This week in the Blue Room we began our Pesach unit with some hands on sensory experiences. Our friends tasted Matzah, Karpas, and made Kiddush on grape juice. We also had some fun making our own sand playdoh to build pyramids like in ancient Egypt. This week we also celebrated Mina's 3rd Birthday!
Baby Moshe
In the beginning of this week we set baby Moshe in a basket. We used some blue fabric, blankets, plants, a baby and a basket. Morah Kayla tells us the story about long ago when baby Moshe's mommy was protecting him from King Pharaoh and the only way to keep him safe was to float him down the river. We asked our friends what are some things babies need to feel safe? One friend shouted, " A bottle!" another friend added, " A paci!" Setting up a provocation is an invitation to play and explore. This provocation invites the children to role play and imagine what it was like for baby Moshe to be in the basket. Through this platform we reinforce and learn vital skills such as empathy, sharing, turn taking, and problem solving.
Set the Seder table
Our friends were invited to take turns setting the Seder table. This was a great activity to introduce some new Pesach vocabulary. Morah Felicia started off by pointing to each food on the seder plate while Morah Kayla told us what each food was and the meaning behind special foods. Then we asked our friends to repeat. Zeroa or shankbone symbolizes the sacrifice of the lamb the night before the Exodus. Beitzah or egg represents a pre-holiday offering. Maror or bitter herbs reminds us to the bitterness the Jewish people were faced with in Egypt. Charoset symbolizes the mortar and brick made by the Jewish people. Karpas are the vegetables dipped in salt water reminding us of the salty tears cried while in Egypt. After we went over these new vocabulary words our friends were invited to match each item to the big Seder plate. Matching with a negative space image requires visual motor skills and spatial awareness. This activity also promotes early matching skills. We invite you to go over these new terms with your children at home with a fun game of your own!
Matzah and Karpas
In circle time this week our friends tasted karpas and matzah. We smelled, tasted, and touched. We compared the Matzah to Challah that we eat every Shabbat. Some questions that we asked our friends were How is the matzah different than the challah? Our friends discovered that matzah is flat and challah is fluffy. Matzah is hard and crunchy and challah is soft and chewy. Do they taste the same? Our friends all agreed they like the matzah better than the karpas
Sand playdoh
This week we made sand playdoh! This was enjoyed by everyone. We first took turns measuring out our ingrediants and pouring them into a bowl. This particular playdoh call for sand, flour, and cooking oil. When all mixed together the consistency waas like a moonsand. Even the children who are more sensitive to sticky gooey textures really enjoyed this. Our friends were invited to construct their own pyramids. What shape do the pyramids look like? "A triangle"
This week we celebrated Mina's third Birthday!
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