Using Audio Visual for Jewish Learning with Kol HaSefer

Siddur Shma Koleinu interactive siddur photo courtesy Kol HaseferFor Mitzvot Unplugged, we enjoy all types of creative tools for learning. Here are additional “technical” aids in learning from Kol HaSefer.

There is a reason ganim teach kids songs when learning. Besides being fun, songs often make it easier to remember material or things that kids need to memorize. Kids also enjoy being able to choose songs they have learned or teach others those songs.

We have been enjoying Kol HaSefer‘s range of interactive audio-visual books to learn Tefilla (prayer), about the Chagim (holidays) and about Israel.

For Prayer

In a guest post for last year’s Mitzvot Unplugged Kol Hasefer’s siddur was briefly mentioned as a learning tool. We love this siddur as both a way to learn the words of tefillot as well as a way to discuss some ideas in the tefillot. We have had this book for a number of years and ended up separating the book part from the audio part both due to hard use and convenience when traveling. This one tends to be used more by my three year old. My seven year old really only uses it when she wants to help her sibling say the bedtime Shma or when she’s “making a gan”.

Shir Al Haderech photo courtesy Kol Hasefer

Recently we received as gifts, some of the other books produced by Kol HaSefer. These other books have been popular with my kids and their friends up to at least eight years old as well as some adults.

Page from Shir Al Haderech photo courtesy Kol Hasefer

Songs of Israel

This time of year Kol HaSefer‘s Shir Al Haderech, has been particular useful as it is a short history of Israel in songs and photos. Both my three year old and my seven year old love this and both have asked about pictures in the book. As some are archival images, we can talk about the history behind the pictures and the songs. My first grader can read the words to the songs while my three year old asks me to explain the words and historic recording included.

Kol HaSefer for Holidays

The Chagim VShirim (Festivals and Songs) book came in handy recently in teaching songs for Lag B’Omer (Bar Yochai) and Shavuot, although I will admit that we tend to hear Purim and Pesach songs quite a bit too as my three year old likes them the best.

From Shir Al Haderech- Yerushalayim Shel Zahav

Advice

One piece of advice about these books, and any books like them, is to use stickers or tape to cover the amplifier. Kids audio toys tend to be a little bit too loud for adults. In particular, when children love to play the same song over and over again. A simple fix is to coveer the speaker with some adhesive or colorful stickers. This makes the sound levels much more bearable for adults.

 

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