With Passover coming, there’s one thing that almost every Jewish person, no matter what denomination, will soon have in their house: a box of matzah! We all have at least one, and this project allows you to repurpose your box of matzah into, wait for it…a matzah box! (Yep, that’s right.) With all the matzah eaten during the seder, it’s nice to have it out on a plate, or something a little nicer than the original box itself. This matzah box hack lets your kids add some color to your seder table while providing you with a simple, fun project to work on as you begin to prepare for the holiday together.
Materials:
- Empty matzah box
- Glue gun
- Scissors
- Paint (acrylic or tempera)
- Paintbrushes
- Cup for water
- Paper plate for palette
- Tissue paper or other scrap collage paper
- Mod Podge water-base sealer (glossy, matte or sparkle—whatever your preference or what you have on hand)
- Foam brush
- Puffy paint or Sharpie marker
You may already have most of these supplies on hand, making this a relatively easy and last-minute project when you suddenly find yourself with time for some at-home fun. If you don’t already have Mod Podge, I would recommend it as a staple for any home, but if you prefer, you can DIY it too.
Directions:
- Open matzah box and remove matzah.
- Cut with scissors along two top edges of box (to be done by parent).
- Use glue gun to glue sides of box in place (to be done by parent).
- Paint entire box, outside and inside, for a base coat. Keep in mind that it will be covered by tissue paper or collage paper, so there’s no need to be too concerned. This is a great part for the kids to express their creative energies through color. Given the sheen of the box, I would suggest two coats for better coverage. I used acrylic paints, but you can also use tempera, etc. My 4-year-old son was so excited to paint and was especially impressed by the amount of painting he was allowed to do: “I get to paint the whole inside AND outside?! Awesome!”
- Once the paint has dried, rip pieces of tissue paper or collage paper and attach onto box using Mod Podge. Use the foam brush to paint a coat of Mod Podge directly on the box, apply tissue paper, and then paint another coat of Mod Podge over the tissue paper to seal it. During this stage my son and I discussed what our colors could represent, and he thought the blues on the top looked like water. We then talked about the miracle of the splitting of the sea and designed the inside cover to represent that part of the Passover story.
- Continue to layer tissue paper over entire outside and inside cover of the box.
- Once dry, use puffy paint or a Sharpie marker to write “Matzah.”
- Measure a piece of paper to fit inside the bottom of the box. You can also place a napkin in the box if you prefer.
- Add matzah, and you’re done! Enjoy your new colorful matzah box at your seder, and see the pride in your child’s face when it’s passed around the table.
Looking for another Passover craft to do with kids? Try our personalized wine coasters!
