Just You and Me: Songs for Toddlers by Bialik

Reading differently:

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Reading differently: Reading poetry and prose are different experiences. The nursery rhymes in this book are short and catchy, and are accompanied by Shulamit Tzarfati’s joyful and colorful illustrations. You may want to ask your child to leaf through the book, picking a different rhyme each time. As you re-read the book, your child will become familiar with the words, and recite them on their own.

Singing together

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Singing together: Some of the nursery rhymes in this book have been put to music. If you do not know the tunes, you could look them up on the internet, listen to them, and sing along with your child. You could also accompany your singing with simple musical instruments: a tambourine, bell, harmonica, or even two wooden spoons.

Putting on a show

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Putting on a show: You may want to suggest that your child use some toys and stuffed animals to act their favorite rhymes out. You may also enjoy adding some choreography: riding a broomstick while singing “Parash” [Horseman]; setting up a pots & pans band and dancing around to “Makhelat Nognim” [The Band]; or flying like butterflies in the footsteps of “Haperach Laparpar” [The Flower to the Butterfly].

For the chain continues yet

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For the chain continues yet: Do you remember any songs you learned as children? After reading this book, perhaps you could try to remember songs you once knew off by heart, sing them, and introduce them to your children too.

Hayim Nahman Bialik

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Hayim Nahman Bialik (1873–1934) – Israel’s national poet

Hayim Nahman Bialik, one of Hebrew Literature’s greatest contributors in the Modern Era, has greatly impacted Modern Jewish culture. Bialik wrote stories and poems for both children and adults, many of his publications were translated into various languages, and a fair share of his poems put to music. His lifelong achievement was building a bridge between the Hebrew preserved in Jewish literature for thousands of years, and the language reborn at the turn of the 20^th century in Eretz Israel.