Islamic Art is a subject that is often overlooked when developing our curriculum, especially with today’s focus on technology. The arts are really essential for growing minds to help our children engage with their personal and cultural understanding. I can help build key skills such as critical and creative thinking as well as developing their fine and gross motor skills. Above all, taking some time to create something from the heart is a wonderful way to glorify Allah (SWT) who created us.
In Episode 85 of the Raising Mums podcast, I talk to Wajiha Khalil, creator, and teacher at Sacred Art Workshops.
Wajiha Khalil is a mother of three boys, a multidisciplinary artist, and a student of sacred knowledge. Through Sacred Art Workshops, she conveys Islamic knowledge to children through visual art and creative discovery. Her process strives to bring an integrated sense of understanding through engaging projects that create a memorable experience, not only beautiful art – but an inspired and curious heart.
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to choose the right subjects for your homeschool, how to choose the right resources, and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family. Whether you are homeschooling in the UK, or elsewhere in the world, this programme will help you give your children an incredible education at home.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to know to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
Eid al-Adha is almost here! We can use this special time to teach our kids what Hajj is and why it is so wonderful. Use these activities to not only teach your kids about this amazing journey, but to create meaningful memories and experiences.
We can sometimes feel like our time for worship is diminished when we are doing chores or taking care of the kids. However, teaching them about Hajj can be filled with rewards when done with the right intention.
What is Hajj?
Abu Hurairah narrated that he heard Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) say:
“Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any obscenity or transgression will return [free from sins] as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Al-Bukhari)
Hajj is one of the five basic pillars of Islam, and it happens once every year during the month of Dhul Hijjah. Muslims from all over the world make their way to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. Each Muslim must make this journey at least once in their lifetime, if they are able. Therefore, 10 days of this special month are celebrated by Muslims around the world in recognition of those performing Hajj.
However, just because you’re not making the blessed journey yourself, doesn’t mean you and your family can’t honour the pilgrimage at home.
Try these Hajj-themed activities to teach your kids what Hajj is and why it is so special.
Sensory Activities
Hajj Sensory Bins
These sensory bins from The Muslimah Guideare easy to make and fun to explore. Find stones to throw at the jamaraat with the Muzdalifah bin, pour water using the Zam Zam bin, and use the Safa’ and Marwah bin to tell your kids the story of baby Ismail.
Finger print painting
This activity designed by Muslim Kid Genius will show the wonderful diversity which exists within the tawaf ritual. Little ones will love getting their fingers in some paint! As a result, you can teach them about the unity of Muslims from all backgrounds walking around the Kabah together.
What is a Hajj lesson without a Kabah activity? Using teamwork and the many cardboard boxes we save “just in case”, build your very own Kabah using this papier mâché method. You could use this Kabah for the tawaf ritual during the role play activity below. Scroll down for details!
Mixed media Picture
Mixed media pictures are wonderfully fun to make, because you can literally use anything to fill your picture with texture. Little ones will particularly enjoy this activity, and even your older kids will be pretty impressed with the results. Check out this amazing picture from A Muslim Child is Born.
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Discuss with your little ones the various ways someone can travel to Makkah. Explain how the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions travelled from Madinah to Makkah before we had planes and cars! Your kids can use various art supplies such as pastels, paints, and collage materials to make these transportation colouring pages fun and creative!
Tracing pages
Train those fine motor skills by giving younger kidsthese tracing pages from Muslim Learning Garden. You can discuss tawaf, pelting stones at the jamaraat, the tents in Mina and even the run between Mounts Safa’ and Marwah.
Reading time
An activity as effective as it is timeless, reading will always be a joy for your kids when you get involved. There are so many kids’ books online which cover the Hajj pilgrimage in a fun and beautiful way.
Give old treasure maps a creative spin and talk to your kids about the different locations which are so important to the Hajj pilgrimage. Plus, you could use these maps in the role play activity below! Scroll down for details.
Kabah paperclip bookmark
This activity from A Crafty Arab is brilliant because not only can your kids have a lot of fun making these paperclip bookmarks, they will make wonderful little Eid gifts from your kids to other family members.
Mosaic art
Teach your kids the wonders of mosaic art as they learn the patience and perseverance it takes to make something truly amazing!These Hajj-themed pictures will make great gifts. Plus, what child doesn’t like getting glue on their fingers?
