HOmeschool

How to Homeschool When You’re Overwhelmed

How to homeschool in lockdown

Homeschooling is not easy. Pretending like it is only leads to further pressure and more stress! But how do you homeschool your kids when stress levels are rising and things feel like they’re falling apart?

Read on to find out how to homeschool when you’re feeling overwhelmed. 

How to Homeschool : 12 ways to homeschool when you're overwhelmed!

How to Homeschool AND Take Care of You

First of all, you need to make sure you are taken care of. You cannot possibly hope to be in the best form for your children if you are feeling depleted and stressed.

Follow your own pursuits 

When we become mothers, we find ourselves dedicating every moment we have to our kids. We forget that we are also women with our own goals, own desires, and our own dreams. Don’t neglect these! Find time in your week to follow your own pursuits whether its painting, pursuing your own learning, or playing an active sport. Try to do anything to help you wind down and feel happy and content!

.

How to have a homeschool breaks 

Breaks are essential when it comes to homeschooling, but how many of us regularly take advantage of a break? We make sure to give our children breaks from their schoolwork and time for snacks or some fresh air. But make sure you also take a break and not use it as a chance to do other chores or tasks! Breaks are just as important for mum as for the kids. Use this time to have a cup of tea, meditate, or just sit outside for a little bit. These regular breaks throughout the day are extremely effective in refreshing you to continue the day ahead. 

How to homeschool when you feel overwhelmed and stressed. Charlotte Mason quote

RELATED: To find out how a homeschool day looks for us, check out Our Muslim Homeschool’s Day In The Life!

Physical needs 

As mums, we also regularly neglect our own physical needs. Make sure you’re eating properly, staying hydrated and getting plenty of rest at night. If you are feeling tired, weak, or hungry you cannot be in the best state to teach your children. By attending to your own physical needs and taking care of yourself, you will reduce the chances of burning out quickly and feeling that all-too-familiar exhaustion!

Reward yourself 

Just like your kids get rewards to motivate them and keep them on task, mums should have rewards too! As you work your way through each day, week and month of homeschooling, reward yourself. You deserve it! Homeschooling is just as challenging for you as it is for your children and you should celebrate your achievements. Whether that’s buying yourself something, taking time out to be with friends or even having a quiet night in with a bubble bath!

How to homeschool when you feel overwhelmed and stressed from our muslim homeschool
.

How to have a homeschool mentality

The beauty of homeschooling is you can be as different from school as you want to be and keep the features you love. This is YOUR homeschool. So, make it yours. 

Don’t compare 

Everyone has a unique way of homeschooling because no two families are the same. Sure, we may borrow certain ideas from each other, but even our execution of those ideas varies depending on the unique differences of our children. We each face different struggles, so never compare your progress to those of other homeschools. You may be achieving things another mother struggles with. Remember, people rarely share the extent of their difficulties on social media, so avoid comparing yourself to the people you see in your Instagram and Facebook feeds. 

How to homeschool when you're overwhelmed and stress. Don't compare! From our Muslim Homeschool

Keep it simple

This is your homeschool with a limited number of children. You don’t have to accommodate for a class of 25-30 children. So, do yourself a favour and keep your life simple! Start with the basics of reading, writing and mathematics. Then you can slowly work your way into other subjects, some of which may only require you to read a book aloud to your children and encourage some discussion.  

.

Scrap it! 

If something isn’t working for you or your children, SCRAP IT. You don’t have to prove anything. Some things click with some families but cause complete chaos in another. You’re in charge, so you choose what you do as a family. When you spend time and money on a new curriculum or resource it can be tempting to keep going with it no matter what, but if it is creating negative learning experiences for your child, don’t be afraid to stop. With any new curriculum, especially the pricier ones, it’s always best to try some form of trial or sample before you commit money to it. Make sure it’s something you and your children will benefit from. 

