TEMPLE BETH HILLEL PARENT AND ME CLASSES

Parent and Me offers a special opportunity for parents and children to spend special time together in a supportive and nurturing environment.  We offer a variety of classes for children from 3 months old, through age 2 years-nine months, and their parents.  Each class is designed to meet the developmental and social needs of the child and to give parent and child a chance to play together as they explore indoor and outdoor environments and a wide variety of hands-on learning activities.  Classes meet throughout the year and most are held in the Feldman Horn Mercaz.

Claudine Douglas is our Transition teacher and a Parent & Me facilitator. She has almost 20 years experience as an educator.  She taught elementary school for many years, including seven years as a Kindergarten teacher.  She has been a master teacher, teaching mentor and curriculum writer.  She has an extensive background in Early Childhood Education.  For the past five years, Claudine has been teaching enrichment programs, Transition and Parent & Me classes right here at Temple Beth Hillel.

Shanti Greenspan is our Friday, "Shabbat Is Here!...and much, much more!!" facilitator.  Shanti has been a Temple Beth Hillel Early Childhood and Religious School Teacher and has developed and presented cooking enrichment programs.  Recently, Shanti has been at home with her young son, Jacob, but is now ready to come back to Temple Beth Hillel to share her love of Judaism with all of us.

The following is a brief description of each class offered:

"My Baby & Me"

(3 to 11 months) Thursdays 9:15 am - 10:15 am                                

        This Parent & Me class is about the new and exciting developmental stages that happen during the first year of life.  Watch your baby grow in their awareness of the world around them as they are exposed to the pleasure and joy of music and infant creative movement using songs and simple instruments (when appropriate).  What a wonderful opportunity to share concerns and experiences with other parents and also to enjoy a special time with your baby in a relaxed, supportive and nurturing Jewish environment.  Our class facilitator, Claudine Douglas, has an extensive background in early education and almost 20 years experience working closely with children and families in a variety of educational ways.  This class is one hour in length.

"Lets Start With The Arts"

Younger Toddler (12 to 16 months) Thursdays 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

This engaging toddler class is an extension of our wonderful Baby & Me class, but, with more hands on activities in the visual arts.  We will use storytelling to promote language skills and dramatic play.  Music and instruments will be used to experiment with rhythm and movement in fun and silly ways.  You and your child will get the opportunity to get messy using a variety of art materials, helping to promote creativity while building fine motor skills.  We will be experimenting with paint, making a collage, dancing with scarves, exploring literature and much more.  Even snack time will be a time  for discovery.  Like our other Parent & Me classes, each class includes exploration for your child which will stimulate interest in their ever changing world and time for you to meet other parents that live in our community.  Parent discussions will be led by Claudine Douglas, our experienced educator.  She has an extensive background in early childhood development.  This class is 90 minutes in length.

"Little Explorers" - Getting Messy with Art & Science

Older Toddler (17 to 24 months) Mondays 9:30 am - 10:45 am
2-Year-Old+ (24 months & older) Mondays 11:00 am -12:15 pm

       Our "Worldly Chefs" classes taught by Claudine Douglas, are all about enjoying the fun of food.  Studies show that kids are more likely to eat food that they have been engaged in preparing.  This class will inspire kids and parents to get in the kitchen together.  This is an engaging class that promotes awareness of other cultures with a dash of geography.  Every parent and child will experience the fun of cooking, getting messy and eating some yummy foods while we "visit" other countries.  We will start off by visiting Israel and creating some tasty Jewish holiday treats.  Other international cooking experiences will include: visiting China and learning about the festival of the moon and making moon cakes, visiting Poland and making noodle kugel, visiting France and making crepes, and much more.  Your child will also have the opportunity to socialize and play with other toddlers in the stimulating and age-appropriate environment of Temple Beth Hillel's Parent & Me room.  Snack, free play, and the opportunity to meet other parents that live in our community will be included.  This class is 1 hour and fifteen minutes in length.

"Parent & Me Science"

Older Toddler (17 to 24 months) Wednesdays 9:30 am - 10:45 am
2-Year-Old+ (24 months & older) Wednesdays 11:00 am - 12:15 pm

Our "Little Explorers" classes, taught by Claudine Douglas, are about the wonderful discovery of art and science.  During this fun and exciting hands-on class everyone, parent and child, will become scientists and also enjoy hands-on activities in the visual arts.  During the science part of this class, we will explore, experiment, and get messy.  Children are encouraged to use their tactile and sensory-motor capabilities, exposing children to many scientific concepts.  For the art part of this class, we will use story telling to promote language skills and dramatic play.  Music and instruments will be used to experiment with rhythm and movement in fun and silly ways.  You and your child will get the opportunity to get messy using a variety of art materials, helping to promote creativity while building fine motor skills.  Your child will also have the opportunity to socialize and play with other toddlers in the stimulating and age-appropriate environment of Temple Beth Hillel's Parent & Me room.  Snack, free play, and the opportunity for parents to meet other parents with young children that live in our community, will be included.  This class is 1 hour and fifteen minutes in length.

 "Shabbat Is Here"...and much, much more!!

(17 months and older) Fridays 9:30 am - 11:00 am             

 This Friday class, taught by Shanti Greenspan, is a wonderful way to introduce your child to the joys of Shabbat, and also to the many Jewish holidays celebrated during the school year.  Parent and child will celebrate Shabbat with a "candle lighting", Shabbat blessings, challah and juice.  Jewish stories, songs, music, movement, arts and crafts and cooking projects will be included in this class. 

Your child will also have the opportunity to socialize and play with other children in the stimulating and age-appropriate environment of Temple Beth Hillel's Parent and Me room.  Free play and the opportunity for parents to meet other parents with young children that live in our community, will be included.  This class is 90 minutes in length.

Transition

Tuesdays 9:30 am - 11:30 am
Fridays 9:30 am - 11:30 am

        This class is designed  to make the transition into pre-school a smooth process and is for the child beginning our Nursery School the following session.  During this class, children will be  introduced to a Nursery School environment and will learn how to follow a simple school routine.  Children work with their teacher, Claudine Douglas, on various cognitive, social, emotional and small and gross motor activities designed for this specific age group.  During this class, parent and child have an opportunity to separate, helping the child become independent and to experience a sense of security and success.  This class is 2 hours in length.