Introducing Pesach (Passover):

Greetings Peach Room Parents!

This week we began exploring the holiday, Pesach or Passover. We worked on cleaning our room and talked about the importance of cleaning away all of the Chametz or bread and breadcrumbs and other foods with yeast in preparation for Pesach. Our friends swept floors and scrubbed tables and washed trays.

In the sensory table this week we mixed sand and water and added ice cube trays to make bricks to build pyramids. We talked about how Pharaoh promised the Jews presents if they came to Egypt to help him build the pyramids. But he was mean and didn’t keep his promise. So they worked so hard and were not treated well. Hashem punished Pharoah and the people of Egypt by sending plagues- frogs, bugs, sicknesses and the brave Moshe stood up to Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go!” The Jewish people were finally able to leave Egypt! While they traveled through the desert they did not have time to use yeast and wait for their bread to rise and so Matzah was created from flour and water and it baked on their backs as they were traveling out of Egypt.

In dramatic or pretend play we opened a Matzah bakery and all of our friends have been enjoying taking turns making matzah in our special matzah oven.  Our friends have enjoyed listening to music and reading books about the story of Pesach this week as well.

We are continuing to work on social skills such as asking for a turn or a toy before grabbing it. Using statements like “Turn please?” Or “My work/turn” if someone is attempting to grab something they have. We are encouraging the children to use words to express if they don’t like something that a friend is doing to them “Stop” and/or “I don’t like that.” We starting to work a little bit on personal space as well, “Move please.” or “Space.” It is typical behavior at age 1 and 2 for our friends to get frustrated trying to negotiate these things without the necessary verbal skills. This can sometimes be overwhelming for them. We will often see hitting, grabbing and sometimes biting at this stage in their development. Morahs are there to help give them alternatives to these unwanted behaviors.

As always, thank you for sharing your children with us and for all of the support at home. We hope you have a restful and wonderful weekend!

Morah Ora and Morah Lindsey