How to homeschool when you feel overwhelmed and stressed

Be gentle

Always be gentle with yourself, particularly at the beginning of your homeschool journey. This is a hard road for even the most experienced veteran homeschoolers. It doesn’t necessarily get easier, you just get better at troubleshooting and knowing what works for you. Every new year can be like starting again and learning new things as your child grows and enters a new year/grade. Take one day at a time and celebrate the small wins. 

How to make homeschool easy

Having the right mentality is one thing, but this is much easier if you have made practical steps to making your homeschool tasks easier. Whilst the ideal scenario is sitting and working with your kids as they complete magnificent, sophisticated pieces of work, this isn’t usually the reality. Some days you’ll be lucky if you read a single book together. And that’s ok. But there are things you can incorporate into your homeschool day to make lessons a little easier. 

How to homeschool when you're overwhelmed and stressed. Charlotte Mason quote

The joy of reading aloud 

Reading aloud is probably the most popular homeschool activity. And for good reason – it is highly effective! Give your children something to work with such as Lego blocks, jigsaw puzzles or colouring. Then select a book to read to them. This can be a fictional book which is above their reading level or even a non-fiction book for subjects like History or Science. Read aloud to your kids and then discuss the contents together. You’ll be surprised by how much they absorb!

RELATED: Click here to find out what books we’ve read in our homeschool.

Gameschooling 

Learning through play has always been the primary way children learn at a young age. Thankfully, there are plenty of games out there with education and key skills built right in. Head to Word United to see some amazing examples of games with purpose. When either you or your children feel the frustration rising and the workbooks are being discarded in a huff and a puff, grab some games! Your kids won’t even realise they are still learning as they enjoy the delightful change of pace!

How to homeschool when you're overwhelmed with gameschooling

Get them online

The internet can provide more than resources for us to print and laminate. There are multiple websites which are designed to help children independently take charge of their learning. Khan Academy and Khan Academy Kids are perfect examples of programmes which facilitate your child’s learning in a range of subjects. And it’s completely free! The fact that your children can navigate these websites pretty much independently means it can grant you some extra time for a break or to get some other things done.  

.

Get outside

In the end, there is no greater remedy for feeling overwhelmed than going outside. Just breathing fresh air and having gentle exercise each day will help both you and your children feel refreshed. If you want, your children can take their nature journaling supplies, but it’s not necessary. You’ll be amazed at how much learning and development happens when children are just relaxed and having fun in nature! 

How to homeschool when you're overwhelmed from our Muslim Homeschool

How do you homeschool? 

There is no doubt homeschooling WILL feel overwhelming at times, but make sure you look after yourself and take advantage of the flexibility homeschooling provides. 

How do you make life easier when homeschooling gets overwhelming? What tips do you have for making homeschool life smoother when it feels like it’s spiralling out of control?

Drop all your tips and advice in the comments below!

.

How to Homeschool – 5 Essential Steps to Prepare to Homeschool

How to Homeschool - 5 Essential Steps to Start Homeschooling from Our Muslim Homeschool

The new school year is here and homeschool prep is at the forefront of our minds. This may be your first homeschool year and you’re wondering how to get started. How can you homeschool if you’ve never done it before? These 5 essential steps will show you how to homeschool easily throughout the year!

We often start the year with good intentions, meticulous plans and well-prepared resources. However, after a few weeks, we risk the ‘homeschool slump’ when the enthusiasm dips and the good intentions we started out with are difficult to maintain. With these 5 key steps, you’ll be in control of your homeschool life!

How to Homeschool - 5 Essential steps to start homeschooling! From Our Muslim Homeschool

This blog-post contains affiliate links. Please see Disclaimer for more information.

1.   Work out your daily rhythm

To discover how to homeschool in the best way possible you must realise that everyone is different. There is no one correct way to do things, so spend some time figuring out what works best for you and your family. 

During the day, structure your homeschool subjects in a way that makes the most sense for your child. If your children are more focused in the morning, get the difficult topics (like maths) out of the way first. If your children start to get a little tired around early afternoon, use that time for gentle and relaxing Poetry Time. 

