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Passover is less than two weeks away and I’m super excited. I love torturing my children by making them sit at a dinner table for hours before they can even put a piece of matzah to their lips. I love forcing the youngest child in attendance to sing the four questions in front of an audience even though I’ve never met a child who wanted to do it. (Except me. I should have been born the youngest!) I love teaching my kids all the interesting ways they could have died if they were alive during the ten plagues. It’s good old-fashioned Jewish fun!

No, seriously. I love Passover. Honest to Elijah, I do. I don’t even mind my Uncle Scott leading the sedar ten times more seriously than most of my family members can take. My mom speed reading her sections while my uncle threatens to leave are all part of our family tradition.

Mazzy loves Passover too. She remembers finding the afikomen underneath a couch cushion last year as a pinnacle moment of her childhood. As do I. Back in the late eighties, after three hours of searching alongside four of my cousins, I found the afikomen lodged into the tape slot of our VCR. I still remember the feeling of victory. It was beautiful.

Since I am all about keeping the joy of Judaism alive (and competing with that kid-friendly holiday with the bunny), Seri (aka Little Miss Party) and I put together a Passover Prep Play Date for the kids. Was everything we did kosher? I do not know. Is Nutella kosher? If not, let’s start a petition on Change.org or something, because that shit tastes EXCELLENT on matzah.

Matzo? I never know.

SNACK: MATZAH TOPPING BAR

Our original plan was to make Matzah houses inspired by Martha Stewart but then we realized we needed to download a template, score a cardboard box and cut Matzah with an exacto knife and we were like— F THAT. We’re gonna do something MUCH EASIER.

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It’s not a chocolate filled easter basket, but it comes pretty damn close.

What you’ll need:

Matzah, Nutella, sprinkles, crushed nuts, chocolate chips, sliced strawberries and whatever other fun toppings you can find in your cabinets.

What to do:

1) Spread pieces of matzah with Nutella (which I just googled and found out IS KOSHER— WOOHOO!!!)

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2) Lay out all the toppings

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3) Let the kids decorate

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4) Snap lots of pictures because THIS IS ADORABLE

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5) Eat a snack so delicious, it could convince a non-Jew to convert

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CRAFT: TIE DYE AFIKOMEN COOVERS

Afikomen covers are a great crafting opportunity and can be decorated any number of ways— with markers, glitter glue, puffy paints, etc. We opted for tie dye because we like putting our clothes and homes at risk. Also, why should Easter eggs have all the fun?

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What you’ll need: Tie Dye Kit (ours came with three colors, gloves and elastics), white cotton bandanas, large bowls or buckets

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What to do:

1) Cover your work station and the floor around the station with plastic wrap or table cover.

2) Make sure everyone involved in the activity WEARS GLOVES and old clothes you won’t mind getting ruined.

3) Cover the bandanas in elastics to create a design.

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4) Put the bandanas in the bowl and let the kids squirt dyes all over.

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5) Try to convince your daughter to use a color other than pink.

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6) Freak out because the dye is getting everywhere and you really should have done this task in the garage.

7) Let sit for six hours and then throw in the wash

8) Either use as Matzah cover or fold in fours and sew sides to create Afikomen bag

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DRINK: Kedem Kosher Kick

I’m not kidding when I say this is the simplest most delicious cocktail ever. I knew grape juice would be good for SOMETHING.

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What to do:

1) Combine 1/2 cup of Kedem Kosher Grape juice with 1 can of Sofia Coppola champagne.

2) Add a pretty straw and drink up! Preferably while the kids clean up the tie dye mess.

There you have it. Some Passover activities for kids that have nothing to do with slaying the firstborn. That game never sounded like much fun.