Kids activities over the chag

Mrs Bissli

Thu, Sep 17 2009, 6:33 am

Just pondering the same thing and posted a thread with polls--great minds think alike!
We'll have three children's services P-G for the Chag: toddlers (2-5), kiddie service (6-10), teenage (11+). The toddler one lasts about 1hr, singalongs, very basic tefillah (mode ani, shema), story book time followed by nosh. It is the least organised baalagan, partially because we require one parent/grandparent to stay with the child and adults keep on schmoozing among themselves. Kiddie service is led by youth programme director, quite civilised and nice (they get proper tefilla done) but boys outnumber girls, DD feels marginalised and she hates attending. Teenagers have break-away session with DH as they are old enough to attend the main service (and stay most of the time) but need something more appropriate. Someone come to each services to blow shofars but not the whole required sequence. So more careful parents will instruct their offsprings to come into the main shul (also parents can give blessing that way) but it creats further noises, traffics and crowdedness.

ShakleeMom

Thu, Sep 17 2009, 10:13 am

chaos... make sure you have your fridge stocked with lots of protein (hard boiled eggs, chummus, and gefilte fish). nobody goes anywhere without getting at least a serving of protein every 4 hours.

levial

Wed, Sep 23 2009, 4:57 am

I buy "new" things (can be from thrift store or garage sale, just new to my daughter) such as books, a big ol bag of blocks, a new dolly or doll accessories. This year she changed the "diaper" a thousand times...it was a new little toy velcro diaper. She also handed it to me to nurse...imagine that.

I try to organize a play date in the afternoon. I use it as blackmail to get her to nap so I can nap (If you don't nap, we can't go to Leah's house. Ok, then just rest quietly and don't close your eyes...)

At home there is a babysitter in the shul, with toys, and kids so it's fun for her, but here, not so much, so I daven in the lower level where I can hear the tefila but not disturb anyone (but me) if she asks questions or starts having her little private play conversations....

We're in EY visiting her Saba and Savta, so it's a bit different. Tons of people she doesn't know who want to kiss her...so we go back to our apartment and say we're jet lagged and play alone.