How to Homeschool - 5 Essential Steps to Start Homeschooling From Our Muslim Homeschool

Figuring out what works best will go a long way in keeping your days as stress-free as possible. Your rhythm may change throughout the year – you might enjoy Poetry Time over breakfast! And that’s fine. If you pay attention to how your children respond to their subjects, you’ll know instinctively when and how you need to change things up. 

Related: Homeschool Poetry – Why bother?

.

2.   Establish morning and evening routines

Even before you start homeschooling, it’s a good idea to get your whole family into a routine for each day. Routines are very different from schedules! Schedules can be restrictive by dictating what gets done and for how long, and if you have a bad day (and let’s be honest, the reality of homeschooling is things rarely go according to plan!) then the whole schedule can fly out of the window leaving you more stressed and unorganised than before!

Routines are different. Routines tell you what order to do things. This gentle structure is very helpful for children in keeping them grounded and focused. They are able to relax by anticipating what comes next in their day – whatever time that may be! 

Incorporate a routine in the morning before you start school. For example, your children have to make their bed, eat breakfast, help clear the table and then get their school things out. 

How to homeschool - 5 essential steps to start homeschooling

When it comes to the evening, nothing helps kids wind down for a good night’s sleep like a stable evening routine. As mothers, we are used to using a bedtime routine to help babies sleep through the night, but older children benefit from a bedtime routine just as much. For example: Once they finish their work for the day, they can put away their school things, eat dinner, clear the table, tidy up their toys, have a bath, read in bed, and then lights out. 

A routine is the perfect way to add structure to your day without the restrictions of a tight schedule that can easily go off track.

If you’d like to know more about using routines in your day, I talk about it more here!

Related: Productivity and Time Management for Homeschool Mums

3.   How to Homeschool and get the chores done too

Chores are something we all hope and pray we can implement with our children, but day after day we find ourselves overwhelmed with housework and it seems like no one is helping! When trying to homeschool, it can be extremely difficult to focus on enjoying the time educating your kids when a long list of chores is distracting you. 

By distributing manageable chores across your children, you achieve a number of things:

⭐It’s less stressful for you when you know certain things are taken care of. 

⭐It instils a sense of responsibility amongst your kids.

⭐They develop a meticulous love and care of their home and bedroom. 

⭐Home economics is an extremely valuable homeschool subject. Giving your children chores will teach them life skills which will prove to be priceless in their older years. 

Consider adding ‘Chore Time’ to your daily routine so you can better relax and focus on quality time with your children.

.

4.   Plan your meals

Staying with the theme of organisation, meal planning goes a long way in keeping you in control. I talk about how to implement meal planning into your homeschool in my podcast: Raising Mums – Run Your Home Like A Boss

By knowing the week’s menu, you can plan your shopping ahead of time and only buy the items you need each week. This way, you save money and reduce the amount of food that goes to waste!

How to homeschool - 5 Essential Steps to Start Homeschooling From Our Muslim Homeschool

Get your children involved by asking them which meals they would like to have. Your older children could even help prepare a meal each week. This is a great opportunity for them to learn those all-important life skills!

I use a fantastic online meal planning tool called PLAN TO EAT. If you would like to try it out, they are currently running a 30-day FREE TRIAL!

CLICK HERE to sign up! 

Related: Podcast- Run Your Home Like a Boss

5.   How to plan your homeschool year

Planning is essential when homeschooling. You need to have an idea what you will use each day, otherwise you find yourself constantly frazzled trying to get resources ready on time. 

It can be very easy to fall down the ‘homeschool rabbit hole’ when looking online. The longer you search the more excited are to try every curriculum and every downloadable resource you can find. Whilst this is thrilling at first, after a while you quickly become burnt out by the amount of activities, eBooks, and videos you have at your disposal. 

.

It’s impossible to predict what your entire year has in store for you, but you can find the balance between structured organisation and having freedom to change things when you need to:

⭐Yearly: Each year, have a loose plan for how you will homeschool. This plan includes books you will read, Maths and Phonics programmes, Science and History topics, etc.

