While some people are already looking forward to Easter, there’s another holiday that’s coming up first. Passover begins on Saturday, March 27, 2021 — a holiday that marks the Jewish exodus from slavery in Egypt. For those who celebrate, it usually means that a Seder is served on the first night, and that can mean that parents are busy in the kitchen and may not be able to entertain their kids, as is the case with a lot of holiday meals.

Anyone finding themselves in that particular situation? Don’t worry, help is here. We’ve rounded up a bunch of Passover crafts that will help keep the kids busy without creating a massive mess that adds one more chore to the list, and many of them can be done with items most of us already have in our homes or playrooms.

Read on for mess-free crafts that kids will enjoy without creating a disaster that involves messy stuff like paint and glitter. We love both of those things (in moderation, of course) and so do our kids, but sometimes, we just need to keep the house clean, especially around a holiday!

The Matzo Challenge

A lot of people have been participating in the Matzo Challenge on social media, creating new things from matzo — even Spongebob Squarepants. This can be a fun challenge with just markers, glue, and construction paper, and we can let the kids compete against each other for the most creative design.

Matzo Prints

Speaking of matzo, here’s yet another way to make use of this traditional food! These prints can be made with a little washable paint and paper, and somehow, they all end up looking so different.

Matzo Dresses

For the Barbie-loving crowd out there, this might be a hint. Shape and color matzo to create dresses for beloved dolls — and take plenty of pictures of the evidence for Instagram when it’s all finished. So simple and so cute!

A Matzo House

Rounding out the matzo crafts, we have this ambitious project that might be better suited for older kids. Made from matzo, using chocolate or Nutella as glue, and almond slices as the shingles on the roof, creating one of these houses is yummy and a lot of fun.

Colorful Seder Plate

Have super little ones who are really into coloring? This Seder plate craft only requires crayons or markers, a plate, and the printables that are available online. It’s so simple, it just might work to distract the kiddos for a bit.

Passover Coloring Sheets

Kids who love the Seder plate idea will likely love these coloring pages, too. It’s just about as simple as busy, quiet time can get for kids with the absolute minimum of cleanup — and fortunately, there are tons of free Passover coloring pages online that can be printed out right away.

DIY Afikoman Bag

Since this one requires the use of a hot glue gun, the help of a parent or older sibling might be necessary (or just pick up some fabric paint). This Afikoman bag builds on another Seder tradition for kids: It’s used to hide matzo that the kids must find.

Passover Story Puppets

Teaching young kids the story of Passover for the first time? These puppets might help! They’re printable online, and kids can color them in while learning and hearing the story, finding out more about each person involved along the way.

Baby Moses

While teaching the story of Passover, creating baby Moses from construction paper and glue can help kids better understand it.

“There are a lot of pieces and steps to this craft, but kids truly love cutting the oval for the ‘water’ and lots of little strips of cardstock to make the ‘reeds,'” wrote Jewish educator and mom Lisa Dvorin on Instagram. “Drawing a sweet face on Baby Moses and tucking him in with a cozy blanket is also very fun!”

Sink or Float

Teach the kids about Passover and a little science, at the same time. More an experiment than a craft, this “sink or float” activity involves putting different small objects in tap water and saltwater to see how each behaves in the different kinds of water (especially since saltwater is a symbolic part of Passover).

A Felt Seder Plate

This felt Seder plate craft isn’t just something fun to do with the kids that won’t create a mess — it’s also another tool to help teach them about Passover, and it can be a decoration that’s pulled out year after year.

Nile River Sensory Bin

Even the littlest members of the family can get involved with this craft! This Nile River sensory bin is easy to create at home with water beads and a baby Moses in a basket, making the story of Passover all the more accessible for them.

DIY Elijah’s Cup

The kids probably aren’t drinking wine at Seder, but they can still decorate Elijah’s Cup, reserved for him at the table for the day returns. Using plastic wine glasses and stickers, this craft is almost totally mess-free.

Origami Frogs

Not only is this origami frog craft the definition of a mess-free activity, but it’s also helpful to share one of the symbols of Passover with kids, as the frogs were part of the plagues sent by God to end Jewish slavery.

Napkin Rings

Decorating napkin rings with a little bit of glue and some crayons can be super easy and a lot of fun — not to mention bring an adorable and personal touch to the Seder table. We’re loving this matzo paper they used!

Passover Crowns

These crowns are fun and easy to make and wear. It’s a great way to teach kids about the 10 plagues and what they represent, and it’s easy enough to let them express themselves by drawing their vision of it.

Elijah’s Cup: Yarn Edition

Have kids who might get a little bored just adding stickers to a plastic wine cup? Take it a step further with this Elijah’s cup craft. Wrapping yarn around the cup (with a little adult help with the hot glue gun) creates a keepsake that can be pulled out year after year to decorate the Seder table.

Burning Bush Luminaries

The Burning Bush is another important piece of symbolism at Passover, signifying the bush that was enflamed but not engulfed, helping Moses to lead the Jews out of Egypt. These luminaries — which can easily be made with traditional candles or the battery-powered variety — are so pretty.

10 Plagues Hand Puppets

It can be found on Amazon and includes the paper bags as well as everything required to assemble the crafts. Amazing!

Psst: If purchasing an item on this list, CafeMom may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.

Passover Garland

Wanting to keep it super simple and neat, especially for little kids still learning about the holiday? This red Passover garland is made with construction paper loops and is red to symbolize the blood of the lambs that were smeared on the doors of the houses of Israelites.