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It’s time to find out what we’ve been enjoying in Our Muslim Homeschool this month!
Welcome back friends! This month I’m excited to share a lot a wonderful books and educational resources that we’ve discovered!
There is also a GIVEAWAY this month. If you’d like to enter ,scroll down to the bottom of this post and enter via the Rafflecopter widget.
Dont forget to watch the accompanying YouTube video, to get a closer look at all the products mentioned in this blogpost.
WATCH THIS VIDEO:
January Homeschool Favourites
Life of Fred Math
I know what you’re thinking …”Not another Maths curriculum Gemma?!?!”
LOL!….I can’t help myself!
In the homeschooling circles, I have been hearing about Life of Fred Math for a long time. It is well known within homeschooling circles as an unconventional method of approaching maths. Life of Fred Math teaches maths in a narrative form, with humorous story line and a distinct lack of practice questions!
It is unlike any other maths book you’ve ever seen!
I’m not sure what it was that finally prompted me to order it, but I’m so glad that I did!
My son absolutely loves. When ask him, “What maths book shall we do today?” he always says, “Life of Fred!”
Despite a minimal amount of practice questions and worksheets, the mathematical principles we are covering seem to be sticking in my son’s mind. He loves how each chapter incorporates lots of other interesting facts and information (not always Maths related) and how the maths is put into real-life context.
We have the levels “Apples”, “Jelly-Beans” and “Icecream.” To decide which book is best for your child, visit the Life of Fred website.
For more information about Life of Fred Math, you can visit their website by CLICKING HERE.
Life of Fred can be difficult to find in the UK. I purchased mine from Conquest Books. They are the largest supplier of Homeschool curriculum in the UK, and have loads of other useful curriculum for homeschoolers. To visit there website CLICK HERE.
If you are based in USA, Life of Fred is widely available from most homeschool stores including: – Life of Fred Website – Educents – Amazon
Islamic Behaviour Chart
We have been using this sticker chart from MuslimStickers.com to establish a good morning routine with the children. My family have been using the Islamic Behaviour Chart for 4 weeks now, and the change in my kid’s behaviour in the morning has been phenomenal! No more sluggish and sleepy boys!
No, they’re ready long before I am!
Having a good morning routine is so important, even as adults, to having a productive day. I have seen that when we are slow to start school in the morning, we never get as much done and the children are less enthusiastic.This reward system has helped us all get ready for the day and begin school by 9am insha’Allah.
You could use this sticker chart in so many ways! When you recieve it, it is almost completely blank and you can customise it as you wish.
For MORE INFORMATION about the Islamic Behaviour Chart, and see what is included in the pack,
Receiving this book was such a blessing to our home and to our family.
Young Explorers’ Adventures in Makkah is the story of a family’s trip to Mecca for Ummrah. In addition to talking about Hajj and Ummrah, the book also relates their travels around many of the historic sites in the area.
Many of you are aware, that the authorities in Saudi are slowly demolishing and covering up sites of Islamic historical significance. Whatever their reasons, there is a risk that knowledge of these places with be lost from the general public.
This wonderful book, shows you where many of these sites can be found. It locates the house of Khadijah (ra) and what it looked like inside. It tells you about the birth place of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and where it can be found. More than half of the book is dedicated to sites around Mecca that hold an importance with the Seerah and our Islamic heritage.
Often, when you come across a book about Hajj and Ummrah it will fall into one of two categories. Either it will be very factual, listing what is fard and sunnah etc., but may be a little “dry”. Alternatively, you may find a story book which, although it is very pleasant to read, it provides little information to teach the children from.
This book falls somewhere between the two. Children are captivated by the emotive story-line that runs thoroughout, whilst also learning from the wealth of information it offers about the pilgrimages and the Seerah of Prophet Muhammad (saw).
If you are interested in purchasing this book for your family, it is available from Amazon (USA) Amazon(UK) and Wordery.com
This is the story of a young boy named Huthayfah, who gets angry with his mother. This touching story draws on the Prophetic advice for the best way to deal with anger.
It is well written and the illustrations are colourful with faceless characters.
If you have a child who struggles to control his or her anger, this book may help you and you child to find ways to cope.
The author, Sarah Javed, is a fellow homeschooler from the U.K. She shares her snippets of her homeschooling life on her Instagram account.
I’m so angry is available from Amazon (USA) andAmazon (UK).
Tiny Twinkle Products
Now for something a little different!
I have been aware for sometime that mainstream bath products contain potentially harmful ingredients. Using natural and/or organic products on my children puts my mind at ease.
What a delight it was to be introduced to Tiny Twinkle Products on Instagram who produce Organic, Natural and HALAL bath products for children.
The products contain only natural ingredients, and gentle on my children’s skin. They are all labelled with the “halal” sign, and (very importantly…) they smell incredible!!!