⭐Every 6 weeks: This is where you can be more detailed. Using the topics and programmes you’ve already chosen, plan 6 weeks in detail. Which subtopics will you cover? Which pages of those books do you need? Which activities and worksheets need to be prepared? Gather everything together and note down your plan so each day your mind is clear, and you know exactly how to homeschool that day. 

how to homeschool - how to start homeschooling From our Muslim homeschool

Remember, you can’t possibly do everything! So, pick the topics you want and prepare the activities you can realistically get done.  

Want to know more about planning? Check out Homeschool Planning 101.

Related: Podcast-Homeschool Planning 101

What advice would you give?

When it comes to homeschooling, countless people have plenty of advice! We all need help from other homeschool mums, so please share your advice in the comments below.

What steps do you find essential when starting your homeschooling year? How do you homeschool successfully?

Share with us in the comments below!

.

What is Homeschooling? | Life and Learning in a Muslim Homeschool

what is homeschooling? Life in a muslim homeschool

The beauty of home education lies in its diversity. When I’m asked “What is homeschooling?”, I struggle to answer! Home education looks different in every family you come across. It’s true!

However at its core, homeschooling is when parents have chosen to educate their children outside of mainstream schools. Simply put, it is when parents take a much greater responsibility in the education their own kids.

The reason why homeschooling looks so different in every family is because home educators don’t believe in the “one-size-fits-all” approach of mainstream schools. Instead, homeschoolers are creating bespoke learning experiences for their family, based upon their ideals, beliefs and the individual needs of their children.

what is homeschooling

I am delighted to bring Shazia into this space, to share her story with you here. Her approach to raising her children is an inspiration to me, and her many followers on Instagram.

In this blogpost, Shazia explains what homeschooling is to her family; what it looks like, how it all began, and some parting advice for those who want to know how to start.

It’s truly an honour to share her insights with you here. 

what is homeschooling

Life in a Muslim Homeschool

“Assalaamu alaykum, my name is Shazia and alhamdulilah I am a mother of three beautiful children aged 13, 11 and 8 years old. We live in the East Midlands in the UK and I began to home educate nearly 7 years ago.

As a family we love to spend much time together, whether it is in the outdoors, at museums, heritage sites, islamic events or just being at home snuggled up to watch a movie or playing board games.

We love travelling and especially visiting Muslim countries to explore the rich Islamic history they have to offer, perform ziyarahs, and absorb different cultures. 

[mailerlite_form form_id=2]

We do plan things last minute and are quite spontaneous and adventurous in our trips, the children and their dad more so than me. I have woken up to being told we are going France and by the evening we are driving into Paris, or that we are going camping in Wales on a late afternoon and are pitching our tent as the sun begins to set.  

How our Homeschool Journey Began

We never started off as a home-schooling family. In fact, I had never even come across the concept of home-schooling until my husband mentioned it to me when the children were toddlers and I was contemplating nursery settings.

At that time, I wasn’t keen on the idea and never pursued it until the children began attending school. This is when I began to feel the void of them being away from me for so many hours.

Related: Day in the Life | What Homeschooling is REALLY LIKE!

I started to look more into home education and then deregistered them from primary school. The work at primary level was so basic, and I felt confident that as someone with a university degree, and as a part qualified accountant, I could just teach them at home and enjoy them during these most precious years where they need me to help them build a strong foundation.

Alhamdulilah, Allah facilitated this opportunity for us as it has truly been such a blessing for us as a family. My elder children have now started their journey into secondary school education so I now have just one child at home who has never entered the school system.  

[mailerlite_form form_id=2]

What is Homeschooling to us?

A typical day in our home always begins with Fajr prayer followed by the recital of Quran and dhikr. I feel it is so important to feed our soul early in the morning and then feed our body.

This structure has always helped us to begin our day in a calm and relaxed manner. Once the elder two have left for school, I sit with my eight year old to read our current read aloud book. This is normally followed by literacy work around the book which may be comprehension worksheets, creative writing, or poetry.

