March at Preschool of the Arts

By Ettie Zaklos, Preschool of the Arts Founder & Director

March felt like one long joyous celebration at Preschool of the Arts. And why wouldn’t it? Purim was in the air! Our school community joined together early in the month in grand fashion with an elaborate “Purim in Candyland” mega-party that was enjoyed by all. The well-attended holiday event welcomed the Greater Naples community to visit a life-size Candyland board with all the trimmings — lollipops, gumballs and chocolate fountain included. There was even a real train to take us around the campus-sized board. It was definitely our sweetest Purim ever!

In our classrooms, children got well into the spirit of the festivities, dressing up in costumes, singing Purim songs and baking hamantashen. In art class, the children designed and decorated beautiful baskets that they filled with yummy goodies. The children then gifted their basket to a friend in the Purim custom of Mishloach Manot, encouraging sharing, giving and friendship.

Many of the holiday themes and values our school shares with the children stem from our tradition. The Purim story is told in the Book of Esther, the only book of the Bible that does not contain the name nor any reference to G-d. It seems as if the Jewish victory over Haman was due to wonderful coincidences and ordinary good luck. But G-d often works in ways that are not apparent, in ways that appear to be chance. It is up to us to uncover that “hidden-ness” of the Divine/human relationship and acknowledge its place in our lives.

Taking this message to human relationships — friendships and even strangers — we share a world together and it is wonderful to take the time to acknowledge the connections we have with each other. Purim reminds us that there is always a special relationship to celebrate. All we need to do is stop, think about it and tap into it. And that’s what Purim asks of us. To stop and think about the people dear to us and show our appreciation. We give each other gifts of food to express our gratitude for the relationship.

Here at Preschool of the Arts, we are a family. We share common goals and aspirations for our children and know the value of creating relationships. at is why March also hosted one of our most popular events of the year — Grandparents Day! Grandparents and special friends joined us for a “Touch-A-Truck Party,” a wonderful interactive day of fun and inspiring activities to nurture that special intergenerational bond. There were truck activities of all sizes, from a real-life car wash to a mini-city filled with every truck imaginable.

Our school body has grown significantly over the years, but we always work to maintain an intimate experience for our dear grandparents so that they can really connect with their grandchildren. The program focused on facilitating hands-on memorable experiences for the grandparents and children to play together, creating magical “touch”ing moments that are sure to last a lifetime.

We know that being a grandparent is one of the greatest gifts in life and we were honored to recognize the special role grandparents play in their grandchildren’s lives. Throughout the day, we were inspired to witness the overwhelming pride and joy on all our grandparents’ faces, beaming as the children demonstrated their tremendous accomplishments and growth. Most wonderful of all was the way the children burst with pride, as each one felt special and loved. It is truly only grandparents who can bring so much joy!

Want to find out more about the Jay and Patty Baker Preschool of the Arts? Please visit our website at Naples PreschooloftheArts@gmail.com or call 239-263-2620.

The grand masquerade at POTA had children dressed to the nines in costumes galore!

The Chabad of Naples and Preschool of the Arts Purim bash was a magical "Candyland" party filled with the sweetest treats and the sweetest community we could ever imagine!