The products in their range retail between £7.50-£18.
The business is run by a Ruhana, a primary school teacher and new mum. When I asked her to tell me a little about herself and why she started her business, she said:
“About a year ago I found out I was pregnant. This was a happy and overwhelming experience as I would become a mother for the first time. During my pregnancy I started making a list of what I’d need to get for my new arrival. I asked other mothers about their recommendations. I then heard about Johnsons baby products having cancer related chemicals and thought I don’t want to put chemical based products on my baby. So I started researching. I first made my own nappy balm with all natural organic ingredients. After my daughter was born I started using this on her, and noticed that she got no nappy rash at all. My husband was also impressed and told me to start a business selling organic baby products. Some friends and family had asked about these products as there was a gap in the market for purely organic halal baby products, so I started creating my own brand called ‘Tiny Twinkle’. Alhamdulillah, since starting, the response has been amazing. ”
If you are looking a range of halal, natural bath products for kids, I would recommend Tiny Twinkle.
For more information about their range, and to place an order, visit them on Instagramand Facebook.
GIVEAWAY
It’s Giveway time!!!
This January I am so happy to be able to share SIX of my favourites with one of you! It’s MASSIVE!!!
I will be giving away:
– I’m So Angry by Sarah Javed – (RRP: £5.99)
– Young Adventure in Makkah – (RRP: £10.05)
– 1 Islamic Behaviour Chart – (RRP: 4.99)
– 3 Products from Tiny Twinkle (including the Nappy Balm, Mild Shampoo and Whipped Lotion) – (RRP: £29.50)
The January 2017 Favourites Giveaway will run from Friday 27th January at 12AM, until Friday 3rd February at 12AM GMT.
The giveaway is open Internationally.
All entrants under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter.
Please aware that if entering from overseas, you may be liable to pay customs tax (or the equivalent), so please check beforehand.
You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget posted below (click HERE is you would like to know more about Rafflecopter).
I’ll announce the winners on THIS blog post and contact them directly through email.
The winner has 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will have to select another winner.
I hope you found it useful to see what we’ve been enjoying in our homeschool this month.I’d love to know what your family has been using this January 🙂
Please share in the comments section below insha’Allah.
Make sure you don’t miss the next blog post bySubscribing to my mailing list.
December was so much fun! We’ve had a blast in out homeschool using these books and educational products. I am so excited to share them with you.
There are a few more than usual, but I didn’t want to miss anything out!
We are taking a short break for the next few weeks, to give ourselves time to “refuel” and get ready for the term to come.
I am really happy with the way our homeschooling has been going. Alhumdullilah!
With the exception of Maths (I’ll talk about that later), we are loving all of our curriculum. The kids really enjoy “school time” and we are excited to start homeschooling again soon!
Homeschool Favourites | December 2016
To take a closer look at the products, and see inside the books I mention in this blog post,
WATCH THIS VIDEO!!!
Myriad Toys
I am in love with this online store!!!
Myriad sell natural toys and crafts, as well as home decor and more! They stock lots of beautiful wooden toys and toys made from natural materials. If you follow the Waldof method of home education, this would be a great shopfor you.
We do not follow the Waldorf methodology, but I still adore their toys and craft!
We bought lots of things this time round, and I’ve already got my eyes on a few others bits!!!
These sweet wax crayonsare lovely for my toddler’s little hands. She can easily grasp these to colour and draw, and we are also using them to teach her the colour names.
These beautiful pencils are highly pigmented and draw beautifully! They are triangular in shape so they are easy for my child to grasp. The only thing is, they don’t fit into out existing pencil sharpener, so I’ve had to purchase one separately (around £4) from Amazon.
These were a bit of a splurge, but I needed to get two new combs for the kids. These combs are beautifully made from beech wood, and look and work wonderfully.
Beeswax candles
I’ve never had beeswax candles and I was curious. I needed some to fit into some of my mother’s old candle sticks, and thesetapered beeswax candles fitted perfectly!
Write from the Start
This handwriting programme is fantastic! I have never seen anything like it!
Instead of pages and pages of copying out letters, this book contains a huge variety of exercises that improve you child’s fine motor and perceptual skills.
My 4 year-old son loves this book, and will often pull it out and start working on it independently!
The Boys Choice: Independent Reading
This month I decided to ask the boys directly, “What was your favourite thing we did in our homeschool this month?”
I thought they might suggest a field trip we went on, or maybe a craft activity…but they surprised me! They chose their independent readers!
My youngest son (4) is reading through the “Biff, Chip and Kipper” books Level 1 from Oxford University Press.
These are great for children who are just beginning to read. There a short stories filled with sight words and CVC (Consonant-Vowel-Consonant) words. He obviously is enjoying them!