We have a short snack break and begin her maths work. I prefer to keep our lessons hands on and find unit studies allow us to incorporate many subjects from one topic.

We have plenty of free play time in the day and I try to plan days in the week as our ‘outing days’ and a few as our ‘home days’ as this helps me to balance my household chores for the week.

We have a very large home-schooling community in our city and many activities are always being arranged. We take part in a monthly forest school session, climbing, ice skating, cooking club and many random park meet ups.  

Related: Homeschool Day in the Life with Arabic Flashcards

How to Start Homeschooling

Due to Covid I’m sure many parents will be wanting to embark on the home education journey and many will have decided it’s not for them. Either way, we are all home schoolers, some on a full time basis and some when the children return from school/weekends or holidays.

Having children in school and at home, I know there are pros and cons to both. What matters the most is you and your child being happy. You know your child best and you are the only one who will ever want them to succeed in deen and duniya more than any other teacher.

You really will make some of the most amazing memories together in this time. Admittedly home-schooling isn’t easy, and requires a sacrifice from you in your time, income (if you have to leave work to pursue it) and personal interests. It doesn’t mean you lose all of these but you must forgo part of them for a greater thing which is time with your children.

I would say sit down and plan how you want to educate your children, how you will allocate your household chores during the week and how much time you need for your own self. Don’t forget to have time for your own self, for your own spiritual needs where you can pray Salah and read your Quran without interruption.

When you are elevated spiritually you will feel happier and be able to give the best of yourself to your children. May Allah put barakah in your home-schooling journey and do perform istikharah before you make this decision.”

what is homeschooling

Thank you Shazia, for showing us what homeschooling is for your family. JazakAllah khayr. That was so inspiring! mashAllah

You can follow Shazia, and her incredible our home-schooling journey on Instagram – CLICK HERE

If you would like to share your family’s unique Homeschooling Experience with our community, please get in touch!
We’d love to hear your story too. insha’Allah.

Peace and Love,

Our Muslim Homeschool Dr Gemma Elizabeth

 

 

 

[mailerlite_form form_id=2]

How to Start Homeschooling | Choosing a Homeschool Curriculum

how to start homeschooling, choosing a homeschool curriculum

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

To start homeschooling, you need homeschool curriculum. But how do you choose?

In this part of the world we are blessed with an abundance of homeschooling resources. There is a wealth of free information online and with the click of a button you can have homeschool curriculum shipped to your door the next day. But with so much available, many mothers feel overwhelmed.

how to start homeschooling, choosing a homeschool curriculum

When you’re learning how to start homeschooling, it is difficult to decide which one to go for. How do you choose between them all? They all look so good! Right?

In episode 26 of the Raising Mums podcast, I talk LIVE on Facebook and Instagram about what you need to think about when you start homeschool curriculum shopping. I also teach you the three things you need to think about before you buy anything!

If you want to know which homeschool curriculum to chose for your children,

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

How to Start Homeschooling Course

 Launch your Homeschool is an online course designed to help Muslim families who want to start homeschooling. It will guide you as you navigate and design your own path home-education. Built upon a foundation of Islamic values, and the framework of the Charlotte Mason Philosophy, I’ll be there supporting you step-by-step!

I strongly believe that there is no one-size-fits-all curriculum for homeschooling. So in this program, I give you the tools you need to find your own way, based upon your values, your unique children, and your family dynamics.

A large part of learning how to start homeschooling is the planning. That’s why I’ve dedicated several modules in the course to Homeschool planning and time management; so that you can begin your homeschooling journey positively and with confidence. 

I also go into detail about common mistakes homeschoolers make in their first year so you can avoid them!

The aim is for everyone who enrols in the Launch Your Homeschool course to go from feeling overwhelmed, unsure and confused; to confident, excited and well prepared for coming homeschool year.

.

How is it taught?

