Purim Story comes to life!

As with all Jewish Holidays, we strive to make the story more than "something that happened a long time ago!"

We think through every detail of it, and consider what might be the most meaningful and age appropriate lessons we want the children to take from it.

We consider which parts to focus on, "to add all the drama and excitement to" and how we can make the story relevant to the life of a  3, 4 or 5 year old.

We hope you will enjoy the pictures and lessons from the first part of the story, as we told it to the children at Gan Camarillo.

 We began by turning our dramatic play center into "Mordechai & Esther's home." The home was set up with lots of Jewish items, and props for the children to perform Mitzvot! At circle time I pointed out to the children all the pictures hanging on the wall, that depicted the kinds of things that would happen in Mordechai & Esther's home. 

Pictures of (our Gan children) giving tzedakah, lighting Shabbat candles, inviting guests, sharing, loving one another, learning Torah/ Alef bet, creating shabbat in the home etc....

 

Attached to this Jewish home, was a "Mini Gan"- since Mordechai would teach the Jewish children Torah- we set up a mini Gan for the children, to take their dolls to! A mini Mitzvah Tree (for the children to create mitzvah notes for their dolls and each other), an Alef Bet chart (to teach the children) and taped spots on the floor- for "circle time" at the mini Gan.

Mini mitzvah tree that the children have been posting onto themselves

I acted out how the children can "pretend to live" in Mordechai and Esther's home!

For 2 days- this was the LIFE and JOY of our class! Performing Mitzvot and learning Torah! 

This was intentionally presented BEFORE introducing the glamor of the King Achashverosh & his palace!

The following day we turned the library into the Palace! I role-played King Achashverosh inviting everyone to his grand party!

King Achashverosh was a "show-offy" kind of person. He wanted to show off how much he had. When he invited people to his palace, it wasn't just to be nice & kind (like in Mordechai's home) It was to show off all his treasures!

 

 

King Achashverosh invited everyone to his feast...! It was going to be a lot of fun... but Mordechai said it would not be a good place for the Jewish people, since there would not be Kosher food! 

As a class, we decided to ask Mordechai if we should go! After going back to Mordechai & Esther's home...and speaking to him about it...

The children agreed, it would be best to just stay home (even though it was SO tempting to go to the party, in the beautiful palace!)

At Mordechai's house... I gave the children treats, and said a blessing with

 them on the yummy kosher food! 

 

  

Back at the palace....

 

The children were able to see the contrast between the peaceful, relaxing, "mitzvot filled" home of Mordechai & Esther...versus the "bling" and "superficial" style of the palace.

The children were able to see the contrast between the peaceful, relaxing, "mitzvot filled" home of Mordechai & Esther...versus the "bling" and "superficial" style of the palace.

 

Next week we will continue the story...

 

Check the blog next week for how the rest of the story unfolds ;)

Solomon dressing up as Mordechai

Working together...learning through play!

Again, we see the thoughtfulness and care the older children extend to the younger ones...

 

During outside time BL & Yitzy made tunnels for the children who were biking to drive through.

 After Menucha went through, the 2 "Tunnel makers" saw that there was an "older" boy coming to go through the tunnel.

They said " Lets make it more fun, and make the tunnel harder to go through"

and they proceeded to move onto the basketball base. 

Once Noach succeeded at the challenge, they returned to the ground...to allow the younger children to go through the tunnel.

So sweet!

Learning Life Skills...and the love that goes with it!

At Gan Camarillo we believe children are competent and want to do the right thing.

So we give them choices and responsibilities...

One of the classroom "jobs" is to pour drinks for their friends at snack time.

This can be a challenge for a 2 and half year old or even 3 year old, as they master the strength in their hand muscles to control the pitcher, hold it up and pour out just the right amount!

It is so beautiful to see the older children's patience as the younger ones rise to the occasion!

 

I have to share with you the most precious scene that unfolded at snack today!

Menucha- (3) was doing her rounds pouring water. She had the wisdom to pour just a small amount for Levi (who is only 2).