My elder son (6) chose his collection of Roald Dahl books.
These books are fun and silly, and he loves them! I must warn you, they do not teach good character traits, and some may consider them bit rude; but they have given my son so much confidence in reading. He now goes off by himself to read for fun!
A Maths Journey
As I mentioned above, we have had some issues with Maths!
Previously, we had been using Saxon Math 3. I really appreciate this programme’s thorough and systematic approach to Maths. However, for my son, the slow pace and the repetition became very frustrating for him. So we decided to make a change!
Instead of using a complete curriculum, I have been piecing together my own Maths curriculum from various resources. These include:
A Maths Journey if a collection of 4 books that uses real-life exampls to teach kids to understand topics such as geometry, statistics and algebra. They use a variety of pictograms, infographics, fun illustration and photographs to explain these core concepts.
Titles in this collection include:
Wonders of the World
Extreme Sports
Deep Sea Adventure
Computer Games
These books are fantastic if you’re looking for something to stretch you child in their Maths ability, or if your child does not enjoy the usual math book format. These books are so different and I love them!
If you are in the U.K. this collection can be purchased at The Book People.
Ali and Sumaya DVDs
At this time of year, Christmas is all over the T.V.! As a family who have chosen not to celebrate Christmas, it can be a very confusing time of the year for the kids. So the T.V. has been andoff, we have been enjoying these two Ali and Sumaya DVDs: Let’s Pray & Let’s Read!
The chidren love the nasheeds and the incredible animations. The children have learnt so much from these DVDs, even my little 2 year-old has started reciting parts of Surah Fatihah after watching these DVD mashAllah!
I have previously written two reviews about these DVDs if you want to know more about them, click on the links below:
We were struggling to get the boys up and going in the mornings. Getting dressed, brushing teeth etc. was taking forever. This meant we were not starting school until after 10am.
This Islamic Behaviour chart has been a great way to motivate the children to get ready and reinforce a good morning routine. It’s working so well…too well! The kids are up and ready to start school before I’ve even had my first cup of coffee!
It is highly customisable and can be used to motivate kids in lots of different ways; such as encouragement to do their homework, chores or improve behaviour.
The stickers are adorable with phrases like:
“Super star MashAllah”, “I Love Allah” and “Splendid Subhanullah!“
They’re so cute.
These Islamic stickersare great because, not only to they make the child proud of their achievement, but also help to make them proud to be a Muslim! Encouraging a positive self image and Muslim identity is becoming increasingly hard for children growing up in the West, and products like this make it a little easier.
Thissticker chart, along with a wide variety of Islamic sticker products, stamps, sweets and toys, can be purchased from MuslimStickers.com
As I was reading it aloud to the children, the stories it told reminded me of the stories m teacher used to teach us. It is by far the most accurate Seerah book I have come across for children, as well as the most in depth. The illustrations are beautiful, although they are not faceless, and there is a beautiful family tree in the front of the Prophet’s family.
As I read this aloud, it moved the children and evoked feelings in them, like not other children’s Seerah book has.
Since it goes into quite a lot of detail, I anticipate that this book will be enjoyed for many years to come. If you are reading aloud, this book is suitable for children aged 5-11, or 8+ for independent readers.
I hope you enjoyed seeing what we’ve been enjoying in our homeschool this month.
Do you have any new discovers? What have you been loving in your home this month? What is your favourite online store for children’s toys? What is your favourite Seerah book for kids?
Please share your thoughts in the comment section below!
It’s November, and it’s time for another Monthly Homeschool favourites!
In these blog posts, I share with you some of the products and resources we have been enjoying in our homeschool this month.
As some of you may have noticed, we didn’t do an October Favourites video! Whoops! Actually, my family and I went travelling around Kenya and U.A.E that month. So we took a 3 week break from formal homeschooling, and allowed the children to benefit fully from their new experiences abroad. If you’d like to see some of our holiday photos, you can see them on my Instagram account.
This month, I have so many fun and exciting new products I want to share with you! This includes a really cool electronics kit that my kids adore, some great books we’ve been enjoying, and a gratitude journal for Muslims.
As usual, we have a GIVEAWAY running this month, so if you’d like to enter, scroll down to the bottom of this post, and enter with the Rafflecopter widget.
HOMESCHOOL FAVOURITES | November 2016
To take a closer look at all the products mentioned in this blog post, WATCH THIS VIDEO!
I was looking for an electronics kit to supplement our science lessons. This one was significantly cheaper than everything else on the market, and I think it’s great!
It really well-made, and is easy for the kids to use independently.
This kit covers most of Key Stage 1 and 2; working brilliantly as an introduction to electricity for children.
There is an easy-to-follow manual included, that not only explains how to set-up each experiment, but also explains what it shows.
