Teaching kids Parshas Bereishis the fun way
Ever tried explaining nothing to a four-year-old? Not "nothing to do" nothing, but actual, genuine nothingness. Close your eyes really tight and ask, "What do you see?" That's exactly how Morah Chaya opens her delightful lesson on Parshas Bereishis, and it turns out to be one of the most powerful ways to teach kids the very first story in the Torah.
Why starting with nothing is everything
Before Hashem made the world, there was nothing. Not darkness, not empty space, just nothing at all. For a young child, this idea is almost impossible to picture. So Morah Chaya makes it playful. She has little Shayna squeeze her eyes shut and describe what she sees. The answer? Nothing. And that's the point.
The Torah begins with Bereishis bara Elokim, teaching us that Hashem created the entire world from absolutely nothing. When kids grasp this, even in the simplest way, they're touching one of the deepest yesodos of emunah. Takeaway: Turn abstract ideas into games. A child who "experiences" nothingness will remember the wonder of Creation far longer than one who just hears about it.
One day at a time, one finger at a time
Here's what makes teaching Parshas Bereishis to little ones so joyful. Every one of the six days becomes its own mini-adventure. Day one, light and dark. Day two, the sky up high. Day three, grass, flowers, trees, and yummy oranges. Morah Chaya even has the children hold up fingers to count each day, so their bodies learn along with their minds.
By day four the sun, moon, and stars appear, and Morah Chaya adds a beautiful piece of practical avodah. Next time you walk outside and see the sun shining, say "Thank you, Hashem, for creating the sun." That simple habit plants the seed of hakaras hatov, teaching children early that every good thing in the world comes from Hashem. Our animated Bereishis video for kids brings each of these days to life with song, puppetry, and warmth.
Takeaway: Attach a bracha or a thank-you to something your child sees every day. The sun, a flower, a bird. Gratitude grows best when it's connected to real life.
The world Hashem made so beautiful
Notice how often Morah Chaya says the world is "so beautiful." The flowers, the strawberries, the giraffe with its long neck, the lion with its loud roar. She's not just listing creations. She's teaching children to look at Hashem's world with delight.
There's real depth here. When we appreciate the beauty of what was given to us, we become receivers who recognize the Giver. Rabbi Dessler taught that a person can train himself to be a giver or a taker, and it starts with noticing all that we've received. A child who says "Thank you, Hashem, for oranges" is quietly learning to be a giver. Takeaway: Point out one beautiful thing in nature each day and name Hashem as its Maker.
And then came Shabbos
After six days of creating, Hashem rested. And so do we. Morah Chaya calls Shabbos "our most special day," and you can hear the excitement in her voice as she mentions kiddush, challah, and lighting candles. For young children, connecting the story of Creation to the Shabbos they experience every week makes the Torah feel alive and personal.
This is the gift of teaching Parshas Bereishis well. The child doesn't just hear about a rest on the seventh day thousands of years ago. He realizes that his own Shabbos table is part of that very same story. Takeaway: This Friday night, remind your child that we rest on Shabbos because Hashem rested after making the whole world.
Bring it home today
Ready to make Parshas Bereishis stick? Here are five things you can do right now.
Play the "nothing" game. Have your child close their eyes and describe the nothingness Hashem created from. It's a giggly, powerful lesson in emunah.
Count the days on your fingers. Hold up one finger for day one, all the way to six, and add Shabbos as the special seventh. Kids love the motion.
Say a daily thank-you. Pick something your child sees often, the sun or a tree, and thank Hashem for it together every day.
Go on a beauty hunt. Walk outside and find three beautiful things Hashem made. Name Him as the Maker of each one.
Connect Creation to Shabbos. This week, tell your child that our Shabbos completes the story of Bereishis, just like Hashem's rest completed the world.
The story of Creation begins with nothing and ends with everything, including the Shabbos we cherish. When we teach our little ones Parshas Bereishis this way, we're not just telling a story. We're handing them wonder, gratitude, and emunah, one finger at a time.
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