Foam pilgrims
Image Credit: helloholydays.com
Teach your kids about ihram (the garment pilgrims wear on Hajj) by making these amazing foam pilgrims from Hello Holy Days. Your kids could use them as props for role play or when using their Hajj displays from the activity above.
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Group Activities
Role play
Get the whole family involved and role play the rituals of Hajj,just like this post from Multicultural Motherhood. This can be done inside or outside. If you’re inside, use a different room for each location. Use your maps and your papier mâché Kabah from the activities above!
Using these 4 challenges from The Muslimah Guide, let your older kids put their engineering skills to work. Using these challenges as a guide, you can have a Hajj-themed building competition. Complete with prizes, of course!
Family Quiz
It’s time to put all your Hajj knowledge to the test – as a family. Host a Family Quiz Night using these questions from Education Quizzes. Switch up the fun by letting your kids hold the question cards and test YOUR knowledge!
The most important aspect of this special time is to have fun with your kids. Use these activities to create positive associations with Islamic learning and bond at the same time.
If you try any of these activities with your kids, make sure youtake a photo and share it on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #ourmuslimhomeschool so I can see it!
Imam Abu Bakr al-Warraq said: “In the month of Rajab you sow the seeds, in Sha`ban you irrigate them and in Ramadan you reap the harvest.”
One of the most momentous nights in Rajab, and perhaps ever in the history of creation, is Laylatul Miraj – The Night Journey!
On a side-note: If you’re looking for a resource to teach young children about the Hijri calendar, I would recommend the Islamic Months Book by Shade 7 publishing.
The Story of the Night Journey
On this incredible journey, Prophet Muhammad travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem on the Buraq. Ascending the heavens, he met eight prophets in the seven heavens. Each prophet greeted Prophet Muhammad with, “Welcome, O’ pious Prophet and pious brother!” (Bukhari)
Finally, he entered the presence of the Divine, and after going back and forth between Allah and Prophet Musa (as), he was ultimately given the command of the five daily prayers.
If you are unfamiliar with the story, you can find retelling of it on YouTube to play to your children … like THIS ONE!
Once your children have become familiar with the story, it’s time to get crafty and recreate the Prophet’s (pbuh) journey with this Miraj Ladder!
Isra wal Miraj Activity
To teach our children about the Night Journey – Laylatul Miraj, we chose a hands-on craft project that kids of all ages could take part in.
This Miraj Ladder, helps to visually depict the journey our beloved Prophet (pbuh) took. It shows his journey from the Masjid al-Aqsa, Jerusalem through the seven heavens, and into the presence of Allah (swt).
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Miraj Craft Supplies
For this Islamic art project you will need the following:
1. Begin by setting out nine separate sheets of watercolour paper
2. Paint each sheet a separate colour using your watercolours. You may want to do a rainbow or an ombre effect, or just allow your children to choose!
Use this as an opportunity for your children to learn about mixing colours. It’s so much fun!
Allow the paint to fully dry before moving onto the next step.
3. Take your cardboard and cut it into a rectangular shape. This is the template you will be using for the rungs of the ladder. We choose to round the edges of our rectangles, but feel free to get creative with your own design!
4. Draw around your template on each of the coloured papers. You may wish to do a few extras in case the children make mistakes in future steps.
5. Cut out these rectangular rungs carefully with scissors.
6. Place the rungs of the ladder in the order and, using a permanent marker, write the following in Arabic or English.
Allah
Ibrahim
Musa
Haroon
Idris
Yusuf
Yahya and Esa
Adam
Masjid al-Aqsa
For young children, I would advise you allow them to write it in pencil first, in case they make a mistake, before using the permanent markers.
7. Using your hole-punch, make two holes on either end of each rectangle.
8. Thread the string/ribbon through these holes, carefully piecing together your Miraj ladder.
This is a great opportunity for young children to develop their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.
Seeing it all come together at this stage is so much fun!
9. Finish by tying the ends into a neat bow, and securing the string at the back of each rung with clear selo-tape.
There you have it! A finished Miraj Ladder for your children to display and enjoy!
Simplify it further!
If your pressed for time and want to make this craft even easier to do:
Use coloured card for the rungs of the ladder, instead of painting.
Write the names for your children, and simply ask them to put them in order.