The components are very easy to fit together and your children will have new circuits set up in minutes!
If you don’t believe me…WATCH THIS VIDEO!
If your children are interested in electronics, or you are planning to look at electricity as part of our homeschool curriculum, I would highly recommend this Electronics Kit by Cambrdige BrainBox.
The “Making Science Fun” kit is their most basic package. They also have kits to make boats, cars and all kinds of fun projects for your children!
Pinocchio
Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi has been an absolute joy to read with my children. This is the original version, that is so different to the Disney movie!
It is full of rich vocabulary, beautiful illustrations and a deep undercurrent of good moral teaching runs throughout the book. It is a feast for the imagination and so much fun!
My eldest always asks me to keep reading from it when I finish a chapter. He has NEVER done that before with any book! mashAllah!
I would recommend Pinocchio for children aged 4-9.
Fitra Homeschool Journal
Finally! A homeschooing journal for the Muslim homeschooling community!
The Fitra Homeschool journal publishes articles written by homeschooling families all around the globe; bringing their perspective and opinions to print. They have articles about homeschooling methodolgies, personal accounts, resource reviews and a plethora of homeschooling information and inspiration.
The Fitra journal is available in both print and digital versions from Amazon.
This issue if no.1, and focuses on “Getting Started”; with articles about organization, budget planning , advice for reluctant parents and self-care tips. It was both informative and really really interesting! I love hearing about how other families approach home-education!
If you are new to home-education, or even if you are very experiences, I think that you will find the Fitra journal a really enjoyable and a useful resource.
365 days with Prophet Muhammad
We LOVE this Seerah Book for Kids!
The 365 Days with Prophet Muhammad has become our new favourite. The book divides the Story of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) into 365 sections; one for each day.
I love the idea of dedicating part of each day to learning the Seerah of the Prophet. We read our copy bed, in the hope that these stories and meanings will fill my children’s dreams, insha’Allah.
This little book is filled with the most incredible water-colour illustrations of examples of things to be grateful for.
There are several lined-pages where you are invited to write down something you want to say “Alhumdulillah for” for each day.
If you are looking for a journal with lots of space to write, this is not the right fit for you. However, I think this journal is perfect for busy people (or for children) who want to develop a habit of gratitude, and would like to simply write down a list of things, or short sentence.
Finding time in our busy lives to reflect on the Blessings in our lives, is a very beneficial practice to teach to your children, and I would urge you find a way to begin this in your home.
Some families simply ask their children to say thank you to Allah before they go to sleep, others make impressive wall-art to display. I recently saw one mother who had made a Gratitude Tree, and on each leaf was written something to be grateful for.
In this blog-post I will share some of the products and books we have been enjoying in our Muslim homeschool this month.
I’m thrilled to show you a really great science kit, some art equipment that my son loves, and even an app that my youngest son plays!
We also have a GIVEAWAY running this month, so if you’d like to enter, please scroll down to the bottom of this post to the Rafflecopter widget.
Homeschool Favourites | September 2016
To get a better look at all the products mentioned in this blog-post, WATCH THIS VIDEO:
Table Art Easel
This table-top art easel is made by the company Winsor and Newton. We decided to give this to my eldest as an Eid gift, because he is developing an interest in art.
Well…needless to say…HE LOVES IT!
Thanks to its beautiful leather handle, he seems to be carrying it around everywhere!
Our bay window has become his “Art Studio!”
Inside the easel there is room to store lots of arts supplies, and the adjustable arms means that it can be used with a wide range of canvas sizes.
If you have a child who loves to paint, but don’t have the space for a full-sized easel, then this table easel might be a great for your family!
We have been learning about magnetism and this kit has been a fantastic resources. It contains all the specialist equipment you need for 33 experiments (including loads of different magnets, iron fillings, magnetic discs, a compass and loads more!) and a instruction manual.
The experiments in this particular science kit teach children the basic principles of what is magnetic, why its magnetic, how compasses work, and introduces electro-magnetism. There are also instructions for some fun games you can do with the magnets!
Migo and Ali: Love for the Prophets
My kids are really enjoying this collection of stories about the Prophets of Allah. This books contains stories about fifteen different Prophets (A.S.), with a large section at the back dedicated to stories about Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.).
The stories are short, well-written and each section end with a dialogue between Migo and Alias they talk about what they learnt.
The illustrations are beautiful! It is worth noting that there are no depictions of the Prophets or Sahaba in the pictures.
They have also made the effort to have the book approved by scholars of Islam.
This wonderful book is suitable for children aged 3-8, and is one of those books that your family will pick up again and again to read together.
In Our Muslim Homeschool, we have been making an effort to teach my youngest son the letters of the Arabic alphabet. In my quest to good educational resources, I was introduced to these worksheets by Gambian Mommy.