After pouring Levi's cup, big brother Yitzi (4) kindly tells her, "Menucha u can pour just a bit more for Levi!"

Precious!

Beautiful Moment!

Our combined age group this year (something that the Montessori approach highly encourages) is unfolding in a beautiful way.

I regularly see how the "older" kids step in and help out the "younger" ones, but what happened in the yard this week truly made me see how beneficial it can be for our children.

BL came over to me during outside time and said, "Do you want to see something amazing?"

I stopped what I was doing to see what was so fascinating to her. 

She pointed to the plants we had planted a few weeks ago and said "see those blooms? It happened!"

She then went on to show me the trees right outside our school that had beautiful white blossoms ALL OVER them.

 I was so excited to see her take the knowledge she had mastered from Tu b'shvat and apply it to what she was seeing weeks later!

These trees were BARE BRANCHES just a week ago!

 

 To be honest I probably wouldn't have noticed... But I was so thankful that she pointed it out and joined in her excitement for Hashem's wonderful world of growth..

BL wanted to take it to the next level! She asked for crayons "not just regular crayons but the Pastel ones so u can really see the colors! "

 
I quickly brought out the paper and crayons and she drew every 

detail of that beautiful tree! 

The Branch that was sticking out, the green around the white flowers' etc..... It was truly a master piece !

 

Note the fine details of EACH bud/flower on each branch.

 

Here's where I see the value of our mixed age 

group...

All her friends (2's 3's & 4 year old's) started to gather around, to watch what she was doing. At this point I stepped aside to watch and observe what would take place.

One by  one, the other children came over to see what she was doing.

Here we have a whole group of them wanting to do the same thing!

BL was teaching the younger ones how to draw/copy and look at what was around them and put it on paper. Some of the 2 and 3 year old's were trying to figure it out and with BL's guidance they each took a paper and started coloring.

This is was an eye opener for me and I realize how beautiful and lucky we are to have such a mix of ages and developmental levels in one class!

Fire Safety

One of the important lessons we teach the children over the course of the year is Fire Safety. While the teachable moment comes up each week at our Shabbat Party (when we light the Shabbat Candles, and the children know that this fire is for watching, not for touching,) we still choose to spend a week focusing on Fire Safety and empowering the children with the skills to respond in an emergency.

Through pictures, dramatic play and lots of discussion...the children are confident and know exactly what types of fires are ok to look at, and enjoy, and what types of fires we need to CALL 911!

The children actually came up with a whole list of fires that are ok... but we just need to be VERY CAREFUL, like not touch or place anything near it!

We looked at pictures of the examples they came up with.... menorah, birthday candles , bonfire,  BBQ

In addition to understanding that, we empowered the children to know exactly what to do, if they ever find themselves in a situation where there is a dangerous fire. 

Modeling what to do if there is fire on you.

Each of the children got fire on them...to practice...

What do you do if there is fire on you?

Stop, Drop & Roll!

 Our circle time segued into a grand role play of what we should do if there is fire in our house, or if we smell smoke...

#1. Call 911

#2. STAY LOW...crawl, because smoke rises...

#3. Try to get out of building. FEEL DOOR if it is hot, because there might be fire on other side

#4. LEAVE the house or building!

 

Throughout the week the children worked on various skills as they "put out fires!"

 It was a joy to watch our younger students fiddle with the water sprayer, not quite sure how to operate it...

 and then a short time later... to see the satisfaction and joy on their faces, as they spray the water on the "fires" in the water table!

 The older children "aimed" for the foam cut-out fires with the letter F on it. This was a wonderful and fun way for the children to learn recognition of the letter F, practice the phonics/sounds of the letter, and work on their fine motor skills (both operating the sprayer and the aiming component)

Loads of Role Playing...

 The children actually came up with the idea to make masks, from seeing the pictures of real fire fighters wearing masks! We cut foam bowls and tied elastic to hold on their faces!