Beth Emeth Early Childhood Center (BEECC)

BEECC is excited to announce that registration is officially open for the 2025-2026 school year! Whether you’re seeking a connection to Jewish traditions or simply a nurturing preschool, BEECC is a place where children thrive, families connect, and everyone feels welcome. Contact us at [email protected] to schedule your tour today!

Come out and see us this morning at the MAEVE Preschool Showcase at United Christian Parish in Reston! We'll be here until 12:00pm.

What fun we had at Hanukkah at the J: Community Menorah Lighting tonight!

We spent the week immersing ourselves in Hanukkah . . . tasting latkes and sufganiyot, spinning the dreidel, and creating our own Hanukkiot to light when we celebrate with our families. We wrapped up the week with a special family Hanukkah Sing Along, more sufganiyot and making lanterns to really "let our light shine." Now we're ready for winter break . . .

The playground is one of our favorite features here at BEECC, and this week we're getting a long-awaited update. Stay tuned!

With Hanukkah quickly approaching, we began to talk about the significance of light. We discussed the color of light, observed how shining the light through translucent colored blocks changes the color of the world around us, and experimented with how shadows change in size and shape depending on the angle of the light source. There is just something magical about playing with light and shadow! We can't wait to continue our exploration next week.

You may have heard the term "process vs. product" when it comes to art . . . but, what does that mean? Process art is all about the child, their engagement, their exploration, their experiment. It's open-ended, there is no right or wrong, just go with the flow and see what happens. In contrast, product art is all about the end result. A preconceived idea that follows the steps in order to produce the desired outcome which looks nearly identical to every other student in the class.

Which sounds more fun to you, process or product? At BEECC, it's always all about the process. It allows them to become true artists, gives them the freedom to express themselves and fosters the curiosity needed to develop their own unique style. Now that sounds fun to us!

It seems that winter has decided to show up (at least for now) and we're embracing the chill in the air at BEECC! Yes, children CAN play outside in the cold . . . and they love it.

Help BEECC Raise Some Dough Tomorrow!
Wednesday, December 4 @ Mod Pizza, 10:30 am - 11:00 pm
Bring your friends and family, grab a delicious pizza for lunch or dinner and help BEECC raise some dough! Visit the Plaza America MOD Pizza location or order online (using code MODGIVES25). Remember to mention the fundraiser at checkout! MOD Pizza will donate 25% of your purchase to BEECC.

Yesterday we noticed that one of the large trees near our playground had fallen during a storm. Curious, we eagerly made our way over to examine the rough bark, sprawling roots, evergreen leaves, and (of course) the muddy puddle left behind in the ground. Touching the roots, finding worms and splashing in the mud were such great fun!

The best part of a child-led philosophy of learning is that our projects are inspired by the students themselves.

Yesterday the students decided they wanted to draw on paper towels, creating beautiful patterns of dots. While everyone was busy with their artwork, I popped my head into the classroom to say hello and asked if they were planning to get the paper towel art wet. Intrigued, they eagerly grabbed spray bottles and misted the paper towels to see what would happen.

With the first spritz of water, the colors began to mix creating a tie dye effect. As they experimented, they talked about how many spritzes were too much, too little and just right. We learned that while three spritzes were not enough, five spritzes were perfect.

After reading "Pumpkin Jack" (the story of a beloved pumpkin that begins to rot and a young boy's observations as he watches it decompose in the garden throughout the seasons) earlier this month, we decided to delve into the science behind decomposition. Our very own Pumpkin Rose was placed in a glass jar and our science experiment began!

This week we gathered around Rose's jar and noticed that she was starting to look a little different. We can't to see what more we'll learn from Rose's decomposition journey!

Torah for Tots is back at Congregation Beth Emeth this Saturday, November 16! Join members of our Early Childhood Education team to see, hear, touch, smell and taste the joy of Shabbat at our interactive celebration for young children and their grown-ups. We’ll sing, dance, hear stories, eat challah and so much more!

Our Pre-K class can't get enough of fall. This week we've been investigating leaves . . . reading about leaves, identifying leaves on our nature walks, collecting leaves and creating art with leaves. Of course, we had to take a break for some fun jumping into the piles of leaves too!

We're busy embracing the magic of fall with open arms (and curious minds) at BEECC!. From falling leaves to bright orange pumpkins, we've been joyfully exploring the endless opportunities for discovery, creativity, and hands-on learning that the season brings.

After not being together on Shabbat for several weeks during High Holidays, today was extra special as our friends and families joined us in the sanctuary for the first time this year. The joy of coming together to share laughter, Torah stories, songs and, of course, challah made this Shabbat an unforgettable experience!