Ngaima Sesay designed and produced these worksheets, as she was becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of resources available to teach her own children Arabic.
As a homeschooling mum herself, she recognised the need for good quality teaching material, and set about producing an incredible selection of Arabic worksheets for other mothers.
The worksheets she has put together are brilliant! There is so much variety! Whether you child learns visually, or by writing, or is an auditory learner, there are worksheets for everyone! There are even games for the kinesthetic learners amongst us!
Some worksheets are in black and white, and others in colour…they’re so pretty! It is clear that a huge amount of time and thought that has gone into these worksheets.
Each pack has instructions on how to use them, a phonics section to help parents pronounce the letters correctly, and a dictionary section to explain the meanings of words.
If you are looking for interesting and fun ways to teach young children the Arabic alphabet, I would highly recommend you
on the Gambian Mommy storeon TeachersPayTeachers.com.
Alif Baa app
When I asked my 4 year-old son what he thought of this app he said, “It’s cool!”
I totally agree with him! The Alif Baa app teaches children the letters of the Arabic alphabet, as well as some Arabic vocabulary.
There are four games to chose from:
– Flashcard style game: Where cards with each letter are shown, and sounded out, along with a new vocabulary word .
– Find the letter: The game says a letter and the student has to find it in amongst the other letters.
–Put the letters in order: The student has to put the letters of the Arabic alphabet in order in the quickest time.
– Trace the Letters: Students are shown how to write each letter and then have to trace along the dotted lines.
This app is a wonderful way to make learning Arabic fun and enjoyable for young kids.
I hope you found it useful to see what we’ve been enjoying in our homeschool this month.I’d love to know what your family has been using this September 🙂
Please let us all know in the comments below.
Make sure you don’t miss the next blog post bySubscribing to my mailing list.
This model of the human body has been such a hit with the children!
They love seeing where all the organs and bones go… taking it apart, and putting it back together again.
It’s a fantastic hands-on way of teaching anatomy, and it has really got them excited to learn more about the human body.
It also comes with fact cards, a poster, a manual and a calorie-counting wheel. To be honest, the kids haven’t used any of these extra bits yet. They’re too interested in the model itself!
This book continues to inspire me every time I read from it!
This is a book for homeschool mums, or anyone who is interested in knowing more about the Charlotte Mason method of home-education.
It is a fictitious journal of a homeschooling mother based in the U.S.A. around 100 years ago. She decides to take her children out of school and, with the help of only one of Charlotte Mason’s books, she begin homeschooling her children.
There is a lot of focus on nature study and on “mother culture” in this book.
For more information on “Mother Culture” CLICK HERE.
The chapters are short and perfect for busy mums who don’t have time to read as much as they would like.
This has to be one of the most inspiring books I have ever read, and I can see myself re-reading over and over again!
I enjoyed it so much, I have already purchased two more from the same author:
My eldest son has really enjoyed using this interactive toyto learn how to pray. Although he used to enjoy praying with me, he seems to have entered in new “phase” where he wants to learn independently…and this even includes the Salah (prayer)!
He has benefited immensely from this toy. The illustrations show him what to do, and when you press on them, he hears what he is supposed to say. He loves it!
In addition to the prayer, it also teaches the wudu, the athaan, and many more duaas.
You can buy it in PINK or BLUE and is available to purchase from Ibraheem Toyhouse
This is an endearing story about a little girl called Aishah who wants to bake! Her mother uses this opportunity to teach Aishah about where all the ingredients come from.
It’s a lovely way to show children how blessed they are to have food, and to be grateful for it. It also introduces children to the foods mentioned in the Quran and the name of Allah “ar-Razzaq,” (the Provider).
The illustrations are clever and cute (much like Aishah), and my boys were laughing the whole way through the story!
We enjoyed the story so much, we decided to make the same honey and date cupcakes that Aishah and her mum made. There is a recipe in the back of the book. They turned really good mash’Allah!
Nature Study
Finally, although it’s not a “tangible” thing, I really wanted to share how much we’ve been enjoying our nature walks this month.
The weather has been a little unpredictable, but it hasn’t stopped us! We’ve really been making the most the woodlands and parks around us.
Not only do my children benefit from our time outdoors, but I find that I personally need that time away from the home to unwind and reflect.
If you don’t already, I would highly recommend that you schedule some outdoor time into your homeschool routine. It has brought so much balance and peace to our family. Subhanullah!
GIVEAWAY!
It’s Giveaway time!
This August I am excited to share TWO of my favorites with one of you!!!
I will be giving away: – One copy of Aishah Learns To Bake (RRP: £5.57)- One iPray Salah Pad in Pink (RRP: £17.00) The August 2016 Favourites Giveaway will run until Wednesday 24thAugust 2016 at 12AM GMT.
