pe.

Hanukkah games for kids and families

1. Hanukkah charades

Act out Hanukkah moments, like lighting the menorah, spinning a dreidel or frying latkes. Open Charades, type "Hanukkah" as the theme for fresh prompts, and play in two teams against the timer.

2. Hanukkah Pictionary

Open Pictionary, type "Hanukkah" as the theme, and let each team's drawer sketch a menorah, a dreidel or a jelly doughnut before the timer ends.

3. Hanukkah Would You Rather

Open Would You Rather and type "Hanukkah" for questions like "would you rather eat only latkes or only sufganiyot for eight nights." Everyone answers, then explains.

4. Menorah memory

Put eight small objects on a tray in a row, like the candles of a menorah. Let everyone look, cover the tray, and remove one. The first to name the missing object wins a piece of gelt.

5. Dreidel spin-off

Give every player a dreidel and spin at the same time. The dreidel that spins longest wins. Play best of five.

6. Hue Hunt in blue and white

In Hue Hunt, one player picks a secret color and gives a short clue like "Hanukkah candle," and everyone guesses on a board of 480 colors. It suits 2 to 10 players on one phone.

Hanukkah games for adults

7. Latke toppings court

Open Hot Take Court and put the big debate on trial: applesauce or sour cream. Type "Hanukkah food" as the theme for more takes, and let the table vote guilty or innocent.

8. Hanukkah trivia night

Use the 15 questions above as round one, then open Trivia with "Hanukkah" or "Jewish history" as the theme for more multiple-choice rounds.

9. Two Truths and a Lie: Hanukkah memories

Each guest shares three Hanukkah memories, one made up. Two Truths and a Lie keeps everyone's statements private until the vote.

10. Most Likely To: family edition

Read Most Likely To scenarios, like "most likely to eat the last latke," and everyone points at once. Type "Hanukkah" as the theme to keep it festive.

11. Gift swap with a twist

Everyone brings one wrapped gift. Spin the dreidel on your turn: Gimel lets you steal any gift, Hei lets you swap with a neighbor, Shin means you open a new one, and Nun means you pass.

12. Hanukkah categories

Play a round of Categories with the free classic pack, then add a bonus Hanukkah round: for the same letter, teams name a food, a gift, a song and a word for "light" before the timer ends.