Glue the rungs of the ladder to a large piece of paper, instead of threading them onto string.
The miracle of the Miraj is perhaps second only to the Miracle of the Quran itself!
What an incredible opportunity we have as parents to share it with our children!
With fun activities like this, you can help your children to form strong connections to the Seerah of the Prophet (pbuh) and the Islamic tradition.
If you decide to try this craft with your children, make sure you take a photo and share it on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #ourmuslimhomeschool, so that I can see it!
Praying you all have a beautiful and successful Rajab.
Peace and Love,
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Picture study is one of the easiest components of a Charlotte Mason education to incorporate into your homeschool curriculum. You do not need to know anything yourself about art, or art history. I repeat …You do NOT need to know ANYTHING about art or art history to begin. All you need is knowledge of the method and a few worthy resources.
Why is Picture Study important?
In today’s society, the importance of the arts has been superseded by STEM and the other sciences. We have lost touch with the great artistic masters of past. Now, the masses only see fragments, distorted reproductions of the original genius of these men and women. For most of us, the only exposure we get to great art might be a coffee shop using the Mona Lisa in it’s logo, or a travel advert for Japan using a work of art by Hokusai.
Many of us will have heard of Leonardo Da Vinci, or Claude Monet, and will have seen their art used in advertisements on billboards and the TV, but have little to draw upon from our own education.
Just as the great works of literature give us glimpses in the the mighty thoughts of the world’s great authors, so too picture study can give us insight into the ideas and minds of those artists. It puts children in touch with worthy ideas and inspires them with something more than modern life can offer.
” We cannot measure the influence that one or another artist has upon the child’s sense of beauty, upon his power of seeing, as in a picture, the common sights of life; he is enriched more than we know in having really looked at a single picture.” – Charlotte Mason
Picture study offers our children a store of images in their mind, to balance out the media’s influence and attempt to monopolize their senses.
Picture study also:
Improves a child’s power of observation
Develop a sense of beauty
Connects them with an artist of a piece of art
Helps them to form opinion about art and their own taste in it
Encourages them to draw and be creative themselves
How to do Picture Study
From the ages of 6 to 15 Charlotte Mason recommended that children become acquainted with at least thirty of the world’s most famous artists.
I have filmed a short video, showing glimpses into our own Picture study lesson, in the hope that it will make what is written here clearer.
WATCH THIS VIDEO!
First begin by choosing the artist you wish them to study. In our first year, we began with Leonardo Da Vinci as it was easy to find the resources we needed, and I was slightly familiar with his work.
However, please remember, you do not need to know ANYTHING about the artist before you begin. In fact, it will only add to your enjoyment of this subject, as you find yourself learning alongside the children.
Examples of artists to study include:
Van Gogh
Claude Monet
Hokusai
Leonardo Da Vinci
Cezanne
Georgia O’Keeffe
The next step is to find six works of art by that artist for that school term, and studying three different artists per year.
Display one of those pieces in front of your children, and ask them to look at it closely, in silence. Allow them plenty of time to, not only absorb it, but to think and ponder over it. Then, when they are finished, hide the art from them and ask them to describe it.
Try your best not to prompt them with leading questions, like “What colour was her dress?” or “What was the weather like?” Just simply say, ” Tell me about it.” They will almost certainly not remember everything, but they don’t need to. By narrating in this way, they are performing a much higher thought process; of observing, processing, recalling and articulating those thoughts in their own words.
Artwork on display during school day
If you prompt too much, you are in danger of having your children become dependent on your questions, like we often see in school comprehension worksheets and multiple choice questions. Allow your children to think for themselves.
If your child is not used to narration, and is struggling to recall it or articulate his thoughts, then let him see the painting as he narrates. It is difficult skill to develop, so take it slow and try to keep the atmosphere joyful.
For older children, you can allow them to sketch from memory what they saw if they would like to.
The next step is to display that piece of art somewhere in your home so that the children can see it frequently through out their day.
The following week, repeat the process with the SAME piece of art. You will hopefully find that your children have more to say!
It can be helpful to tell the children a little about the artist or the painting before you begin. If the painting is about a story, it can be helpful to tell your children this story before you begin the picture study. Likewise, knowing a little more about the artist they are studying, will help them to form connections with him/her. Knowing more about the mind behind the art will encourage your children to look more closely at the work itself.
