Waterfalls and Bridges - Kitah Alef

 We filled different colored plastic eggs with rice and beans this morning to make groggers.
As Rafi poured out the rice from the egg he said "Look, I'm making a waterfall."

 Then Yisroel tried it and pretty soon all of our friends watched the rice trickle down in between our fingers. Morah: "Let's make more waterfalls!"

 Kitah Alef could not get enough of this. We used spoons to scoop  rice and beans into the egg halves. Then we taped the two halves together to make a grogger for Purim.

 Outside we found big wooden blocks. Zoey strated placing the blocks into a long row. Very diligently she took block after block and lined them up.

 Morah: "What are you making Zoey?" Zoey: "It's a bridge!" We all took turns walking on the long bridge.

 Rafi wanted a turn to and when he got to the end of the bridge he ran back to the beginning to make another crossing.

 There was colorful chalk available so Zoey started coloring the blocks one by one. It made the bridge look even more interesting.

                             Rafi: "Let's do it again!" And he walked across the bridge once more.

What a nice sunny day to take a walk on such a colorful, long bridge!

Oh, the places we go... during yoga!

Self discovery through yoga poses can be fun and engaging for preschoolers and adults.  Have you ever closed your eyes and imagined a simple picture? Try it! Some people can do this easily and some may never quite be able to.  We explore our minds and our bodies by mimicking different types of animals, shapes, and vessels but also by imagining a visit to different parts of our city, country, world, and outer space.  

We are strong, brave warriors!

While holding the talking stick, Ari tells the class that she likes it when her friends and her sister share toys with her!

We are tiny seeds! With enough water and sunlight we can grow! 

Look at us sprouting up!  Soon we will be big and tall. 

Here we are as tall trees!  Even if the wind blows hard, we stay strong and standing tall.

Seals make funny sounds and hold their heads up high to balance bright colored balls on top of their noses!  Silly seals! 

The Pre KA band

It has been hard not to notice the love of music that the children in Pre- Kitah Aleph have.

Most days when we go outside to play, the children run straight over to the second level area where there is a 'drum wall' and different musical instruments to play, and excitedly play in that area.

Music with Morah Adina on Fridays is a big highlight of our week, as we know. We love to dance and sing all different songs with her, play the special instrument she brings in each week, and play with all the fun shakers, bells, sticks and scarves.

Circle time each afternoon is also a highlight of our day, and the children love to help clean up and excitedly sit themselves down for circle time. They are starting to know the songs more and more, and some of them even know which motions to do when.

Because of all the above mentioned, and their love for music, we decided to have the kids make their own instruments from materials found around school, and to make our own Pre Kitah Aleph 'band'!

First, we made drums!

The children each had a chance to paint a clear container that would be used as the drums. Popsicle sticks were used as our drumsticks.

 Then, we made our own maracas! 

Each child diligently placed stickers on two clear plastic cups.

 They then filled the cups with beans. They enjoyed moving the beans from one cup the the next, back and forth. We later taped the two cups together to make the maracas.

 Then we made our own guitars! We took shoe box covers and the children got to paint the inside of them. When they were dry, we placed rubber bands across it to create a homemade guitar!.

Finally, we got to play our instruments! We brought them all out during circle time, and the children happily banged, strummed, and shook along to the songs! It was so fun to see our art work come to life with music. 

Leora even decided to take her drum to her naptime mat with her ;)

We hope you hire us to play at your next event. They definitely are very talented musicians ;)

Have a Shabbat Shalom!