Our Passover Guide for East Bay kids and families is sponsored by PJ Library Bay Area, a program of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. This year, Passover begins at sundown on Saturday, April 12, and lasts until sundown on Sunday, April 20, 2025.
Passover is a spring festival commemorating the Israelite’s exodus from Egypt, using many symbols and rituals. The story of Passover is a collective remembrance of the Jewish people, passed down for generations.
During the Passover seder, we recount the miracle of freedom and read from the Haggadah, the book that recounts the Passover story.
PJ Library Passover Resources
PJ Library brings the Passover story to life with a wealth of resources in their Passover For Kids holiday hub packed with everything from music, stories, crafts, recipes, games, and more. Families can find a short seder for kids — a simple step-by-step video playlist where kids can learn (or refresh) their seder skills, printable Passover recipe cards, seasonal lunch box ideas and lists of Passover-themed books for all ages. They also offer a downloadable family-friendly Haggadah, which is available for free download in many languages.
Family-friendly East Bay Passover Events
Sun, Apr 13, 2025 Community Seder with kid-friendly enactment of Passover story
Hosted at Chochmat HaLev in Berkeley at 2.30 pm
Sun, Apr 13, 2025 Outdoor Community Seder
Hosted by PJ Library at Dimond Park in Oakland
Sign up here >
Sun, Apr 20, 2025 Matzah Baby Boogie
A Passover-themed music circle for little ones at Jewel’s Terrace Park in Albany
Sign up here >
Sun, Apr 20, 2025 Tawonga Family Passover
A potluck with an Exodus story reenactment at the Redwood Grove at John Muir Elementary School in Berkeley
Sign up here >
Read Passover books together at home
Passover is a holiday with storytelling and singing baked right into the celebration (unleavened, of course). The Passover seder itself is a meal designed as a ritual for telling (and singing) the story of the ancient Jewish people’s escape from slavery. PJ Library has Passover picture books, music, videos, and storytelling podcast episodes for families to enjoy.
Passover crafts, activities, and recipes
Create: You can make simple Passover crafts from materials found at home such as these 10 plagues props.
Play: People from ages 9 to 99 can play Escape the Plagues. This family-friendly game includes five scenes of script-style dialogue, family-friendly puzzles, and thoughtful discussion questions about climate justice and Jewish anti-racism among many other engaging topics. Print at home for $15.
Sing: Shaboom has a wonderful selection of Passover songs. Some of our favorites are Bang Your Hammers, Frogs Here, Frogs There, and Chad Gadya.
Watch: There are many online videos that teach children about Passover. We love these Shaboom renditions of the Four Questions.
Cook: There are many Passover-friendly food options beyond eating matzah. Here are some flavorful meals you can make together with children of all ages.
Paint: Color Me Mine Alameda has some beautiful seder plates you can paint together.
If you aren’t already enrolled in PJ Library, sign up to get more Jewish holiday and parenting resources as well as free children’s books mailed to your home.
Shop local!
Afikomen on Claremont Ave. is a terrific local store in the Elmwood district with everything you need to celebrate at home — we are lucky to have it in our neighborhood. This Judaica shop offers wonderful customer service and so many great Passover products for your family. They have seder plates, Passover books, ritual items, Kosher food products including matzah, and special treats. And don’t forget the prize for finding the Afikomen!
Order in for your seder
If you can’t or don’t want to cook at home, there are delicious options for delivery or takeout seder meals in the Bay Area! A few of our favorite places to order delicious Passover meals are Saul’s Berkeley, Wise Sons Jewish Deli, Italian Colors Restaurant, and Market Hall Foods. Choose one, and you can’t go wrong.
+++
PJ Library provides free monthly Jewish books for children from birth through 8 years old delivered to your home to keep: click here.
PJ Our Way provides free monthly chapter books and graphic books with Jewish themes for children 9-12 years old which they can choose every month: Click here >
Thanks you to our partner PJ Library Bay Area for supporting 510 Families. Images used with permission.