The giveaway is open Internationally.
All entrants under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter.
Please aware that if entering overseas, you may be liable to pay customs tax (or the equivalent), so please check beforehand.
You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget posted below (click HERE is you would like to know more about Rafflecopter).
I’ll announce the winners on THIS blog post and contact them directly through email.
The winner has 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will have to select another winner.
It’s summer! Although the weather might seem more like October here, our Muslim homeschool is in serious summer holiday mode! School is out for summer!
However, just because our formal schooling is taking a break, it does not mean that the learning stops.
This month, we have been using some fantastic educational toys and picture books during our ‘down-time.’ and I’m so excited to share these with you!
I’m also running another GIVEAWAY this month, so scroll down to the bottom of this blog post to enter 🙂
For an overview of all the products mentioned, please WATCH THIS video:
We have had toy for years but recently rediscovered it at the back of my boys closet! Don’t you love when that happens?!?!
The Design and Drill Activity Centre encourages children to make patterns on the design board using screws. It comes with a spanner, screw-driver and working drill!
My boys absolutely love it! It can be used to teach colour recognition, develop fine motor skills, and encourages creativity…all whilst playing with tools!
It’s such a clever concept!
Our Design and Drill set has lasted us for years; nothing has broken and it shows no signs of all the hours of play it has received! Recommended for children aged 3+.
This Rocket Science Kit by Thames and Kosmos was my son’s favourite birthday present!
It is filled with fun experiments about space and rockets. It comes with an instruction manual that describes the 18 experiments very clearly.
This Science Kit kept my son entertained for hours!
There are some really cool experiments involving a “stomp-on rocket” and using balloons to propel various vehicles around. It’s a must-have for any child who is interested in space!
However, after a few uses, this Science Kithas started to break and come apart. Honestly though, for less than £10, I think it is totally worth it! I am hoping to purchase some of the other Science kits by Thames and Kosmos soon.
The Little Muslimah is the latest addition to our collection of Islamic picture books.
This book is a ‘true story’ and was written as a surprise gift for the author’s daughter.
Umm Sumayyah told me, “It was priceless seeing the look on my daughter’s face as she read this book about a little Muslim girl and then suddenly realised in the middle of the book that the book was about her and featured all her belongings! It took 1 year to secretly make the book as I got her to pose for hundreds of photos for the illustrator without letting her know why. I’m so happy that I can now share the with the rest of the world and InshaAllaah some other families can enjoy it too.”
It is a charming story about a little girl who can’t get to sleep unless her mummy tells her why she loves her so much. It is so sweet and the perfect bedtime read.
You’ll also notice that they have been very careful to show no faces in the illustrations.
If you are looking for a new picture book for your children,
This isCD of Nasheedsis such a great discovery! It teaches children the rules of Tajweed through songs.
The songs are easy to memorise and fun, and they are sure to have your children singing along. Honestly, I find myself singing them long after the kids have gone to sleep!
These songs make the rules of Tajweed easy to remember and I hope they will make my children excited to learn the Quran insha’Allah.
I have written a blog post about this CD. If you like to know more about the Tajweed Nasheed CD then CLICK HERE!
This July I am thrilled to share FOUR of my favorites with one of you!!!
I will be giving away:
– One copy of The Story of the Elephant Pop-up and Play book
(RRP: £19.99) – One copy of Little Muslimah picture book (RRP: £10.99)
– One Large Mini Muslimah Doll (RRP: £20)
– One Tajweed Nasheeds CD (RRP: £14.99)
The July 2016 Favourites Giveaway will run until Friday 22nd July 2016 at 12AM GMT. The giveaway is open Internationally. All entrants under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter.
Please aware that if entering overseas, you may be liable to pay customs tax (or the equivalent), so please check beforehand.
You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget posted below (click HERE is you would like to know more about Rafflecopter).
I’ll announce the winners on THIS blog post and contact them directly through email. The winner has 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will have to select another winner.
It’s Ramadan! During this month almost everything changes in our homeschool. We stop our normal homeschool curriculum and turn our focus to learning more about Islam.
The great thing about home-education, is that we can catch up with all the things we’ve missed later in the summer. For now, I felt it was important for the children to partake in the month, and a major part of that is changing the focus of their school work.
Here are some of the products we have been using and enjoying in Ramadan. I’m so excited to share these with you all!
I’m also running another GIVEAWAY this month, so scroll down to the bottom of this blog post to enter 🙂
For an overview of all the products mentioned, please WATCH THIS video:
Ramadan Favourites
Ramadan Cookie Cutters
These cookie cutters are made by With A Spin . If you are in the U.K. like me, you can purchase them online from Silver Lining.
