Hosting dinner parties with little ones can be a lot. From prepping the meal, getting yourself dressed, getting your kid dressed, welcoming guests, and somehow all sitting down to enjoy a tasty meal, all to have your toddler leave the table after 10 minutes. Have you been there too?
This year for Passover, which begins at sundown on Saturday April 12 and lasts until sundown on Sunday, April 20, I’m hosting a Passover seder at my house. As a mom of a toddler, I thought I’d share some tips and resources for hosting a family-friendly seder. While some of my tips may be specific to hosting a Passover Seder, hopefully, they could help you with any dinner parties you plan to host in the future.
Prepare Your Kids
When it comes to little kids, it’s best to prepare them for what’s coming. For Passover, I have a stack of Passover-themed books to help my kid know what to expect. For example, Kayla and Kugel’s Almost Perfect Passover goes through the order of the seder and then concludes with a silly dog named Kugel, who steals the afikomen, a piece of broken off matzah that is hidden during the Seder that kids search for before the meal ends.
Looking for Passover-themed books? Here are some books by PJ Library:
Prepare the Meal
Now to make the meal! The Passover seder is more than just a meal, it’s a ritual that tells the story of freedom. It’s a time to reflect, connect, ask questions, and focus on our commitment to freedom for all. The seder consists of a few essential items: the seder plate (which has six items, each representing different aspects of the story), the matzah (which represents the bread the Israelites took when they fled but it didn’t have time to rise), and wine (where we drink four cups of wine, or grape juice, to symbolize the four promises of redemption mentioned in the Torah).
Luckily, the Passover seder has a special guidebook called a Haggadah, which guides you through all these rituals. This year, we’re using PJ Library’s Family Haggadah which provides a family-friendly approach to the story. You can download your own digital copy for free here.
Some families, including mine, decide to stay “kosher for Passover” by avoiding leavened foods, called “chametz” (think anything with flour in it, like bread) and instead only eat unleavened foods like matzah. Whether you’re staying away from chametz or just want to find some Passover-related recipes, give these kid-friendly ones a try.
Ways to Involve Your Kids
Here are some fun ways to engage kids of all ages during the Passover seder:
Get Crafty: Make Your Own Afikomen
The Afikomen is a broken-off piece of matzah that is hidden during the seder. Before the seder ends, kids search the house, and the one who finds it usually receives a prize. This easy and accessible craft is great for my tape/sticker-obsessed toddler. I’ll find a gallon-size plastic bag and let her decorate it with washi tape and stickers and we’ll put it on the table for all the guests to see!
Get Active: Passover Question Catcher
This Passover Question Catcher gets your kids active throughout the seder. Some prompts encourage kids (and adults) to run across the room as fast as you can, pretend to be frogs, or share what you’re thankful for. My toddler might not have the dexterity to hold the catcher this year, but I know she’ll love pretending to be a frog!
Hosting a Passover seder may take a lot of effort, but remember, you’re not only creating lasting memories for your family but also sharing Jewish history and traditions with your kids. And hey, maybe your kid will be singing the Four Questions or Dayenu well into summer!
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This article is sponsored by PJ Library Bay Area, a program by the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation, that sends free, high-quality Jewish children’s books to families with kids ages 0-12, every month, completely free. Interested? Sign up for PJ Library at pjlibrary.org/partner.
