Growing Up Creative

An easy way for kids to follow the Passover Seder

WHAT PAGE ARE WE ON?! What a ridiculous question, now that I have learned that the Seder is composed of 14 steps. Did you know that? I didn’t, and neither did the rest of my family, I suppose, otherwise why would they spend most of the Seder looking for the right page?...

This year, in order To avoid all that confusion and turmoil, I have designed a mandala that describes the phases of the Seder. Like a clock, kids (adults can do this too) may color the different phases as they are being read, gradually completing the circle. This activity may keep your kids attuned with the reading of the Haggadah, therefore more involved and curious about the Seder. 

Please print this for your kids to have at the table, its free. And share this with other families that celebrate Passover.

Click your preference to download a larger printable file.  JPG /  Word Doc

tali

The Passover creativity sack – a new family tradition

It all started when I couldn’t find what I really wanted (which is usually the case with me), so I had to make one up (3 to be more precise). It was Passover 2008, My brother flew in with his family to celebrate the holiday with us. I was looking for a Passover plague toy kit too keep the kids entertained during the Seder. What I found I didn’t really like, so I went home and with the help of my brother and his wife, we made our own. The sack was a great hit. We have all enjoyed it throughout the entire week (including the adults...). After the holiday ended, the kids packed each their sacks, and kissed them goodbye till the year to follow. I drew my conclusions, and made an improved version with a very strong creative concept I would like to share with you. You may make up your own, or follow this link to Amazon to purchase the one I have designed. if you are in the LA area and you are interested in purchasing the sack, I could possibly meet up with you to save the cost of shipping.

The three main ideas behind the sack:
1. To encourage the child to explore Passover through creative playת making the   connection between creativity, play, and learning
2. creative and fun addition to the family holiday tradition
3. To collect toys, pyramids, writings, drawings, and memories of years of joyous celebrations. 

Sack description:
The sack is made of natural cotton canvas 10”x10” with a Poppy field print on one side.
Inside you will find:

2 piece wooden pyramid puzzle (3”x3”) is a challenge for the mind, representing the Egyptian pyramid, a symbol of marvel.

2 oz Red paint (non toxic, washable), and a brush. Encourage your kids to make red paintings depicting Egypt while all water sources turned to blood with the first plague.

Egyptian hieroglyphs alphabet card
Practice writing using Egyptian hieroglyphs symbols. This activity enforces an idea I strongly believe in, that IF YOU CAN WRITE YOU CAN DRAW.

Blank hard cover notebook (60 pages of high quality paper)
The notebook is a place where the child can explore creative ideas in writing as well as drawing during the Passover days, and look back at those pages years to follow. 

Jumping Frogs game kit

Is simply a fun game representing the second plague of Frogs.

Shades
Representing the ninth plague of Darkness, the shades are used as a dress up accessory that encourages imaginary play.

Small baby toy (about 2”) in a reed basket with a handle is representing Moses in his basket.  Help the children identify and connect with the big figure of Moses as a baby.
Kids love small things especially those they can play pretend with. 

Needle and thread with stitching diagram
Help your child embroider their name on the face of the sack. Personalize sack while developing fine motor skills.

The sack should be brought out in the beginning of every Passover, and tucked away at the end of the holiday, waiting patiently to be taken out again the year to follow. Like an old friend that comes to visit once a year, stays over for an entire week, and as soon as he’s gone he can’t wait to be back again. The Passover creativity will become a collection of toys, pyramids, writings, drawings, and memories of years of joyous celebrations.

Have any question, or suggestions please add a comment or email me.
As always, Thanks for reading

tali

Link for sack

Sometimes the packaging is better than the content

So I have been getting a lot of packages lately for my Passover Creative Sack. I have been trying to get them quickly into my room not to hear my girls say: ”is it for me?”, AGAIN, and to see the disappointment in their eyes when I say: “sorry, but no”.
Some times thought, the items were packed with Biodegradable Cornstarch Peanuts that are not only a wonderful green solution for packaging but also a great building material.
And so we found our selves early this morning turning Biodegradable Cornstarch Peanuts into an igloo settlement for a family of four penguins and a seal (instead of a dog, Zoe’s idea…). Including 2 igloos, dining table and chairs, sleeping bags, and most importantly - a pool for the seal.

 

How to use the material:
No need for glue, dab some water on the surface of the peanut, then attach to another peanut, and so on, until you get the shape or object that you like.
Please note: Using too much water will make the peanut dissolve and things will literally get a little sticky. In order to get the right amount of water I use a sponge already soaked in water, or the tip of my finger dipped in some water. 

Alternatives:
Other projects the girls have done included - necklaces, a crown for Allegra’s birth day, snakes and some stick figures.
Add some colors with markers
Add some spark by gluing plastic jewels and sparkles

So don’t forget to save the Biodegradable Cornstarch Peanuts, for some FREE and GREEN creative time. 

