[HANASHIR:4424] Re: Tot Shabbat Siddur

[Shira Kline <shir-lalala...>]

I have been doing Tot Shabbat services for a few years.  I've considered
using a machzor, but of course none of the children are of reading age and
in general, I think putting books/song sheets into their hands might only be
a distraction.  It takes a while for the whole group to find the page, and
then the words themselves aren't really that helpful to the children.  Even
in my Kindergarten class, I've realized that books are not so useful.
(Unless they have rhyming poetry that the children can learn and memorize
just like the verses to a song.)  If you want to create your own machzor,
which I think is a great idea, have you considered just using descriptive
pictures and no words at all?  then maybe for the parents, a simple song
sheet with the words to prayers and children's music.  For example a picture
of "love" would cue into the V'ahavta, and maybe a picture of "gates into
the service" for the Bar'chu.  Then you could take the children through the
service visually and they could learn it that way instead of with words they
cannot read anyway.  In nursery school, we don't use books or song sheets
for music class, the music is simple and rhyming, meant to be picked up
easily.  I'm not sure we need it for Tot Shabbat.  What do you think?

Shira Kline
-----Original Message-----
From: Carol Boyd Leon <cbleon (at) hotmail(dot)com>
To: hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org <hanashir (at) shamash(dot)org>
Date: Wednesday, November 10, 1999 2:14 PM
Subject: [HANASHIR:4386] Re: Tot Shabbat Siddur


>I write my own.  It's not that hard and then you can customize it to your
>temple's needs and include the parts of the service that you feel are most
>important at your Tot Shabbat.  I use a large font and some clip art
because
>my services are for kids from baby through 3rd grade and there seems to be
a
>contingent of kindergartners/beginning readers who attend.  It's basically
a
>"service in song," with just little bits of liturgy I've written to string
>the songs/prayers together in a logical fashion, with never more than about
>2 or 3 spoken sentences between each.  I have everyone say all the words
>together and sing all the songs together.  I use three horizontal 8 1/2 x
11
>pages folded in half, photocopied front and back, and stapled together.
>(I've provided this detailed description because I would prefer not sending
>out copies.)
>
>I've got about a dozen different ones, as some include a focus on an
>upcoming holiday and others have a general "theme" (such as "blessings" or
>"light").  They all share certain elements -- opening song, candle
blessing,
>barchu, Shema, Mi Chamocha, sermon (not included in the printed service),
>Oseh Shalom,
>closing, benediction, Kiddush, motzi.  I rotate in other elements over the
>months -- V'ahavta, Mi Shebeirach, songs of creation and thanks and
>holidays.  The service is 35 minutes so I can't fit it all every month.
>
>An alternative is to use no siddur at all.  Some leaders do that very
>successfully and even find the siddur just gets in the way if those who
>attend are too young to read anyway.  My personal style is to have it
>written down.  It helps the adults feel connected to the service and it
>helps me, too!
>
>I ADORE Tot Shabbat, the creativity that goes into writing the service, the
>challenge of doing a service that has learning value for kids and spiritual
>aspects even everyone, even the adults.  I enjoy the mixed-age audience.
>And I love the music.  It's one of the joys of my life.  Can you tell? --
>Carol
>
>Carol Boyd Leon
>Director of Music, Temple B'nai Shalom
>7612 Old Ox Road, Fairfax Station, VA 22039
>Temple fax:  703-764-2904
>E-mail:  CBLeon (at) hotmail(dot)com
>
>>I'm looking for a good Tot Shabbat siddur appropriate for birth to 6yrs.
>>We
>>use a great tot service on High Holy Days published by Behrman House
called
>>High Holiday Machzor, but I can't seem to find a similar Tot Shabbat
>>Service.  Any ideas?
>>Abby
>
>
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