May I Take Your Order?

Samantha and Hillary were playing restaurant today during recess. One would ask what the other wanted and then bring out the order. Samantha told Hillary "I would like a salad with croutons please." Hillary asked "what drink?" Samantha replied "juice!." This was a very cute exchange. When it was Hillary's then to order, she asked for "chicken and some water please!" The two proceeded to take turns back and forth ordering and being the waitress. What fun!

Etzim and the Cozy Day

Pajama Havdalah with Kohavim and Tel Aviv!  We got around today!

Mia in her sleeping hat!

We couldn't have been cozier or happier than we were today!  How adorable are our Etzim  children?   

Old Shoes, New Shoes

Old Shoes, new shoes,
Eva's wearing black shoes,
One, two, three, four,
Gently tap them on the floor.










This simple and soothing song, sung to the tune of "It's raining, it's pouring," is a favorite of the Keshet children. What do we learn from singing together this way? Singing together helps us to bond as a class, and we learn one another's names as we go around the circle. We learn colors from naming those in our classmate's shoes. We experience melody, and the simple rhyme of  'four' and 'floor.' We exercise our legs and feet as we lift them and tap the floor--not always gently! Your Keshet child may enjoy singing this little tune with you at home.

Let's Sit for a While!

Some children are more sensitive than others to the inevitable distractions in the early childhood classroom; sitting still to focus on a task is also more challenging for some children than for others. To support the Keshet children in exploring the many materials available at school, each day we arrange areas of "provocation." They can be as simple as play dough arranged around a basket of sea creatures. The teachers love to sit and join in the play, sharing both quiet moments and lively conversation that help us all to bond. We find that the children are already extending their play in these areas. Today Ally decided to make some food for the starfish, and worked hard making cheeseballs and filling the shells that she used as serving bowls. Abby pressed a starfish firmly into her play dough, and then was delighted to find its impression, bumps and all.