Helping your children understand the beauty and wonder of Hanukkah is important, and music is a great way to not only educate — but make the festivities even more fun! If you're stuck on the "Oh Hanukkah Song" for kids, then these 20 songs will be a welcome relief as you light your menorah this year. 

We've found songs that are educational, traditional, modern, and even some that are downright fun! Read on for our favorites and see which ones make it onto your playlist this year.

20 Hanukkah songs for kids

There are so many beautiful songs about this holiday, but the best Hanukkah songs should be a mixture of education, tradition, and fun! As your children grow, many of these songs could become part of your family traditions year after year.

To help you find the right tunes, we've broken our favorite songs down into five unique categories and then picked four fantastic pieces for each! From catchy songs that'll make you dance to beautiful tunes about the heart of Hanukkah, these songs will help you remember what happened so long ago and why we still light candles every year and celebrate with our loved ones.

1. Preschool Hanukkah songs

When it comes to teaching the youngest ones in your family about Hanukkah's traditions, songs are a powerful tool. Using familiar tunes and repetitive lyrics, you'll help your children learn all about this special holiday and the traditions and history behind the celebrations.

These fun songs have creative lyrics sung to familiar tunes your child probably hears in class. Using these tunes will make it easier for your child to pick up on the melody and start singing along in no time!

Our four favorites are:

• "Menorah Candles," sung to the tune of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
• "Hanukkah! Hanukkah," sung to the tune of "Three Blind Mice"
• "Five Little Latkes," sung to the tune of "Five Little Monkeys"
• "I Am Lighting All the Candles," sung to the tune of "I've Been Working on the Railroad"

2. Fun Hanukkah songs

Hanukkah has a lot of tradition and history, but it's still a fun, exciting holiday you can make into a celebration with your kids. When you take these fun songs, your kids will be giggling in no time! From parodies to downright hilarious tunes, these are songs you'll enjoy listening to any time of year!

Our top favorites are:

• "Candlelight," by The Maccabeats
• "How Do You Spell Channukkahh" by The LeeVees
• "Don't Let Me Down" by The Y-Studs
• "Bohemian Chanukah (A Queen Adaptation)," by Six13

3. Sing and dance about Hanukkah

Do you want to turn your Hanukkah celebration into a party? Using some of these infectious songs that invite your children to dance and move, they will create positive, exciting memories they can take with them as they grow. 

Four that we can't stop listening to are:

• "Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah," by Erran Baron Cohen
• "Chanukah Bamba (ShirLaLa Chanukah)," by Shira Kline
• "Happy Joyous Hanuka (Woody Guthrie's Joyous Hanukkah)," The Klezmatics
• "Light One Candle (Around the Campfire)," Peter Paul, and Mary

4. Traditional Hanukkah songs

What songs did you sing growing up that taught you about Hanukkah? After you light each candle, which song represents the spirit of the season most in your family? These traditional songs can be a powerful way to get back to your roots.

These are our favorites:

• "Maoz Tzur," in Hebrew
• "Mi Yimalel," Based on Psalms 106:2
• "Ner Li," A Traditional Israeli Hanukkah Song
• "Sevivon, Sov, Sov, Sov," Israel's Favorite Dreidel Song

5. Modern Hanukkah songs

When it comes to contemporary Hanukkah songs that are great for children of all ages, it can be fun to introduce some songs with upbeat tunes and catch lyrics. These songs take traditional themes and give them new life for your festivities.

Our favorites are:

• "The Dreidel Song," by Julie Silver
• "The Latke Song," by Debbie Friedman
• "Pass the Candle (From Left to Right)," by Michelle Citrin
• "Miracle," by Matisyahu

Making the season bright

Whether you're staying home for the holidays or joining together with your whole family, Hanukkah is a special time of year. Choose a few songs that make you smile, or start a whole new playlist and see which songs become your child's favorite!

Consider making some new Hanukkah crafts, include your children in the setup, cooking, and all the details of the festivities, and see what pieces are the most special to them. Celebrating holidays with your kids is a great way to gain a new understanding of yourself and get back to the root of what Hanukkah is all about! For even more Hanukkah activities for children of all ages, check out our guide.

For more informative articles about activities you can do with your kids, developmental milestones, crafts, parenting, and more, check out our blog.