Make sure you let your child play some too….

tali

A favorite book, A proud Ima

Recently Zoe has decided she is going to write a letter to the author of her favorite book and tell him how much she enjoys it. I felt very proud (you can only imagine). She took out her fluffy pink feathery pen and her puppy stationary with the red polka dots and wrote a beautiful note to Sheldon Oberman the author of Solomon And the Ant: And Other Jewish Folktales
Later that night I was sorry to find out he had passed away 5 years ago. I managed to get his family address and I will forward her letter to them.
I hope you will get a chance to borrow the book from the library, or follow the link to one of my favorite places in the entire cyberworld - Amazon. It is surely one to keep.
I know you can’t wait to have the book in your hands, that’s why I have attached one tale for your enjoyment. It was very hard to pick A favorite story to share, since they are all so clever and beautifully written, but this is the one (Zoe’s choice). Enjoy…

The Prince Who Thought He Was a Rooster

The book

Check out the author’s site

Making pompons

My mom came for a visit, she left leaving us with a big hole in our hearts and lots of yarn to play with. When Zoe came back from school today I had everything ready on the table for us to make pompons, the old school way. It was very relaxing; I thought this is what a knitters circle must feel like. Now they are all out, including the dog and the husband leaving me to finish the Passover Creativity Sack (I cant seem to be able to finish), the laundry, and cook dinner; all in about one hour and a half…

You will need:
Left over yarn from mom
2 donut shape cut out of cardboard (cereal boxes are perfect for that)
Big fat needle (optional)
Scissors
Soft background music

How to:
1. Cut out donut shape for each pompon. You may trace a cup for the shape.

2. Place them one on top of the other.

3. Pick out the yarn you like, tie its end to the donut

4. Start looping the yarn on the donut through the hole, moving around the shape. When you run out of yarn, tie another piece and keep on going, (don’t worry about the little knots you can trim them off at the end)

5. The hole in the middle is going to get smaller and smaller. When it will get too small for your fingers, you may use the big fat needle

6. Once the hole is closed up with yarn, cut the edge of the donut, by inserting the scissors into the thickness of the yarn in between the 2 pieces of cardboard. Cut all around the shape.

7. Take a string of yarn, thread it in between the 2 donut cardboard, and make a tight knot around the center of the pompon.

8. Pull the cardboard away

9. Give it a hair cut

Alternatives:
1. Make a doll by connecting 2 pompons together, glue some eyes from felt a mouth etc. add legs from pipe cleaners.
2. Tie the pompon to a long stick; add a small bell (optional) and your cat will love you.

Enjoy as always
tali

A Purim dress up party

My creative take on Purim: an idea for an afternoon activity.

Since you know me a bit by now you should know that I am looking for any excuse to find creativity in celebrating the holidays. Purim is an easy challenge since there is so much creativity embedded within the holiday already.
The act of dressing up unleashes so much creativity as it is. But how about pushing it a little further…I am talking about imagining, planning, matching, cutting, assembling, and possibly acting; another excuse for a party. This activity would work great for a group if you have enough parents’ involvement. This activity is not intended to substitute the children’s Purim costume but it may very well become their favorite one.

The objective:
Kids make their own costumes, no stitching involved (really easy). Help of an adult is needed.

What you will need:
Inexpensive fabrics such as: sheer (chiffon), shiny fabric (satin), or anything that will spark kid’s imagination. Tip: the uglier and more grotesque the better…
Ribbons
Scarves
Belts
Men’s ties
Scissors
Safety pins
Paper/ sketch book and drawing tools

When I did this project with Zoe’s preschool friends I got the materials at a store in down town LA - Michael Levin’s every thing was $2/ pound. Fabric stores can be found in every city, don’t buy anything expensive. I have spent total of $20 for 20 kids (don’t forget to check your mom's closet for some hidden old fabrics, curtains, linens etc). It is important to get inexpensive fabric so you don’t feel terrified when your child starts cutting and experimenting, as he/ she should.

The process:
Below you will find illustrations of simple ways of making garments. This may help you and your child construct the outfit from his/ her imagination. (Make sure you read this all the way to the end before you start)

1. Gather materials: Pile up all the different materials you have collected.
2. Plan: Have the child draw what he/ she imagines. Try not to skip this phase since this is an important process of learning to translate ideas into reality, and communicating in a visual language. It is also very calming, and tends to slow down the already built up excitement.

guide your child with questions such as:
What are you making? A queen? A knight? Etc…
Is it a dress?
How long? How short? To the knee?
A vest? A crown? A sword?
Are you going to have a cape?
Do you want it tight around the waist and loose behind?

After drawing the costume, discuss the different options of how to go about and construct the costume. Together, try and Find solutions to some of the problems of assembly. Use ribbons, long pieces of fabrics and belts to tie up the outfit together. Encourage flexibility with the design of the costume, welcome unexpected happy accidents.

3. GO FOR IT

(click on image to enlarge)

  

finally, I had an excuse to play with Troy and Gabriela (from high school musical) I made them some cloth to demonstrate some of the patterns above. 

^{Troy is wearing a vested top belted, with a royal cape, a sword and a dazzling crown}

^{Gabriela is wearing a sleeveless pink gown, with an emerald broach.}

Please don’t hesitate to contact me for more help (pathetically, I am almost always online)
Send me a picture or upload on the flicker photo group pool

Have fun
Happy Purim

tali

Does the name Hamantash actually means Haman’s ears?

We tend to associate the traditional cookie of Purim, the Hamantash, with Haman the villain of Purim. In Israel they are called Oznei Haman (אוזני המן) which means Haman’s ears. As a child I remember placing 2 of them on my ears (prior to eating them) wondering if Haman’s ears were really triangular, and why would we even eat something that represents ears of an executed person (evil or no evil). They were so good, that those thoughts melted away as fast as I could eat those cookies up.

A little bit of research revealed the source of the name Hamantash. It is most likely a corruption of the Yiddish word ‘Montashn’ or the German word ‘Monhntaschen’ which means nothing else but poppyseed-filled pouches. How simple is that…this is something I will not reveal to my kids, it is much more fun thinking one is eating ears verses cookies.
The triangular shape, is known to be reminiscent of the hats worn by the officers of the Persian court, including Haman.

My favorite filling is poppy (a bit old school)…what’s yours?

Any good recipe anyone?