Toddlers like to be part of the story: Repeating words and sounds found in the book, or dramatizing the actions taken by the different characters. It is their way of identifying with the story, enriching their emotional worlds, and acquiring vocabulary and concepts. That is why, when reading together, you could “play” the trumpet, “beat” on a drum using your hands, and pretend you’re a choir conductor.
Gilly finds a job that suits her as the conductor of the orchestra. Following her decision, you too can discuss your toddlers’ roles at home: What can they do and what do they want to do? Pick up their toys? Sweep the floor? Help set the table for dinner?
Almost any item can become a musical instrument: You could clap together to the rhythm of the song, or collect any instruments, rattles, and utensils you can find. A pot with spoons can be a drum, a used roll of paper towels can be a trumpet. You could even try to tap various materials to find out what kinds sounds tapping wood makes? And what about tapping the floor? Or metal? You may enjoy picking one of your favorite songs and playing it together.
Are your toddlers conductors? While listening to your favorite music together, you could hold a small stick and “conduct”. Perhaps you could dance to the music, acting out the various instruments, and switch roles from time to time.
How do you prepare for Pesach? Do you have a family tradition that has been passed on from one generation to the next? Perhaps you would like to discuss it with your child. You could tell them how you, parents, celebrated Pesach when you were growing up, sharing a family custom or story with them that has stayed with you all these years.
Do you have a dish at home that is associated specifically with Pesach? How about looking at it together, and telling its story: Where did it come from? Why was it kept by your family? What is it used for during Pesach?
What can we learn from the illustrations in this book? Do they help us imagine Workito’s and Almaz’s lives in Ethiopia? You may enjoy choosing a certain illustration, looking at it together and discussing which character you would be interested in chatting with, what you would ask this character, and whether you would like to join him/her.
Following Workito’s story, you may want to touch up items you love that are now tattered or torn. You could draw on an old t-shirt, color an old hat, cover an old planter with a mosaic, decorate some kitchenware, or create a completely new item from a broken dish. Do you like the way it turned out?
Perhaps you could discuss and share with one another the experiences you recall of moments in which you had discovered a new ability: Writing your first name, a special drawing you had made, and what else? What other new abilities would you like to discover?
The illustrations in The Gift invite readers to immerse themselves in the book, and be part of Leo’s world: Which animal accompanies Leo? Which animals appear in the illustrations? Which details are taken from the world of children, and which from that of animals? Would you like to make your own drawing following Leo’s?
Which incredible things await you in your pen? You may enjoy dedicating a notebook to drawings, copying words out, or writing down your favorite ones. You could make it a family notebook, in which each member adds their own illustrations and words.
What sort of world is hiding in your pen? Grab a pen and paper to find out! You and your family can take turns adding detail to a shared drawing – a line, circle, character, or item – to create a joint work of art that has come out of a single pen!
You may want to leaf through the book and look at the illustrations together. What can you see out of Shusha’s bedroom window? What can you see out of your child’s bedroom window?
Shusha dreams of being a famous painter. Perhaps you could discuss each of your family members’ talents and dreams.
Shusha has the best time at her grandmother’s. what does your child enjoy doing with their grandparents or uncles and aunts? You may enjoy discussing the uniqueness of their relationship with each member of your extended family, and plan the next time you all get together.
Drawing on walls, as Shusha does, is usually prohibited. You could, however, put a large sheet of paper up on a wall or door to draw on. Perhaps you could add details over time to gradually create your very own family wall painting.
Shusha waves, and the sheep follows suit. You may want to use chalk to outline your child’s shadow in your backyard or on the sidewalk, and return an hour later to the same exact spot, to see how their shadow grows longer and moves in tandem with the sun.
Shusha sees a black sheep in her shadow. Perhaps you could turn off the main lights, and turn on a small lamp to check what kind of shadows form on the walls when we put our fingers or various items between the small light and the wall.
How about visiting an art exhibition at a gallery or museum with your child? Discover which paintings you like best, and whether you and your child have similar taste. You could even pick one or two of your favorite pieces, and learn some fun facts about the artists that painted them.
You may want to read this book together, pause, and ask your child to tell you what they think is happening at that point in the story. How far along were you when you figured out where the grandmother and grandson were going, who the people in the black suits were, and what their cases contained?
A Concert in the Sand
שְׁמִירָה
• The grandmother and grandson in this book are spending time together
The grandmother and grandson in this book are spending time together. A special connection is often forged between children and their grandparents, that is unlike the relationship between parents and children. Can you recall a special time spent with your grandma or grandpa? You may want to share your childhood memories with your child, and discuss their relationship with their grandparents, aunts, or uncles.
