How are we instilling life skills through MUSIC? VIDEO!

Music Week!

New research from the University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education shows a link between preschool music activities and the development of reading and writing skills in children!

For complete Research Study- Click Here 

 

 

Children LOVE music... and this weeks music center was a great way for the children to explore different sounds through a large variety of instruments!

Throughout the year we bring out our instrument box, and offer many opportunities for Music & Movement, but this weeks Music Center was an offer for the children to come play and jam on a whole new level! (Stage, lights, speakers and more!)

I created a stage by taking off the legs of a round table.

The stage was an invitation for the children's imagination to soar by encouraging lots of performances!

Also added a 'spot light' for a more authentic studio feel :)

Healey and Ellah were both excited that they brought an echoing
microphone to add to the fun!



"Im plugging in my microphone"

I brought in these hat boxes thinking it would be a great drum... 

This is where I realize why imaginary play is so important. I had one idea of what it would be used for, and the kids on their own decided it would make a great stool for the piano!

Rochel was singing and asked me to pay to watch her show ;)

Rochel then asked Menucha to sing while she made herself a taller stool
 and played the music.

Junior counselors watching their show. This was so great for their confidence!

One of the values we strive to teach the children is to "UPCYCLE." 

It's important to encourage the children to find ways to use items that may be "trash." Throughout the year we encourage parents to send in egg cartons, paper towel rolls, containers and boxes and we store them in a big drawer, so we can use them when opportunities come up...to create something USEFUL or needed...

This week we opened that big drawer....and created all sorts of instruments!

"making round circles!"

Circle Time with our Music Box!

A very special building...

On Tuesday we commemorated a very sad day in the history of the Jewish people. It was the day that both Holy temples (Beit Hamikdash) were destroyed.

 

To mark this important day on the Jewish Calendar, we chose to teach the children WHAT is the "Beit Hamikdash" in the hope that it would be meaningful to them, and spark their excitement to do what they can, to make the world a better place, so we can once again see it in real life!

I began with a circle time discussion about why we love our home! It's always important that the lessons are relevant and meaningful to the children, at their level...so i like to start with something that is! Each of the children were thrilled to share with their friends what they love about their homes.

The next step was for me to help the children connect the love and comfort of their OWN homes, to the home that is G-d's! 

 

I explained to them that there was a SPECIAL BUILDING, in Israel, that is called the BEIT HAMIKDASH. 

 

I showed the children some pictures of what it looked like.

Cooper helped me by showing some of what the Temple looked liked to get the idea how special and beautiful it was.

Then I asked the children have you seen a building like this? Gold and tall and beautiful? Have you seen the Temple where there is a gold Menorah? Jewish people excitedly going in and out to get a look?

Well that place is G-d's home!

We decided to have a look to see if we could find it....

Levi said "look a Menorah!" I was so proud of him he took the knowledge he just heard from circle time and applied it to what he was seeing. He was getting excited we were in the Temple so we had a little discussion by the Menorah..

Yes this was a Menorah but not the one in the Temple. The one in the Temple had 8 branches and it was a lot bigger with steps going up to it.

So we came  to the conclusion the  Beit Hamikdash was not here in Camarillo or some other places we thought it might be! WHERE WAS IT?

We came rushing back to circle time to continue our discussion about this special building. I told them that this building was in ISRAEL.

I explained to them that today was a very sad day, because many years ago on this day, the Temple was taken away. 

I told them that there's just ONE WALL left, and that's the Kotel--the special Wall in Israel that some of them may have visited, and the place where many people visit every day.

Silver Bricks...

How can we help rebuild this beautiful and special home?

Any Daddy's are builders? ... well I explained to the children that we need more than just builders but Mitzvah's - good deeds to create this Temple to be everlasting!

Children learn best through visualization and hands on... so I covered some blocks with shiny paper...

I took their mitzvah notes that the Mommies and Daddies wrote them and showed them these mitzvahs that YOU DID will create another brick in the Beit Hamikdash!!

Now they were getting excited, it was so real! 

 

Each child glowed when I read his/her mitzvah note and he/she  came up and placed it on another shiny brick!

It was getting bigger!

I pointed out to the children that it's not just the mitzvah notes but ANY MITZVAH they did is building the Holy temple! Here is a glimpse of the different kinds of Mitzvahs that go on in our classroom:

Menucha: " Look I found shiny like the Beis Hamikdash in my lunch box!"

Caleb saying the holy letters of the Alef bet

Menucha helping to clean up

Menucha and rochel playing nicely together



Giving Charity

Levi sharing the cheese with Healey (We enjoyed delicious Pizza lunch this week)

Even taking good care of our pets is a Mitzvah!

Ellah cleaning the doctor supplies

Pony rides at Gan!

What a delightful and delicious way to end the week!

 

Pony Rides & Snow cones in our very own backyard!

 

 Can't wait for the reptile show next Friday!