Purim is coming!

Lena has to dress up for preschool tomorrow-- Purim Parade time!  And the clergy at WRT are of course putting together a HILARIOUS comedy for our Sunday morning audience... so I guess it's time to start thinking about everyone's favorite holiday: Purim!

It's a favorite because it's fun, and it's really just about having fun.  Even the book of Esther which we read on Purim is a kind of comedy (can you believe there's comedy in the bible????).  There's easy humor to see, with simple, exaggerated characters put in crazy situations in a high court.  Add some horseplay and funny misunderstandings and you've got some really funny stuff that even the little ones can get into.

So here's a few ideas about how to get little ones excited about Purim:

(From Felicia Block):  Read the story of Purim at home and give each kid something to bang on when Haman's name is read!  Gets them ready for hearing the Purim story in shul this year or later.  And it's just fun (which is what it's all about, right?)

Play dress-up:  No scary Halloween costumes here, just royal kings, queens, court figures, happy times.  What preschooler doesn't like dressing up?  You can make masks and crowns yourself using glitter, feathers, lots of messy stuff.

Make Hamentaschen and give them as shalach manot to friends, families, and places that accept food donations.  My favorite flavor is poppy seed by the way.  And chocolate/ apricot together.

 Make your own Purim play, using finger puppets or paper-bag dramatics, whatever is your family's style.

And if you're around Scarsdale on Sunday Feb 38th be sure to come to WRT's Purim for a Purpose:  Megillah Reading and Family Purim Spiel at 9:45, Carnival and lunch at 11:15.  Carnival admission will support local organizations and charities.  Here's some pictures from a few years ago (I was pregnant with Lena there).

Now I have to get back to my Hamentaschen-making...  anyone have any good recipes for a non-baker and her almost-3-year-old??