Chabad Preschool wishes you a HAPPY CHANUKAH!

Dear Parents, We hope you enjoy our Chanukah newsletter with some recipes, crafts, and ideas to keep you and your little one busy during winter break!
WHATS WITH THE CANDLES ?
Question: I notice that lighting candles is a big part of Judaism. We light candles every Friday for Shabbat, we light candles on every festival, and Chanukah is all about candles. What is the connection between candles and spirituality? Answer: There is something about a candle that makes it more spiritual than physical. A physical substance, when spread, becomes thin. Spirituality, when spread, expands and grows. When you use something physical, it is diminished. The more money you spend, the less you have; the more gasoline you use, the more empty your tank becomes; the more food you eat, the more you need to restock your pantry. But spiritual things increase with use. If I use my wisdom to teach, the student learns, and I come out wiser for it; if I share my love with another, I become more loving, not less. When you give a spiritual gift, the recipient gains, and you lose nothing. This is the spiritual property that candles share. When you use one candle to light another, the original candle remains bright. Its light is not diminished by being shared; on the contrary, the two candles together enhance each others brightness and increase light. We sometimes worry that we may stretch ourselves too thin. In matters of spirit, this is never the case. The more goodness we spread, the more goodness we have. By making a new friend, you become a better friend to your old friends. By having another child, you open a new corridor of love in your heart that your other children benefit from, too. By teaching more students, you become wiser. Keep lighting your candles. There is an endless supply of light in your soul. You will never run out of goodness.

PAPER BAG PUPPETS

EDIBLE PLAYDOUGH RECIPE

Visit ABCteach.com, Search paper bag puppet craft, choose an animal, get some crayons, scissors, and glue and get your to work with your child!

Ingredients: 1 cup peanut butter 2/3-1 cup dry milk powder 2 T honey Mix together ingredients, adding enough dry milk powder to make play dough dry enough to handle.

Glass Jar Music Activity

Try this glass jar music activity and see how water can help make music. What You'll Need: Six to eight different-size glass jars with lids Water Metal fork Step 1: Gather together six to eight different-size glass jars with lids. Step 2: Fill each jar half full of cool water, and tightly close the lids. Use a metal fork to gently strike the jars. Can you hear the music ring? Do all the jars sound the same? Does the music change when you strike the top, middle, or bottom of the jar? Step 3: Pour out half the water in each jar, and repeat the experiment. How have the tones changed? Step 4: Once you're familiar with what note each of your jars will play when softly hit, you can try to play your favorite tunes.

CRAYON MAKING
You will need: * old crayons * muffin tins * muffin cups * your oven How to make it: 1) 2) Remove any paper from existing crayons.

3)

2) Break crayons into smaller pieces and place in muffin tins. 3) Bake at 200 until melted (approximately 20-30 minutes) 4) Let cool completely and have some coloring fun!

Gath er around 50 small objects , su ch as art su pplies, peg puzzle pieces , utens ils, e tc. Scatter the m in a baking pan or tray and b egin you r I SPY fun!

EASY LATKE RECIPE

1. Grate potatoes and onions together and place in a large bowl. 2. Squeeze most of the water from the grated mixture out and discard but reserve 2 to 3 tablespoons of the starchy water and keep it in the mixture. 3. Add egg, flour or matzoh meal, lemon juice, baking powder, salt and pepper. Mix well. 4. Place a large skillet over medium high heat. Pour in oil to reach 1/4 inch. Test by dropping a small amount of the mixture into the oil. When it sizzles the oil is hot enough. Gently place a mound of the mixture by tablespoons into the hot oil. Flatten gently with a spatula or spoon. Cook 3 to 5 minutes depending on size, until golden and gently flip to brown the other side for another 3 to 5 minutes. 5. Remove crispy potato latkes to drain on paper towels.