I know first hand how little time mothers have to study when their children are young. For this reason I have kept the lessons short, around 20 minutes, but packed with value, so that you can watch them during nap-time or while you have your morning coffee. Everything is pre-recorded, and you have lifetime access, so you can go back and rewatch any of the lessons whenever you want. 

In addition to video lessons, you’ll get access to a buzzing private student community on Facebook, all the homeschool planning material you’ll need to plan out your year AND 4 LIVE Q&A sessions with me!

Enrolment closes TODAY! Sunday 19th July 2020, at 11.59pm GMT.

To find out more, and to see if LAUNCH YOUR HOMESCHOOL is for you…

CLICK HERE! ** LAUNCH YOUR HOMESCHOOL ** 

I’ll be taking a few weeks off from these LIVE Facebook and Instagram broadcasts, but I’ll be back again after Eid for some more Raising Mums goodness! insha’Allah.

Peace and Love,

how to start homeschooling
.

How to Start Homeschooling | Homeschool Planning 101

how to start homeschooling homeschool planning 101

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Homeschool planning is a big part of knowing how to start homeschooling.

In episode 25 of the Raising Mums podcast, I discuss how homeschool planning can give you freedom and flexibility. How, if done well, homeschool planning can give homeschool mums peace of mind, and confidence in the plans they have laid out.

Doesn’t that sound wonderful?!

how to start homeschooling | homeschool planning 101

I also spend some time introducing and taking questions about our online homeschooling course Launch Your Homeschool.

Homeschool planning is key if you want to know how to start homeschooling well.

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

How to Start Homeschooling Course

 Launch your Homeschool is an online course designed to help Muslim families who want to start homeschooling. It will guide you as you navigate and design your own path home-education. Built upon a foundation of Islamic values, and the framework of the Charlotte Mason Philosophy, I’ll be there supporting you step-by-step!

I strongly believe that there is no one-size-fits-all curriculum for homeschooling. So in this program, I give you the tools you need to find your own way, based upon your values, your unique children, and your family dynamics.

A large part of learning how to start homeschooling is the planning. That’s why I’ve dedicated several modules in the course to Homeschool planning and time management; so that you can begin your homeschooling journey positively and with confidence. 

I also go into detail about common mistakes homeschoolers make in their first year so you can avoid them!

The aim is for everyone who enrols in the Launch Your Homeschool course to go from feeling overwhelmed, unsure and confused; to confident, excited and well prepared for coming homeschool year.

.

How is it taught?

We know first hand how little time mothers have to study when their children are young. For this reason I have kept the lessons short, around 20 minutes, but packed with value, so that you can watch them during nap-time or while you have your morning coffee. Everything is pre-recorded, and you have lifetime access, so you can go back and rewatch any of the lessons whenever you want. 

In addition to video lessons, you’ll get access to a buzzing private student community on Facebook, all the homeschool planning material you’ll need to plan out your year AND 4 LIVE Q&A sessions with me!

Enrolment closes Sunday 19th July 2020, at 11.59pm GMT.

To find out more, and to see if LAUNCH YOUR HOMESCHOOL is for you…

CLICK HERE! ** LAUNCH YOUR HOMESCHOOL **

I’ll be back LIVE on Facebook and Instagram on Sunday 19th July 2020 at 10am GMT, when I ‘ll be talking with you all about,

“Homeschool Curriculum – What to look for and how to choose!”

I hope I’ll see you there!

Peace and love,

how to start homeschooling
.

What Is Hajj? 16 Activities to Teach Kids About Hajj

what is hajj? 16 Activities to teach your kids about Hajj

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? 16 Activities to teach kids about HAjj

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 Guide are 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. 

Papier mâché kabah 

What is Hajj? 16 Activities to teach your kids about HAjj
Image Credit: https://imanbendjedidi.wordpress.com

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.

.

Quiet Time Activities

Hajj ritual display

What is Hajj? 16 Activities to teach kids about Hajj
Image Credit: muslimlearninggarden.wordpress.com

Use items from around your house to set up a Hajj ritual display like this one from Garden of Knowledge. This is a great way to help your kids visualise the various rituals for the 5 days of Hajj. For kids who love Lego, set them a challenge to set up their very own Hajj Lego diorama like this one from Muslim Learning Garden. 

