Playing About Purim: Part 4

Purim is just around the corner! There is a lot of activity that precedes the holiday as we pack up shalach manos (gifts of food), prepare our costumes and, this year, get ready for Shabbat as well. Once the holiday begins, there are four very special mitzvos we must do:

1. Hear the Megillah (Book of Esther) read two times
2. Give matanos le'evyonim (extra charity to those in need)
3. Give shalach manos (gifts of food) 
4. Eat a seuda (festive meal)

We used some great books, posters and visual aids like the one pictured to the right to teach our son about the four mitzvos of Purim. The very best way he will learn about them, however, is by practicing, playing about them and actually doing them! One mitzvah my son is most excited about is giving shalach manos to his friends. The mitzvah itself requires a person to give at least one gift of two types of ready-to-eat foods to another Jew. Many families get really into this mitzvah and give quite elaborate and creative packages. Needless to say, there are a lot of treats and sweets this time of year!

My husband and I were up a bit late last night putting together the bulk of our outgoing shalach manos.

Table Time this morning was an empty bag just for my little one and some extra stickers for decorating it! Now that he's napping, I have stashed some special Purim treats inside for him to open on Purim day...

He has been so excited to pack up and give shalach manos and was very eager this morning to take a trip with me to pick out a basket and some treats to go inside of it for his Tatty. He first chose a bright pink wicker basket (which I am SURE my husband would love!) and then saw this one that looked like a soccer ball! We perused the aisles looking for foods with a kosher symbol to put inside. We picked out some foods that are "sometimes snacks" or "treats" and some healthier options as well. With so much nosh this time of year, moderation can be a hard standard to maintain. We try to balance the fun and novelty of a holiday that comes just once a year with our responsibility to simultaneously make sure no one ends up with an awful belly ache. When we got home, I set out a sorting and packing activity in our "Shalach Manos Shoppe." The shop had three posters depicting three types of foods (over which 3 different brachos (blessings) would be made). He got right to shopping and packing, filling the basket with some sweets, dried fruits, fresh fruits, sparkling cider and, of course, a hamentash! He is so eager to give it to his Tatty that I doubt if he will be able to wait for Purim to begin after Shabbos...

When we had finished, he really wanted to do more. Initially I had thought I would involve him the packing process of all our shalach manos and then I thought twice about how it might go to have a table strewn with candy, cookies, snacks, and juice that are not all for him and not all for right now... I opted in the end to offer him the opportunity to decorate his very own shalach manos bag and to fulfill the mitzvah by packing one just for his Tatty. I decided a play activity would be a great way to allow him the opportunity to continue working in our Shalach Manos Shoppe and set out a selection of foods from his kitchen set in the sorting center along with a basket to fill. He had a lot of fun playing and traveling back and forth between his kitchen area and the table to gather more items, empty and fill the basket again.

This is such a fun and festive time of year! We've had a lot of fun learning and playing here and there is surely more to come with such a big weekend ahead. And just as soon as the rattling of graggers and sugar high hangovers pass by, it will be time to start preparing for Pesach. It surely is a busy time and, as such, we will likely be making space and time to slow down the routine a bit and play through our preparations. In that merit, wishing all who observe it a Good Shabbos and Freilichen Purim and, of course, happy playing!