Countdown - 45 days till Hanukkah! Thanks to this great post from creativejewishmom.com, I can share with you her reminder to start saving your recyclables now to make all kinds of fun Hanukkah crafts. It was definitely a wake up call for me! So here’s what she recommends holding onto: Cereal boxes to make gift packages – I would never have thought of that! What a great idea. Aluminum foil boxes and tubes to make Hanukkah menorahs. Toilet paper tubes – also to make Hanukkah menorahs. Milk cartons - to make gift packages and more. Again, I never would have … [Read more...]
Rosh Hashanah Fun at Home
I feel lucky to live close to a synagogue, because I like the "special" on Rosh Hashanah. I like to hear the blasts of the Shofar. I like to see the Torah scrolls dressed in white. But I know that not everyone has this privilege. Regardless of whether you "Temple" or not, I believe that there are many, many ways to celebrate the Jewish New Year with joy. Food for the new year If you assume that three core concepts for Rosh Hashanah with young children are “round,” “sweet,” and “new,” come up with menus that emphasize those ideas. Think cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, little round … [Read more...]
How to Have a Fun Rosh Hashanah Dinner
If synagogue services are part of your Rosh Hashanah experience, you will have plenty of visual and auditory drama. The sound of the Shofar blast. The Torah scrolls dressed in white. The pews filled to capacity. New this year! Downloadable Rosh Hashanah Bingo Game - great fun for 2-year-olds to grandparents! You can also make your Rosh Hashanah dinner at home full of spectacle - and fun. Shofar blowing For the past several years, we have been using Bugles as pretend shofars (shofrot). Each year, our daughter gives us all a quick refresher on each type of shofar blast, then calls out for … [Read more...]
Blueberries for Sal - #JewishBookFun4Kids - #2
In this Caledecott Honor book, author Robert McCloskey tells the story of a mom and her little girl named Sal who have an unexpected adventure with a Mama Bear and her cub. Both pairs are on a mountain searching for blueberries. Sal’s mom wants to pick a big tin pail full of juicy berries to can for the winter. Sal can only think about filling her tummy with the berries right now. Mama Bear and baby also want to fill up their tummies – also to prepare for the winter ahead. In this tale, with a whole section that is reminiscent of P.D. Eastman’s “Are You My Mother?,” Sal and her Mom get … [Read more...]
5 Fun Kitchen Activities for a Summer Shabbat
About this time of the summer, you start seeing articles about how to help your child hang onto math and reading skills over the hot, lazy months. Spending time in the kitchen is the perfect solution. Here are five fun kitchen activiites, perfect for a summer Shabbat. I’m with Grandma’s Briefs blogger Lisa about all the wonderful reasons to bake with your children or grandkids -- from reading recipes to measuring to learning fractions to sequencing. Of her eight top reasons to encourage kitchen time together, my three favorites are: Encourages creativity Fun for different ages to … [Read more...]
