Rain for us and Noach

Hashem assisted with our lesson on Noach by making an extra rainy week. We know that only Hashem can make the rain, but we made a rainmaker. 

With one of the big cardboard tubes (the same tubes we used here and here), a hammer, and a box of nails, we set to work. 

Each student took a turn hammering nails into the tube. Sometimes I held the nail, sometimes they held it, but the best was when they worked together on it. 
Elazar has a real talent for hammering, maybe a 'real fix-it man' when he grows up. 

Using a hammer is fun and makes the children feel mature and capable, in addition to being a wonderful physical activity. Hammer use is great for working on muscular development, fine motor skills, and eye-hand coordination. 


Although my fingers took a beating, I was touched by the compassion of students when they apologized. Ori was most empathetic as he blew kisses on my fingers after each blow. 

When the tube had enough nails, we closed off one side of it. The children took turns dropping in raw rice and listening to the rain sound. Then we taped the other side closed. We are still adding more nails (the more nails, the more rain-like it sounds as they rice ricochets off each nail) during free time. Soon we will decorate the outside. 

Everyone enjoys 'making it rain'. 

Mashiv ha'ruach u'moreed ha'gashem!