After 2 weeks, switch to another piece art by that same artist. In so doing, your child will some to know at least 6 of the artist’s works each term. That’s an incredible achievement!
Picture Study Resources
For the art prints themselves, I would always recommend getting the largest prints you can find and display easily.
Postcards and images in art textbooks are often too small for multiple children to see at once, and inevitably loose the finer details.
We personally use wall calendars of a specific artist. These tend to be much cheaper than books, the prints are a good size, and they are easy to display on our kitchen wall. Here are a few examples of some we have used:
Another option, is to look for larger “coffee-table books” on a specific artist. You can usually find some in your local library or on Amazon.
We have also used “Print Packs” from the Great Artist Collection. These contain a selection of six beautiful colour prints along with extensive information about the artist and his/her work:
The organsiation Simply Charlotte Mason also produces lovely Picture Study Portfolios that contains eight prints and a handbook.We have not tried these ourselves, but I have heard they are a excellent.
Children’s artist biographies can also be found at the library, but I would strongly recommend pre-reading these so you can omit the less-wholesome parts of the artist’s lives that young children do not need to know about. However, it may be worthwhile older children knowing the full picture, as these parts of their lives will have inevitably influenced their art, and will make for meaningful discussions with you.
Here are a few artist biographies, in the form of living books, that we have enjoyed with our young children:
From the age of fourteen, art history is incorporated into the Charlotte Mason curriculum, where children learn how the artist worldview would have influenced their art.
The picture study lessons will take no more that 10-15 minutes a week, but the influence that they have will be lifelong. To be able to store “a couple of hundred pictures by great masters hanging permanently in the halls of [their] imagination” is a worthy endeavor.
Finding arts and crafts activities for your children to do can be a challenge, especially if you’re not a “crafty” mum!
The Toucan Boxis a subscription service that delivers everything you need to your door, to create an fun art project!
The reason I wanted to try our the Toucan box, was for convenience! It can be challenging as a homeschooling mum, to find different art projects for my children to do, and then purchase all the supplies that it needs. The Toucan box promises to deliver everything I need to my door… so I had to try it out!
If you click on the links to Toucan box in this blog post or use my referral code, and then place an order, I will receive 50% off my next purchase.
What is a Toucan Box?
The Toucan box is a subscription service that delivers creative craft boxes to children aged 3-8 years old. The boxes come in 3 different sizes:
Petite: Provides everything you need to create an exciting activity. This box fit through the letter box and contains a activity book with puzzles, games, recipes and fun facts. This craft box is deliveredfortnightly.
Grande: Provides all the materials needed for 2 craft activity, as well as a children book that goes along with the theme of the box. This box also contains a parent card containing further ideas for activities and games. This box is delivered monthly.
Super: This box contains everything you child will need to complete 4 craft activities, along with a children’s book and the parent card. This box also comes monthly.
This boxes have been designed by educational experts, and are Montessori-inspired, to help develop a child’s key skills.
Toucan Box Unboxing
I decided to purchase the “Petite” box, just to try out the service and see what the craft activities were really like. I also really like the convenience of the petite box fitting through the letter-box, as we are often out during the afternoon when our postman arrives.
I received a FREE BOX along with my first order, and you can too if you CLICK HERE.
Before my children saw the boxes, I quickly filmed this un-boxing video for you!
If you would like to see what is inside a Toucan box, WATCH THIS VIDEO!
Toucan Box Review
The petite Toucan box really surprised me! The quality of the material were excellent, and the instructions were very clear. In this case, the Pirate-themed box actually contained 2 craft activities, when the it is only supposed to have 1, which was a lovely surprise!
Furthermore, the activities book also contained another craft activity to make a “pirate’s hook”. Although all the supplies were not included in the box, there were things we already had at home, like foil and glue! My son loved doing this craft, along with all the puzzles the book also contains.
What surprised me most about the Toucan box, is that it prompted an entire afternoon of imaginary play! My boys pretended their bunk-beds were a Pirate ship; even the sofa became a Pirate ship later in the day! They went out into the garden on a treasure hunt, they made pirate names for each other ….and the playing went on and on!
In my eyes, as a mother, that is the ultimate sign of success; that my children were so inspired by these craft activities, that they took them and the ideas they had learnt, into their imaginary world with them!
