Creature Comforts
Friendly Animals Help Preschool Talmidim Thrive
Mrs . Yocheved Bender , assistant director of the Harriet Keilson Early Childhood Center , and Mrs . Leah Davidowitz , the Early Childhood social worker , found the beginning of the school year following the Coronavirus pandemic particularly challenging . “ So many children suffered from anxiety , perhaps because of Covid ,” says Mrs . Davidowitz . “ They were afraid to come on the bus , or to school . Some resisted instructions or threw tantrums .”
An unexpected remedy presented itself that year during the week of Parshas Noach , when the preschool traditionally brings in a traveling farm from Upstate New York to show the children domesticated animals such as sheep , a cow , goats , and chicks . “ The most difficult , defiant kids transformed ! They were calm and smiling !” Mrs . Bender says .
Inspired , the two women ordered baby chicks and eggs that hatch within a month . The children were entranced . Phone calls poured in with offers of hamsters and bunnies .
Seeing how attached the children became to the chicks , Mrs . Bender and Mrs . Davidowitz imagined it would be wonderful to have a dedicated animal room . While many staff were skeptical , the Rosh HaYeshiva encouraged them . “ It will be a game changer ,” he predicted .
An intern was hired to care for the animals and staff the room , which was set up with books , beanbag chairs , sensory toys , and arts and crafts supplies . The intern brings the animals into the classrooms , stimulating social interaction among reticent children and eliciting empathy for the animals ’ feelings . Children who were previously afraid overcome their fears to hold them . Animal time has become a coveted reward for good behavior , and the children take turns taking the animals home , learning responsibility .
The staff reached out to the owner of a gentle therapy dog trained for hospital visits with children . Her visit to the Yeshiva with the dog was a huge success .
“ We had two kids with selective mutism who were so excited in the animal room that they began speaking ,” Mrs . Davidowitz says . “ It speeded up their progress immensely .” Other boys who refused to go into yeshiva were lured in by the promise of time there . Mrs . Davidowitz jokes , “ The animals are sometimes more effective than my 19 years of experience !”
“ It ’ s exciting for the children , but also calms them ,” Mrs . Bender says . “ They behave better , socialize better , and learn so much .”
BEDARCHEI HATORAH WINTER 5784 / 2024 19