My kids and I have two sets:
– Islamic Shape Cookie Cutters: which includes a mosque, minaret, star and crescent moon.
– Interfaith Harmony Cookie Cutters: which includes a Christmas Tree, Hannukah Dreidel, Diwali Diya and Eid Lantern.
The idea behind this particular set is:
“We hope to bring people together across divides of religion, culture and nationality with Love, Unity and Respect; one cookie at a time.”
I love the concept!
The cookie cutters are really well made and come out cleanly from the dough, leaving a clear imprint of the shape.
We’ve used them to make some delicous Ramadan cookies,to cut out water-melon for iftar, as well as other art-and-craft activities.
Quran Memorization Cards
These cards are a fantastic way to encourage your children to memorise Quran!
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you’ll know that my son has just memorised the last ten Surahs of the Quran mashAllah! I believe that these Quran cards were a huge help to him whilst he was learning.
The cards contain the last ten surahs of the Quran; from Surah Al-Feel (105) to Surah An-Nas (114). Each cards contains the Arabic, a transliteration, a translation. The Tashkeel (vowel markings) are colour-coded to help with correct recitiation.
One feature that I really liked was that on the bottom of each card there is a hadith or brief explanation (tafseer) to encourage deeper understanding of that Surah.
These cards are laminated, making them incredibly sturdy, and are mounted on a steel ring. This was a great feature! It meant I didn’t worry about my son leaving them on the floor or mistreating them. He knew that after he read from them, they were to be hung up above his desk.
At the beginning of the set there is also a section on the virtues of memorising Quran and some of the etiquettes one should have when reciting.
They’ve been an invaluable asset to our homeschool, and I’m looking forward to my younger son using them too.
I Love Islam Curriculum
This has to be the BESTIslamic curriculum for children that I have come across.
We have been using it throughout the Academic year, but wanted to finish it off during Ramadan.
It approaches teaching in a fun and interactive way, that my children have really enjoyed. Book 1 introduces children aged 5-7, to the fundamental principles in Islam.
I loved how the book uses fun characters to teach Tawheed in simple language, drawing on the Quran and Hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w.). Seerah, the five pillars, Islamic manners and etiquette are covered, as well as the Holy mosques and Islam around the world.
At the end of every chapter then are questions that can be answered and fun activities for your child to do.
They specialise in modest, stylish and practical clothing for the mummies! The best thing part is that you can breast-feed in most of their clothing!
I love this piece called “The Drapes.” It’s lightweight, flattering, and has a concealed opening for nursing!
I also have an abaya from this shop which is suitable for breastfeeding too. I’ll be sharing the photo of this piece on Instagram in the next few weeks insha’Allah!
If you’re nursing mum looking for something comfortable and practical, that is still flattering and stylish, check out The Boutique Liverpool.
I’m already planning what else I want to buy from them!
GIVEAWAY
It’s Giveaway time!
This Ramadan I wanted to share two of my favorites with one of you!!!
I will be giving away:
– One copy of the I Love Islam Book 1 Curriculum with CD (RRP £23.99)
– Three books from the Ad-Duha Mini Tafseer series: Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq, and An-Naas (RRP £9.69)
The Ramadan 2016 Favourites Giveaway will run until Monday 3rd July 2016 at 12AM GMT.
The giveaway is open Internationally.
All entrants under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter.
Please aware that if entering overseas, you may be liable to pay customs tax (or the equivalent), so please check beforehand.
You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget posted below (click HERE is you would like to know more about Rafflecopter).
I’ll announce the winners on THIS blog post and contact them directly through email. The winner has 24 hours to respond, otherwise I will have to select another winner.
This month I have some really exciting things to share with you. We have been using and enjoying all of these products in our homeschool this month and I am thrilled to be able to share them with you!
I’m even doing a GIVEAWAY of one of my favourites, so scroll down to the bottom of this post to enter!
Please note:
You do NOT need to buy any of these products to be a good mum, or give your child a good education!!!
The chances are you’re already doing a great job with our without these products!
However, if you are looking for something new and want to see what we’ve been using, please read on!
May Homeschool Favourites
WATCH THIS YouTube video to see all the products mentioned:
This has to be my absolute favourite thing we did this month! We raised five caterpillars and watched them transform into butterflies…in our kitchen!
We had raised butterflies before, when my eldest son was three years-old, so we already had our Butterfly Garden. All I needed to do was just order the Caterpillar Refill separately online. This seems to be becoming a bit of a tradition!
The caterpillars came in their own little tub that contained all the ‘food’ the would need. We watched them grow…and grow …and GROW! They got really big!
I’ll be honest, they gave me the creeps a little bit! Thankfully, at no point do you have to touch them!