The authors depict the concert in the sand through a detective story, in which the grandmother does not tell her grandson where they are headed. Having read the book together, you may want to suggest playing a game in which your child will take you somewhere without disclosing your destination. Your child can prepare clues along the way, much like a treasure hunt.
During the first concert, the orchestra played pieces by Schubert, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and others. What kind of music do you like listening to? Does anyone in your family play a musical instrument, or is learning to play one? Having read this book together, you may also enjoy attending a concert together, or even holding one of your own at home. There are many roles to be played at a family concert – musicians, conductor, and audience.
Not too many people know the story of Bronislaw Huberman. Numerous men and women have been courageous and done great deeds for which they have not become famous. Perhaps you can think of another historical figure that you have heard about or known personally, whose story you would like to share with your child. You could even make a short storybook about them, and send it to us.
You may want to sit close together, read the story, and look at the illustrations. Perhaps you could look for indications of the differences between Leah and Rivka’s life stories. After reading the story for the first time, you may enjoy reading or telling the story together, each of you playing a different role: one of you can be in charge of telling Leah’s life story, the other – Rivka’s.
Leah and Rivka were fluent in many languages, among them music and drawing! Perhaps you could pick one word, an emotion or object, and think of different ways and languages in which to express them – in words, movement, art etc.
How much does your child know about your own childhood? You may want to set up a time for “getting to know one another session”. You could encourage your child to ask you questions, or prepare a scrapbook together of landmarks in yours and your child’s lives – at home, with the family, in the neighborhood with friends.
At the basis of Leah and Rivka’s friendship is their love of music and art. Do you also like to sing? Do you happen to play a musical instrument? You may enjoy making a songbook filled with all your favorite songs, and invite your friends and family to a night of song and dance.
When Leah and Rivka were unable to meet in person, they wrote letters to one another. Perhaps you could suggest that your child pick a friend or family member with whom to correspond. The letters should be handwritten and drawn, and just like old times – put them into envelopes, stick a stamp on, put them in the mailbox, and feel your excitement mount as you wait for a response.
Do you know any other works by Leah Goldberg? You may want to look for more of her stories at home or the local library: The Absent-Minded Guy from Kfar Azar (Hamefuzar Mikfar Azar), Fibber the Storyteller (Mar Guzmay HaBaday), Wonders and Miracles (Nissim VeNiflaot), or her poetry book, What Do the Does Do? (Ma Osot HaAyalot?)
You may want to discuss Amalya’s “magical secret”, which helped her believe in her drawing ability. What made her believe in herself, and how did she help the boy she met at the exhibition believe in his own talent? What do you think happened after the boy signed his drawing? You could try to continue the story.
This story demonstrates the power of encouraging words of reassurance. You could announce the launce of a “pep talk campaign” at home: cut out notes of various colors and sizes, and have all family members write encouraging words and phrases on them. Hang the notes in various places around the house: on the fridge; on the bathroom mirror; in your schoolbag; under your pillow… When your self-esteem drops and fear takes over, all you have to do is look up and remember that a team of cheerleaders is behind each and every one of us.
Every painting starts with a dot: You may want to take a sheet of paper and crayons, and make a joint drawing – the parent starts with a dot, and the child adds another detail, followed by the parent, and so on. At the end of this exercise you will get a shared drawing that each of you made a small contribution towards, which began with a single dot.
Every work of art, be it as small as a dot, can grow and evolve into an entire exhibition. You may enjoy taking your child to an exhibition at a gallery, theater, or museum. Perhaps you could pick a piece your child especially likes, and try to think which point the artist started from, and what they were trying to express.
Amalya’s teacher tells her to “just make a mark, and see what happens”. You may want to remind one another of your child’s or your own achievements that once seemed impossible. How did you overcome the difficulties along the way? Did anyone encourage you to get there? You could tell your child about a person that encouraged you to believe in yourself.
Every mountain climb begins with a single step. What sort of capabilities and talents would you like to develop? Is there a member of your family who can help you get there? What are you able to teach others? Who can you encourage?
To learn more about The Dot and author Peter H. Reynolds, and for more activity ideas, please visit www.peterhreynolds.com/dot
Music 
Workito Breaks the Dishes 
Le Cadeau (The Gift) 
Shusha 
A Concert in the Sand 
Yakinton: A Story about Friendship and Song 
The Dot 
כְּלָלִי
שִׂיחָה
שֵׁמַע
מִשְׂחָק
סִרְטוֹנִים
חֵקֶר
הַמְחָשָׁה
יְצִירָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
הַעֲשָׁרָה
קְרִיאָה
לָצֵאת הַחוּצָה