We are all really looking forward to the arrival of the nextToucan box!
If you would like to order a Toucan box for your family, CLICK HERE. By clicking on this link, you will also receive a FREE GIFT BOX along with your order.
Alternatively, type in the following code at the checkout, and you will receive your FREE GIFT BOX too: GEMMA-9E6X
Have you ever used a children’s subscription service? Would you recommend them?
Keeping up with the demands of creative kids can be difficult…would you agree?!?
Children are never too young to start learning Arabic! One of the first steps for children is to master the Arabic alphabet.
In our homeschool we like to find creative and fun ways for children to learn. Recently we decided to make cupcakes an decorate them with the Arabic letters. The kids loved this hands-on approach to learning and I think your family will too!
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Cooking together teaches your children important life skills, as does all the cleaning up afterwards! Younger children love mixing and pouring ingredients together, whilst the older children improve their maths skills by measuring out and weighing out the flour, butter and sugar.
Similarly, this tactile and sensory approach to learning was very successful in helping my younger children learn their Arabic alphabet. Not only does it require them to identify the letter in their mind, but also focus on how the letter is formed when making their own with icing.
Not only is this activity really fun, but it also works really well and is an effective way of teaching children the Arabic alphabet. ….And you get delicious cakes to enjoy afterwards too!
Arabic Alphabet Cupcakes
These cupcakes were very easy to make, and older children may be able to follow the recipe will minimal help from you!
I decided to top each cupcake with butter-cream icing, because it’s just so delicious! Then on top on that we added the Arabic letters, made from Ready-to-roll icing.
Ready-To-Roll Icing (Several Colours) – Buy Here (Vegetarian)
Cupcake Recipe
Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F / Gas 4.
Line the muffin tin with paper cases.
Put the butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat it using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into another bowl.
Beat the eggs and vanilla separately.
Mix all the ingredients together.
Spoon the mixture carefully into the paper cases.
Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to the touch.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.
Remove from tin and allow to cool completely before decorating.
Icing Recipe
Using a whisk, beat the butter until soft.
Continue to whisk whist slowing adding the icing sugar.
Add the milk and mix well.
Let’s Decorate!
Apply 1-2 tbsp of buttercream icing to the top of each cupcake. You can pipe it on yourself, or let your children do it using two small spoons.
Flour your kitchen surfaces to prevent sticking in the next step.
Roll out the ready-to-roll icing to approximately 5mm (1/2 cm) thick.
Use the Arabic letter cutters from the play dough kit to cut out any letters from Arabic alphabet you wish to learn/revise.
Carefully use a butter knife to lift the letters onto the top of the cakes.
Continue until all the cakes are decorated.
Enjoy!
Tip: If your ready-to-roll icing gets too warm, it will be difficult to cut out the letters. To prevent this, keep the icing in the fridge until you are ready to use it.
I hope your family enjoy making and eating these Arabic alphabet cupcakes! They would be a great addition to any children’s party, iftaar or Eid celebration!
Have you ever used cooking to teach your children an Academic subject?
What other creative ways have you used to teach the Arabic Alphabet?
Are you intimidated to get started with handicrafts? With small children, they have so much excitement to make something themselves, but we don’t want to present a project that frustrates them and kills that excitement.
Still, we don’t want to wait so long that our child no longer has an interest in crafts of any sort.
Charlotte Mason says:
The points to be borne in mind in children’s handicrafts are: (a) that they should not be employed in making futilities such as pea and stick work, paper mats, and the like; (b) that they should be taught slowly and carefully what they are to do; (c) that slipshod work should not allowed; (d) and that, therefore, the children’s work should be kept well within their compass.
~ Charlotte Mason, Home Education, Volume 1, pgs 315-316
Charlotte offers some suggestions for handicrafts for children under 9, but to be honest, many of them seem antiqued, or would be hard to source. So what handicraft ideas are useful for young children in our modern times?
We’ve tried a few handicraft ideas in our home with my 6 year old daughter: some very successful, and some not as much. Here I’ll share with you what I believe are some of the best projects to get started, in sha Allah.
What are handicrafts?
Handicrafts are more than arts and crafts. Handicrafts are useful items that serve a purpose, or decorate a useful item, like embroidery.