Serves: 6-8 people Pre time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Ingredients: * 5 medium potatoes * 1 medium onion * 1 egg * 2 T flour or matzah meal * 1 T lemon juice * 1 t baking powder * t salt * t black pepper * oil for frying

SWEET POTATO LATKES

Directions

1. Place sweet potatoes in a colander. Place a cheese-cloth over the potatoes, and squeeze the potatoes to release as much liquid as possible. Let the potatoes sit to release more liquid, then squeeze again. 2. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, eggs, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon; mix well. Ingredients:

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded 2 eggs lightly beaten 1 T brown sugar 2 T all-purpose flour 2 t ground cinnamon oil for frying

3. Heat oil in large skillet. 4. Form mixture into pancake size cakes, and fry in hot oil. Flip cakes after 2 to 3 minutes (when bottom is browned) and brown other side. Drain on paper towels, and serve piping hot!

MEAL TIME FUN Make your preschooler a Muffin Tin Meal! It is a great way to serve a variety of healthy foods in an attractive, appetizing way, with age- appropriate sized servings. You can use one section as a cup holder!

Ingredients: Nonstick cooking spray 1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour cup sugar 1 t baking powder t ground nutmeg t salt cup milk 2 large eggs cup honey 2 T melted butter 1 T vanilla extract 1) Preheat oven to 425. Lightly coat a doughnut pan with cooking spray. 2) Combine flours & next 4 ingredients in large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. 3) Combine milk, eggs, honey, butter, and vanilla, stirring well with a whisk. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, whisk just until combined. 4) Spoon batter into doughnut pans, filling 2/3 full. Bake in middle of oven until doughnuts spring back when touched and are golden on bottom. (about 8 minutes) Let cool in pan for about 4 minutes and then turn out. 5) Coat with the toppings you choose!

Love Lots and Love Well

Nothing matters like love. While much training for parents focuses on guiding children, the most important factor in their development is love. In fact, the resilient children who flourish in spite of many difficulties are those who have someone in their lives who loved them. Parents don't always feel loving. All parents get irritated with their children at times. That doesn't mean they don't love them. Love is more than a feeling. It is the commitment to act in the best interest of another person. What are some things parents can do that help children feel loved? There are many ways to show love to children. One is to take time doing things with them that they enjoy. Can you think of times when you have joined your child in doing something simple and fun? Another powerful way to show love is to take an interest in their thoughts and feelings. Think of times when you have listened attentively to your child. Each person has his or her own language of love. Scott loved to go to a nearby lake to watch ducks. He never tired of it. In order to build the relationship with Scott, his dad invited him to go big game hunting with him in Montana . It would be an expensive trip. Dad assumed Scott would be excited. Scott confessed privately to a friend, I would rather have my dad go with me up to the lake to watch the ducks. Do we ever show love to our children in ways that don't help our children feel loved? Love is more than a burger Many parents have tried to make up for limited time with their children by doing something special like going out for dinner. Whether this adds a lot, a little, or nothing at all the relationship bank account depends on how the child feels about it. If the child loves pizza, a burger with fries may not help. If the child loves to talk to you, going to a movie may not increase the closeness. If the child would love to bike or play tennis with you, a burger is not the answer. Love requires work. It takes time and alertness to discover each child's preferences. Love doesn't just come like a flood. What are some ways you can discover a child's love preferences? It may be helpful to notice how the child shows love. You might also reflect on the attempts to show love that have succeeded in the past. And it never hurts to notice what the child asks for. Individualizing our messages of love Can you describe the way that each of your children likes to be loved by you? Make a plan that works for you. If reflection works for you, set a time for additional thinking. Think about your children's love language and plan loving time and actions into your schedule. If you learn well from wise friends or professional helpers, make a specific plan to get input from them: If you benefit from self-help aids, here are some recommendations: Additional reading material: Wallace Goddard Family Life: Challenges and Choices Gary Chapman & Ross Campbell Five Love Languages of Children Haim Ginott Between Parent and Child

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR Fall 2012-13

Toddlers 2s, 3s, & 4s

At White Plains and New Rochelle locations Register online

ChabadofWestchester.com

Or call to arrange a tour 914-437-5762

Chabad Preschool 20 Greenridge Ave White Plains, NY 10605