You can encourage the toddlers to actively join in reading the story. They can complete rhyming words, accompany the conversation between the animals with facial expressions and proper hand gestures, and make the sounds of the animals appearing in the story.
You can ask the toddlers: What do you like to do on Shabbat? If the family has special preparations for Shabbat, it is worthwhile to tell and share them with the toddler
The book features a bee, a turtle, an ant, a chicken, a cow and a rabbit. Ask the toddlers to identify the various animals in the illustrations in the book and accompany each animal with its unique voice or add other characteristic detail: the bee hums, the rabbit bounces, the turtle crawls slowly, and the cow is mooing.
How to make a turtle with the palm of your hand? Close the palm to a fist and hide the thumb inside. Call the turtle out, take out the thumb and wave it hello. You can create a bunch of turtles with all the palms present at home You can also be a turtle yourself and walk slowly on all fours. Are you tired? Get inside to rest in your “home”.
While reading a story, you can hug each time a new animal joins the group. You can also play the hugging game: move away from each other, count “three, four,” and then run to each other, and hug!
Invite the rest of the family to sit together with you on the couch, on the carpet or on a mattress. You can also include dolls or pets. Sit close together, then further away, and check: how pleasant is the closeness?
This story prompts a discussion about neighbors and relationships: You may enjoy asking one another which neighbors you know, and come up with an activity that would help you get to know a family that lives nearby better. You, parents, are welcome to share stories about the neighbors living near your childhood home: Who were they, and what did you do together?
Knock Knock Knock – Knocking on the Door!
שְׁמִירָה
Pleased to meet you – Getting to know your neighbors
You could, perhaps, prepare something together to give to your neighbors: It could be something to eat, a drawing, or a letter that you could leave by the door. You could even just visit them and ask them how they are doing. And the simplest suggestion of all: Smile when you see your neighbors, and say: “Hi, how are you?” and “Have a great day!”
The characters in this book do lots of fun things at Yael’s house! You could look at the illustrations, choose an activity that interests you, and do it yourself, or with the rest of your family.
The children in this book make a building out of boxes. You can do the same! Find different-sized boxes and build a home from them for yourselves or your toys. Don’t forget to invite your neighbors over to visit!
This book was inspired by the well-known children’s song The Little Bunny [HaShafan HaKatan] by Binyamin Caspi. You may want to ask your child which children’s song this story reminds them of, and then sing and dance together.
Do you have any other favorite children’s songs? You could create a family songbook, and select one to sing together from time to time. You too may be inspired to write a story about it.
Reading both words and illustrations – You may enjoy taking turns reading this book to one another: you can read the words to your child, and then have them tell you the story using the illustrations.
Our table – draw an empty table and choose who to invite over: it can be family and friends, real or imaginary, favorite toys, or characters in books. What would you serve your guests? What do you think would happen when they all meet one another?
Having a friend visit us is exciting. You may want to prepare for the visit together and discuss how to welcome this friend, how to pass the time together when they get here, and what to do if each of you prefers to do something else.
The bunny’s friends thank him, and he uses kind words when speaking to them, like “please”, “so glad you came over”, and “bon appetit!”. When you sit together for a family meal, you could take turns saying kind words to each other: the first begins by giving the one on their right a compliment; the second compliments the third, and so on. The compliment can be about something nice they had done, a good quality they have, having behaved pleasantly, or any other positive thing you can think of. If you look for it, you’ll be sure to find it…
Shabbat in the Forest 
Knock Knock Knock – Knocking on the Door! 
The Bunny who Forgot to Close the Door 
קְרִיאָה
שִׂיחָה
חֵקֶר
הַמְחָשָׁה
סִרְטוֹנִים
קְרִיאָה
שִׂיחָה
מִשְׂחָק
סִרְטוֹנִים
הַשְׁרָאָה
שִׂיחָה
כְּלָלִי
מִשְׂחָק
יְצִירָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
שִׂיחָה
יְצִירָה
חֲגִיגָה
שִׂיחָה
הַשְׁרָאָה
