Jewish Festivals in Early Years - Celebrating Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur

Jewish festivals in early years settings offer some of the richest opportunities you'll find for building cultural awareness, sparking curiosity, and helping every child feel at home in your nursery. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - the Jewish High Holidays - fall in September or October each year, and they carry themes young children connect with immediately: new beginnings, kindness, and saying sorry.

Whether you have Jewish children and families in your setting or not, exploring these festivals supports the EYFS areas of Understanding the World and Personal, Social and Emotional Development. This guide walks you through both holidays and gives you practical activities to bring into your group. If you'd like more seasonal inspiration, take a look at our early years blog for related activity ideas.

What Is Rosh Hashanah?

Rosh Hashanah means "Head of the Year" in Hebrew - it's the Jewish New Year. In 2026, it begins at sundown on Friday 11 September and ends after nightfall on Sunday 13 September.

Families celebrate with special meals, sweet foods, prayers, and the blowing of the shofar - a ram's horn instrument with a distinctive, clear sound. Apples dipped in honey are the traditional centrepiece, symbolising the hope for a sweet new year. Families greet each other with "shah Tovah" (meaning "a good year") and take time to reflect on the year just gone.

For young children, the themes here are easy to connect with: new beginnings, hope, and gathering with the people you love. These are the same ideas your key workers explore with children every single day.

What Is Yom Kippur?

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement - the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. In 2026, it begins at sundown on Sunday 20 September and ends after nightfall on Monday 21 September.

Jewish adults fast for around 25 hours and spend the day in prayer, reflection, and asking forgiveness - from God and from the people around them. The shofar sounds again at the close of the day to mark the end of this sacred period.

While fasting is not something young children take part in, the themes of Yom Kippur translate well into the nursery: saying sorry, repairing relationships, and treating people with care. These ideas sit comfortably alongside your everyday PSED work, and they need no religious explanation to land.

Why Jewish Festivals in Early Years Settings Matter

Bringing Jewish festivals into early years settings does more than acknowledge diversity - it shows every child that families celebrate in different ways, and that those differences are worth knowing about.

For children from Jewish families, seeing their traditions reflected in the nursery environment feels affirming. For other children, it opens up conversations about different families, different customs, and the wide variety of ways people mark what matters to them.

The EYFS asks practitioners to support children's understanding of "people, culture and communities." Jewish festivals in early years give you a direct route into exactly that - through food, music, stories, and craft. You don't need specialist knowledge. You need curiosity and a willingness to learn alongside your children.

Jewish Festivals & Activities for Your Nursery

Planning Jewish festivals in early years activities doesn't require specialist resources or cultural expertise. The activities below draw on familiar themes and work well across the 2-5 age range.

Apples and Honey Tasting

• Slice some apples, set out a small pot of honey for dipping - check for allergies first - and talk with children about why Jewish families eat this combination at New Year. Ask them: what does sweet taste like? What would they hope for in a new year?
• Extend this into a sensory activity by exploring the texture of apple slices, or use it as a mark-making starter - drawing or painting the foods they just tasted. It's a simple activity that opens up rich conversation.

Shofar Sounds and Music

Show children a photograph or video of a shofar being blown. Talk about the sound it makes - long, short, loud, clear. Invite children to make their own instruments from paper tubes or recycled materials and lead a Rosh Hashanah sound parade around the room or outdoor area.

This activity connects to Expressive Arts and Design and gives children a physical, playful experience of the festival.

New Year Cards and Artwork

Help children make Rosh Hashanah greeting cards to take home. They can draw pictures of apples and honey, use handprints to create apple prints with red paint, or decorate a card with the words "shah Tovah." This gives families a warm conversation starter and connects your setting to the community beyond.

Yom Kippur Activities for Your Early Years Setting

Yom Kippur is a quieter, more reflective festival. You can bring that energy into your nursery in age-appropriate ways.

Saying Sorry Circle

Gather your children and talk about times people make mistakes and need to say sorry. Use puppets or small world figures to act out a simple scenario. Celebrate the moment someone says sorry and explain how good it feels to put things right.

Kindness Jar

Start a jar where children can post pictures or drawings of kind things they've done or seen. Frame it as a Yom Kippur tradition - each year, we think about being our best selves. Run this activity through the whole week around the festival.

Quiet Reflection Time

Create a calm corner with soft lighting, cushions, and simple conversation prompts - "What makes you feel happy?" and "Who do you love?" This mirrors the reflective spirit of Yom Kippur without any religious explanation needed.

Tips for Inclusive Practice Around Jewish Festivals

• Talk to Jewish families in your setting before you plan anything. Ask how they celebrate, what matters most to them, and whether they'd like to share something with the group. Families are your best resource.
• Check your resources for accuracy. Some commercial Jewish festival packs contain errors or oversimplifications. Resources from the Jewish Museum London or the Board of Deputies of British Jews are reliable starting points.
• Avoid treating Jewish customs as exotic. Present Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur the same way you'd present Christmas or Diwali - as normal, familiar, and worth celebrating. Remember, Jewish families are part of your everyday community.
• Be allergy-aware. Honey is not suitable for children under 12 months. Many traditional Jewish foods, including challah bread, contain gluten. Always check with families before food activities.

Over to You

We'd love to hear from you. A few questions worth reflecting on with your team to share with us in the comments below:

• Do you have Jewish families in your setting, and have you asked them how they'd like to celebrate?
• Which of these Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur activities could you try first?
• How does your setting currently reflect the different cultures and faiths in your community?

If you'd like to explore more ways to celebrate diversity, take a look at our articles on Religious Festivals Around The World and Activities to Help Children Understand Equality and Diversity.

Ready to Support Diversity and Inclusion in Your Setting?

Exploring Jewish festivals in early years settings sends a clear message to every family: you belong here. Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur offer simple, joyful, and meaningful ways to put that into practice.

If you'd like to develop your team's confidence in diversity and inclusion, our childcare training courses cover a wide range of topics for early years professionals. Get in touch today to find out how we can support your setting.