Passover for Kids

Participation by the children and the younger generation is very essential during any festival. They bring joy and color to any occasion and hence, their involvement is very vital. The festival of Passover is a unique way to make children and kids learn about the real meaning of life and leading a respectful one at that. It is a way to make them aware of their own customs and traditions and educate them about basic human virtues, like courage, humanity, honesty and most of all, honor. It is only when you respect your own self that you can expect others to do the same. The mind of the young and immature is often like clay, as it can be shaped and molded in any desired way. Pesach aims at making them understand the true meaning of life and lead it in the right way. Read on to know more about the importance of Pesach celebration in the life of children.

Passover Holiday for Kids
A descriptive and eloquent narration of the story of 'The Prince of Egypt' is a great start for educating the children about their inherent culture. The entire story is a narration about the chronicles of Moses and his followers of how they revolted against the tyranny of the Egyptian Pharaohs and their journey to the 'Land of Hope'. It would be even better if you perform an enactment to give a real feeling of the sequence of events. At different stages of the story, there should an explanation about the significance of the events to give them an idea about the underlying meaning. In addition to the Story of Exodus, it is also vital to narrate the story of 'The Four Sons'.

Seder meal is also a great time to provide a vivid idea to the children about the festival and its celebration. Prior to consuming the unleavened bread or matzo, you can tell them that the matzo is the main symbol of the festival, signifying the hurried departure of the Hebrews from Egypt. The urgency of the situation led them to make use of the bread that was flat and not risen, as they did not have time to add the leavening agent. They can also be taught that the term 'Passover' is derived from the final plague of Egypt, where the Lord sent the Angel of Death to kill each and every first born in the land of Egypt. Hebrews were instructed to smear the blood of a lamb over the doorpost of their house, so that the Angel would 'pass over' their house without harming.

Another important facet of educating the children is discussing the consumption of the maror, a bitter herb consisting of either Romaine lettuce or horseradish. This symbolizes the bitterness of slavery in Egypt. Apart from this, give a detailed description of the order of events that has to be followed during the Seder meal. Education and participation of children in discussions is vital no doubt, but equally important is the 'enjoyment factor' and Passover has a lot to promise in this aspect. Playing games is almost mandatory during the festival and a particular attraction among such games is afikoman. It actually involves a piece of matzo that is hidden and the child who finds it first is awarded a prize. Thus, amidst fun and gaiety, the festival of Pesach is celebrated by the young.