On the first day of Gan, Morah brought out a treasure box and said, “There is a very special new friend waiting inside!” The children’s eyes lit up with excitement as they got ready to meet this new friend who will be so special to our class. One by one, each child opened the treasure box and discovered the greatest treasure of all. Inside the box was a mirror! When the children looked inside, they saw their own reflection and realized that they are the most special treasure in our class!
The next day, our treasure box had a surprise waiting inside. Mr. Potato Head was there! We tried to help him get out, but he could not hear us because he did not have any ears! That reminded us how important our ears are for listening. In Gan, listening to Morah is so special and helps us learn and grow. Together we decided to practice attentive listening.
Yehudis, putting the ears on Mr. Potato Head.
Yossi and Avraham were so silly and they made a Mr. Potato Head with only ears!
We got to listen to Eli B. blowing the shofar!
Feelings can sometimes feel really big and a little hard to understand. That is why it is so important to help children learn the words for their feelings and how to share them in healthy ways. At the start of the year especially, we practice giving names to our feelings. The kids did such a wonderful job expressing themselves, even when it wasn’t easy!
In the month of Elul we learn that “the king is in the field.” This means that Hashem, our King, is extra close to us during this special time. Just like a king who leaves his palace and comes to visit the people in the field, Hashem is near to every one of us and listens to our tefillot with love. To bring this idea to life, we went to daven together in the field right next to our classroom.
Before davening we decided to practice our breathing. Breathing is such a wonderful tool that helps us feel calm and strong. We practiced our breathing with bean bags, placing them on our tummies and watching them move up and down as we breathed in and out.
With Rosh Hashanah coming soon, the children are preparing special cards to wish a happy and sweet new year to their loved ones. Ashira and Theo using their fingers to create a pomegranate.
Our new morning rituals!
Pre-K Kria
We are very excited to start learning the Alef Beis! We got brand new workbooks and we're off to a great start..
K Kria
This week, we practiced our “sister letters” (letters that look alike) and the final letters. These are our last steps before starting to learn the vowels, and the children are so excited to begin this new adventure in kria!
Academics
Eli and Yosef using scissors to strengthen our fine motor skills.
Ashira playing a number recognition game.
Aftercare
New Year, New Me!
The children drew self-portraits and wrote about what they want to learn this year! It’s so sweet to see their hopes and dreams on paper! 💕 Activities like this encourage children to reflect on themselves, set intentions, and take ownership of their learning. When they put their goals into words and pictures, they’re more likely to believe in them and work toward making them happen!
Shabbat Shalom!