Learning some basic handicrafts helps children:
Learn the value of items, and the work that goes into them, also helping children see the issue with cheap labor to make clothing and household items
Practice fine motor skills
Find passions and hobbies to nuture both their creative and practical side
Teach them valuable skills they can use as they grow older
Knitting loom
How did we start with handicrafts in my home? My 4 year old, at the time, saw me knitting one day and begged me to teach her, but again I didn’t want to teach her something where she had little likelihood to be successful. Fortunately, I found a used knitting loom online and purchased that, plus I had some yarn left over from my own projects.
She took to it immediately and has been making hats and crowns (hats without tops) ever since.
At 4 years old she needed some guidance, but overall mashaAllah she did quite well independently, and she had a great sense of accomplishment
Weaving
Weaving can result in many different types of projects, the most common for kids being pot holders. We started with pot holders because it was really cheap to get the loom and the bands, but I can see it sparked something bigger in my 6 year old and she’d love if I got her a weaving loom for other projects like making scarves, placemats, or bracelets.
You can find many YouTube videos about making your own weaving loom to make a variety of projects to get you started, or find a high quality, affordable kit.
Simple sewing projects
Sewing School is a great book to get ideas for really simple projects. We started with a couple charm squares of fabric, a needle, thread, and some cotton stuffing, and with this my daughter made a pillow for her dolls. A variation of this project is only sewing three sides and not stuffing it to make a pocket, or attach a handle to make a doll bag.
The book offers many other projects kids can work on, but I loved how simple the pillow project was to get us started.
Knit or crochet
I hear many people mention how their grandmother or mother taught them how to knit or crochet when they were 5, 6, or 7 years old, but a common theme is that they didn’t stick with it. I have taught my child how to knit, because she insisted, but with the attention span of young children, it’s hard for them to even see a washcloth project through to completion.
If your child is interested in it, I wouldn’t say to hold back, but until they are about 8 years old, I wouldn’t expect a child to run with it like they would with weaving pot holders.
Yarn or fabric dyeing
Super easy, and super fun for kids! Even more fun? Dyeing their own yarn, then knitting with it themselves on the loom!
There are a lot of videos on YouTube to teach you how to dye yarn, but I personally prefer to pick up a kit from a well regarded source so I don’t waste time and money on a video that may or may not be well constructed. Knit Picks has some books, dyes, and bare yarn to purchase. Another great source is your local yarn shop, and it supports local small businesses.
Advice for starting with handicrafts
While Charlotte Mason suggests only giving a child work that they can perfect, that doesn’t mean that’s it’s perfect the first time around. Offer up some options and let your child choose something in their interest.
Also, in your day to day lives, point out items that the child could make themselves and offer up ideas.
And… the best way to encourage your child to take up handicrafts?
Do them yourself! Invite your child to help sew on a button. Knit while doing your homeschooling lessons. Quilt while watching a movie.
Not into fiber arts? Paint rocks together, garden, paint bird houses, and other useful crafts to spark an interest.
What are some handicraft ideas you’ve tried with your child?
Shannen is an American Muslim convert, homeschooling mother to 4 daughters and mediocre housewife. She enjoys blogging, knitting, quilting, and avoiding housework. Read more on her blog about their Islamic homeschool, green(ish) living, and the ups and downs of parenting. You can connect with Shannen on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
We have been learning about Ancient China in our homeschool. The history of China is so interesting, and the children have really enjoyed learning more about the Chinese culture.
In addition to the history of China, we have learnt more about the physical Geography of China, including map work and read some Ancient Chinese legends.
Both my 6 year-old and 4 year-old boys enjoyed doing this activity, and our Ancient Ming bowls look beautiful displayed in our dining area.
Ancient Chinese Bowl Craft
Craft Supplies:
Air Drying Clay
Cling-film (Plastic wrap)
Small plastic bowl
Rolling Pin
Blunt knife Blue paint
White glue (optional)
Paint Brush
How to Make your Ming Bowl:
Roll out clay to about 1 cm thick, so that it will cover the entire plastic bowl.
Wrap the plastic bowl in cling-filmand turn upside down. Make sure your surfaces are covered in newspaper or an old table cloth.
Lay the clay over the upturned bowl.
Use your knife to trim away the excess clay and make the edges smooth.
Leave clay to dry over-night.