Once they had all made their cocoons, we opened up the plastic tub and carefully removed the paper-like insert from the lid, which had all the cocoons stuck to it. Then we pinned this to the inside of the Butterfly Garden (essentially just a big mesh enclosure).
After a week or two, the butterflies suddenly emerged! We kept them in the house for two days, and gave them fruit, wild flowers and ‘homemade-nectar.‘ (Otherwise known as sugar in water!)
Releasing them into the garden was truly special! It’s memories like this that I will treasure forever insha’Allah.
The reason I really like this series of books is that the language in them is accessible for young children, without being too childish.
They are fun, informative and a young reader could comfortably read one independently. The illustrations are beautiful and it is very visually appealing.
I’m hoping to get a few more for next year when we start to study Ancient History insha’Allah.
I love the whole Nakd range! Their snack bars and fruit and nut bits are so delicious!
They are Vegan, Gluten-Free, and Sugar-Free.
The primary ingredient of the range appears to be dates and cashew nuts. There are loads of different varieties, but my favourite is the cocoa delight. It really tastes like chocolate, but it’s completely healthy!
These snacks are very handy to take out with us in the car or when we are out and about on field trips. It’s nice to know that the kids are snacking on something wholesome 🙂
The best thing about these snack bits are that they make NO Crumbs and NO Sticky Fingers and NO Stains!
For these reasons, they are an absolute essential in my homeschool.
Yusuf is a soft plush doll from DesiDoll Company and he is so cute!
He speaks in English and Arabic when you push his hands and feet. I love how says, “Atchoo…Alhumdulillah,” when you push his little nose!
There is also a girl version available called Aamina.
Yusuf teaches young children essential Quranic
words, phrases and Surahs including:
As-Salamu’Alaikum
Bismillah hir Rahman nir
Raheem
Al-hamdu lillah
SubhanAllah
Insha’Allah
JazakAllah Khair
Masha’Allah
La ilaha illallah Muhammad
dur Rasul’lallah
Surah Ikhlas + translation
Surah Fatiha + translation
Fun Nasheeds
Young children learn best through play. It is toys like this that can really help to make a child confident in his Muslim identity, and also teach him more about Islam.
He is a beautiful doll and is treasured in our home.
GIVEAWAY
It’s Giveaway time!
I wanted to share one of my favorites with one of you…well actually TWO… one Yusuf and one Aamina!!!
The May 2016 Favourites Giveaway will run until Monday 23rd May 2016 at 12AM GMT.
The giveaway is open internationally.
All entrants under the age of 18 must have parental permission to enter.
Please aware that if entering overseas, you may be liable to pay customs tax (or the equivalent), so please check beforehand.
ONE winner will receive my favourite TWO talking Muslim dolls (Aamina and Yusuf). RRP £56.
You can enter by following the directions in the Rafflecopter widget posted below (click HERE is you would like to know more about Rafflecopter). I’ll announce the winners on THIS blog post and contact them directly through email.
As homeschoolers, we are always on the look out for new products to enhance our children’s learning experience.
I thought it would be fun to share some of our homeschool discoveries; things that we’ve enjoyed using this month in our homeschool.
Please note: You do NOT need to buy any of these products to be a good mum, or give your child a good education!!! The chances are you’re already doing a great job with our without these products! However, if you are looking for something new and want to see what we’ve been using, please read on!
April’s Homeschool Favourites
Watch This Video for an overview of all these products:
This game has provided hours of entertainment for our family. It is a classic logic game, where the aim is to get the red car out of the traffic jam by moving the sliding blocks/cars out of the way.
There are different levels of difficulty, and it come with a handy draw-string bay to keep the pieces together.
What I loved most about this game is that even though it’s fun, it felt like it was making my son think! I mean REALLY think!
It’s a great way to develop problem solving and critical thinking skills, and exercise little (and not so little) minds.
This play dough setcontains cutters for all the Arabic letters, various shapes, as well as a rolling pin, various molds and tools.
Everything inside is good quality, it’s easy to use and the play dough even smells like bubble gum!
We have used this set in our homeschool to teach our children Arabic. If you are interested in seeing what activities we did with this play dough set, CLICK HERE
This colourful book by Usborne is filled with instructions on how to draw 366 different things; animals, vehicles, buildings, food…Plenty to keep your children interested.
It give simple step-by-step directions that make it easy for children to follow along and work independently.
There is plenty of space to draw in the book itself, and the pages tear out easily. It is very child friendly and lots of fun! I would recommend it for children over 5 years-old.
I hope you enjoyed seeing what products we’ve been using in our homeschool this month. I’d love to hear what some of your favourite products are.
Please let me know in the comments below.
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is the link for Amazon.com.
. All I needed to do was just order the 
separately online. This seems to be becoming a bit of a tradition! 
