Children on Tisha B'Av

gingit

Fri, Aug 01 2014, 5:21 pm

ISO ideas of what to do with children on Tisha B'Av. I have children 10, 8, 6, and 3. How can I keep them occupied while fasting and yet have it be a meaningful day for them too? All ideas are appreciated.

flowerpower

Fri, Aug 01 2014, 5:30 pm

Stock up on crafts and play doh. That keeps kids busy. See if there is a video presentation playing in your area for kids. Some neighborhoods have that. You can get a succos craft for your ten year old to do to. The judaica stores sell them.

miami85

Fri, Aug 01 2014, 6:18 pm

For the 10 (maybe even 8) year old he might be able to do something related to the (destruction of the) bais hamikdosh--as s/he is probably considered the age of chinuch something related to the day would probably be appropriate. Even if you can ask him/her to watch the kids for an hour so you can daven/sleep would probably be a big mitzvah for him/her.

As for the 6 & 3 year-old what kinds of things do they do by themselves?

gingit

Fri, Aug 01 2014, 6:33 pm

There are few things they do on their own. Once in a while the girls will play a long game of "house", but that normally ends in fighting. I like the crafts idea. My son,10, is not so into that, but he does like to read. I've already prepared them that there will be no candy/special treats that day because it is a sad day. Thanks for your ideas. If anyone has more... keep 'em coming.

citimom

Sat, Aug 02 2014, 10:43 pm

I go to a crafts store (ac Moore, michaels) and buy tons of crafts and activities. Also a bunch of cheap prizes. I also make cookie dough a day before and take out the box of cookie cutters. I skip the sprinkles to avoid a hue cleanup. We do choc chips or sugar on top instead.

amother

Sat, Aug 02 2014, 11:46 pm

Im planning to get "pipe cleaners" (whatever they are called) and beads. The kids make patterns of the beads and make them into bracelets and form a link to hang in the succah.

amyisraelchai

Mon, Aug 04 2014, 12:05 am

Morning Plan: If you are able to set up your kids with some of the crafts or other ideas mentioned by others, to try to add something meaningful for you there is live streaming shiurim/kinot from both the OU and Yeshiva University almost all day (for sure at least until chatzot and I think also for several hours after). You can set it up in the background if you have a computer or laptop and then whenever the kids are busy / okay you can take a few minutes to listen/watch, even while you are sitting with the kids. It's great because you can tune in and out and get a little bit of something meaningful even while you are with your kids. The links are below:

http://www.yutorah.org/tishabav/index.cfm

http://www.pages01.net/uojca/t.....DM1S0

Afternoon Plan: My best bet is always joining up with friends in the afternoon (after nap time for the little ones) - that way the kids can all entertain each other and we moms can have a bit of a rest.

amyisraelchai

Mon, Aug 04 2014, 12:08 am

Also, at least for the Yeshiva University one, it is really less of a shiur and more of explanations of the kinot and related Tisha B'av stories and ideas, so you don't have to be able to focus for an hour, you can really tune in to listen for 4 minutes while your kids are actually playing happily and then leave to help them when they need you and then come back 45 minutes later and listen a little more....

ruth

Mon, Aug 04 2014, 3:35 am

I'm a single mom. I hired a young girl who was not yet bat mitzvah age and who wasn't fasting to watch my dd. she asked to bring her girlfriend. They came after 2pm I think and brought their own snack. They took my dd for a walk to the park and then home for supper. they did it mostly as a chesed and didn't charge me full babysitting rates (1/2 the going rate)

sarah spetgang

Mon, Aug 04 2014, 7:26 am

I have found this website very helpful in keeping my little ones occupied. google busybags.
they have activities for ages preschool to 5/6.
they have both group and independent games.
sarah

sarah spetgang

Mon, Aug 04 2014, 7:33 am

I have found this website very helpful in keeping my little occupied. google busybags.
they have activities for ages preschool to 5/6.
they have both group and independent games.
sarah