Bas mitzvah activity that's cheap and easy

momtra

Mon, Jun 05 2017, 11:38 pm

shevi82 wrote:

You can do Hafroshas Challa and teach them to braid with six.
My dd's friend had a seudat Amenim. It was really nice. Each girl got a plate with a few diffrent brochas on it and each girl made a bracha out loud while they all said Amen.
Beforhand they had a woman who explained how special each Amen is.

Anyone do this? The hafrashas challah? So appealing to me - what is in ok ed logistically!

chanchy123

Tue, Jun 06 2017, 4:16 am

SixOfWands wrote:

Out of curiosity, and intended to be asked with the utmost respect, in communities in which it is common for the bat mitzvah girl's party to include a craft, is that also done at the party for a bar mitzvah boy?

Neither is common in my community, so I was curious.

I agree that some of the activities I have seen suggested here for bat mitzvas seem more appropriate for a birthday party of a younger child, but I understand there is a cultural gap.

In my circles, Bat Mitzva celebrations are extremely varied. From girls having an Aliyah and reading from the Torah (very uncommon - DD has had two friends who did this) to an activity for the girls and a modest family celebration (which is more common, many of my neighbors have done this).

Some girls guide a tour in a meaningful place (kotel tunnels, Chevron, Shiloh etc) others just have a large party at a hall - like many boys do without the shabbat, with family and friends of the parents and the girl.

We are doing an activity for DD's class (a neighbor who creates and sells jewelry will host a workshop where the girls will create jewelry for themselves and pieces that will be donated) we are also having a shabbat for our family (no Torah reading for us).

I think the most common celebrations here are a party with a meal and dancing for family and friends, where the girls have a craft or other activity before the adults arrive. But you can really do anything you like.

I don't really know what people around here do for boys, we have about two years to go before we start with DS's friends. I wonder if they do something separate for the boy's friends. One of my neighbors did a guided trip for her son's class so I guess that's done too. I know that in my community they celebrate Bar Mitzva's modestly as well, I'm just not sure what the protocol is.

Ruchel

Tue, Jun 06 2017, 6:10 am

thanks wrote:

Do you think 13 yr old boys would enjoy making a craft?

In my community, crafts are common at bas mitzvah parties. Bar Mitzvah's are usually a seuda, and sometimes dancing and kumzitz for the boys.

If 12 year olds enjoy, so will 13 years old. I've seen such boys doing rainbow loom. I wouldn"t at all include it at a BM.

SixOfWands

Tue, Jun 06 2017, 9:33 am

chanchy123 wrote:

thanks.