I Have a Little Dreidel facts for kids
"I Have a Little Dreidel" is a super popular children's Hanukkah song. It's also known as "The Dreidel Song" or "Dreidel, Dreidel, Dreidel." This fun song is sung in English-speaking countries and also has a Yiddish version called "Ikh Bin A Kleyner Dreydl." The Yiddish name means "I am a little dreidel." The song tells the story of making a dreidel and having a blast playing with it.
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What is a Dreidel?
A dreidel is a special spinning top. It's a four-sided top that Jewish children play with during the holiday of Hanukkah. Each side of the dreidel has a different Hebrew letter. These letters are Nun (נ), Gimel (ג), Hei (ה), and Shin (ש).
The Meaning of the Letters
The letters on the dreidel stand for a Hebrew phrase: "Nes Gadol Hayah Sham." This means "A great miracle happened there." This phrase reminds everyone of the Hanukkah story. In Israel, the letter Shin is sometimes replaced with Peh (פ), meaning "Nes Gadol Hayah Po" ("A great miracle happened here").
How to Play the Dreidel Game
Playing dreidel is a fun tradition for Hanukkah. It's a game of chance, a bit like a board game.
Game Pieces
To play, you need a dreidel and some game pieces. These can be candies, chocolate coins (called gelt), nuts, or even pennies. Everyone starts with the same number of pieces, usually 10-15.
Game Rules
- Each player puts one game piece into a central pot.
- Players take turns spinning the dreidel.
- The letter it lands on tells you what to do:
- Nun (נ) - Nisht (Nothing): You do nothing.
- Gimel (ג) - Gants (All): You take everything from the pot!
- Hei (ה) - Halt (Half): You take half of what's in the pot. If there's an odd number, you round up.
- Shin (ש) - Shtel (Put in): You put one game piece into the pot.
- If the pot becomes empty, everyone puts one piece in again.
- The game ends when one player has all the pieces, or when players decide to stop.
The Dreidel Song Lyrics
The song "I Have a Little Dreidel" is very popular. It helps kids learn about the dreidel and the fun of playing the game. Here are the English lyrics:
I have a little dreidel. I made it out of clay.
And when it's dry and ready, then dreidel I shall play.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made it out of clay.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play.
It has a lovely body, with legs so short and thin.
When it gets all tired, it drops and then I win!
Dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, with leg so short and thin.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, it drops and then I win!
My dreidel's always playful. It loves to dance and spin.
A happy game of dreidel, come play now let's begin.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, it loves to dance and spin.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel. Come play now let's begin.
I have a little dreidel. I made it out of clay.
When it's dry and ready, dreidel I shall play.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, I made you out of clay.
Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, then dreidel I shall play.
The Yiddish Version
The song also has an older Yiddish version. It's called "Ikh Bin A Kleyner Dreydl." This version is also about a little dreidel and how much it loves to spin and dance.