Once completely dry, use your blu paint to decorate the outside of the bowl. Chinese pottery was typically painted with flowers, birds and outdoor scenery. Leave to dry.
If you would like to give your bowl a gloss finish, mix 2 parts glue with 1 part water to make a glaze. Paint this mixture over the entire bowl, and leave to dry.
Here are my son’s beautiful Ancient Chinese Ming Bowls:
My 6 year-old painted waves onto his bowl, and my younger son (4 years-old) chose to paint trees on his. They were really pleased with the results and have been showing these bowls to anyone who comes to visit!
More Resources for Ancient China Unit Study:
Other Resources we have used for our Ancient China Unit Study include:
We have really enjoyed learning about Ancient China. The only thing left to do now s get some Chinese take-away and watch Kung-fu Panda!
Have you been looking at Ancient China in your homeschool? Have you done any interest Chinese crafts? I would really love to hear what resources you have been using. Please share with us in the comments below!
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Here’s quick an easy shark craft for your Preschool and Kindergarten kids. My son has been reading about sharks this week in our Muslim Homeschool…So we decided to make our own shark art activity. He loved it!
Its easy enough for young children to do, and the results are so cute!
If you have young children, who are crazy about sharks, they’ll love this craft activity!
Materials Needed
– Paper Plates (3 per shark)
– White Paper
– Black Poster Paint
– Crayons
– Scissors
– Glue Stick
– Paint brushes
Step-by-step Instructions
1. Paint two plates with the black paint and allow to dry.
2. Cut the remaining white plate in half and glue it to the bottom half of the painted plate.
3. Cut two eyes and a mouth from the white paper, and use your crayons to add details (teeth, pupils etc.)
4. Glue the eyes and mouth into place.
5. From the remaining black plate, cut out three fins and glue them onto your shark as shown in the picture below.
Please give this craft a try and let me know how you get on in the comments below, or post your photos online and tag me on Instagram, Twitteror Facebook. I’d love to see how your sharks turn out!
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Learning the ninety-nine names of Allah should not be just about memorising a long list of names. It should be something that helps children to understand their Lord and form a relationship with Him. It should be more than just words on the tongue, but should touch their hearts and deepen their love for God.
One way of engaging young kids in Islamic education is through arts and crafts
This week in our Muslim homeschool we learned the name:
Al-Malik – The King and Owner of Dominion.
We began by talking about the definition:
‘Al-Malik is both the Owner, who possesses and the King, who has complete authority and commands what He possesses. The One to whom the commanding and forbidding belong to. The King, The Sovereign Lord, The One with the complete Dominion.’
Whilst the kids were making the Crown Craft (outlined below) our conversation went something like this:
“Allah is The King. He is The King of kings. He is your King!
But what is a King? What does a King do?”
After a bit ( NO…. a lot!) of prompting they arrived at the answer,
“A king owns everything, tells everyone what to do, and punishes those who disobey him.”
“But who owns the King? Who tells him what to do? Who punishes the King if he is naughty?”
“ALLAH!”
“Allah is the King of Kings! Al-Malik!”
It is important for your children to understand that He is not like anything they can imagine. He is not like any King they know, and He most certainly does NOT have a crown!
Children’s Crown Craft
Materials Needed
Gold card
Tissue paper
Fun fur (1-2″wide)
Stickers
PVA glue
Stapler
Sticky tape
Now your kid is ready to be a king (or Queen!). Whilst they play remind them,”You are a King, but who is your King? Who is the King of kings? Who is al-Malik? ……. ALLAH!!!!
From the gold card, cut out two strips, each approximately 2″ wide.
Staple two card strips together. This will be the base of your crown.
Spread PVA glue along the bottom half of each card strip and stick the fun fur along this edge. It will look best if you allow some of the gold card to show at the top.
Meanwhile cut out 4 more gold strips from the card, each 1″ wide.
5. Staple 2 strips together, with the gold side facing inward.
6. Once the glue has dried on the fur, staple the wider card strip together, making sure that it is the correct size for your child’s head.
7. Attach this across the top of the crown base.
8. Repeat from step 5 with the remaining strips and staple them perpendicular to the first arch.
9. Decorate the crown with stickers and jewels.
10. When everything has dried, push the tissue paper up into the underside of the crown and use your sticky tape to secure it in place.
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