Transportation colouring sheets 

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 kids these 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. 

Related: The 9 Best Children’s Books about Hajj

Get Crafty Activities

What is Hajj? 16 Activities to teach your kids about Hajj
Image Credit: acraftarab.com

Make an old Hajj map

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

What is Hajj? 16 Activities that teach your kids about Hajj
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. 

.

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!

Sheep cupcakes 

What is Hajj? 16 Activities to teach your about Hajj
Image Credit: landolakes.com

Make some delicious cupcakes for Eid al-Adha. These sheep cupcakes will be lots of fun to make and the whole family can join in and decorate them. Try using some gummy sweets from the Halal Sweets Company, and don’t forget to stock up on Halal marshmallows. 

STEM Day 

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!

Related: 7 Delightful Children’s Books about Eid

Islamic Studies for kids

Have fun!

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 you take a photo and share it on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #ourmuslimhomeschool so I can see it!

For more resources and activities, check out the Our Muslim Homeschool Free Resources Library. It has hundreds of Educational resources to teach children about Islam, including Hajj!

.

Mum Stress | Managing Overwhelm for the Stay-at-Home Mum

Mum Stress | Managing Overwhelm for the Stay-at-Home Mum

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Many women struggle through motherhood, consumed with feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Mum stress stops us enjoying motherhood to its fullest, and may even lead us to mistreat our loved ones.

Mum Stress | Managing Overwhelm for the Stay-at-Home Mum 3 steps to manage your stress so that you can enjoy your family again! Blog post, podcast and video!

This blog-post contains affiliate links. For more information see Disclaimer.

As new mums, we were filled with aspirations of creating a beautiful, peaceful and loved-filled atmosphere for our family; but instead, it is us, mums, who have become the biggest barrier to this dream. Stressed and overwhelmed, these emotions spill out onto our spouse and children too.

We know that we can be better mums, but it’s not working out that way in our lives.

In reality, there will always be cause to be stressed. Whether it’s a messy house, unruly children or family disputes, there is always something that could trigger negative emotions in you. Instead of wishing for a different life, a life free from diffulties and struggles, you could be happier if you learnt to cope better with stress.

In episode 17 of Raising Mums, I give you the 3-steps you need to know to Deal with Mum Stress! If you feel overwhelmed or frazzled, these steps will help you to turn the situation around in the heat of the moment.

To find out how to manage your stress as a stay-at-home mum,

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

mum stress

3 Steps to Manage Mum Stress

  1. You are not your thoughts! Distance yourself from your thoughts and recognise that your true essence is your soul, not the chatter that goes on in your mind. This will stop your negative emotions escalating.
  2. Practice gratitude. List at least 3 things you are grateful for. This will help you to turn the negative emotions into positive ones.
  3. Renew your intention. Remember your “why.” This will help you to move forward, free from stress and renewed.
mum stress

These three steps will help you to gain “mental space.” If this is not enough, try to create “physical space” too. This means leaving the situation that is causing you stress. Perhaps you need to leave the room, make some tea, or go into the garden.

Use these techniques to manage your stress. It will help you to enjoy your children again, and thrive as a mother!

mum stress

Resources Mentioned in this Episode

Thank you to our Sponsor!

Thank you to WordUnited for sponsoring today’s episode!

 Make sure you check out their website, where home-educating parents can browse and filter resources by subjects and learning areas! Explore their resources for children with special needs, including autism and dyslexia. Their website is super easy to navigate, allowing you to browse the specific area of learning for each subject, e.g. under numeracy, you can browse for resources in multiplication, fractions, telling the time, money etc. And check out their Free Resources Hub while you’re there!

Home educators can receive 10% off every time they shop using the DISCOUNT CODE wu4homeed. Isn’t that incredible?!

mum stress

Raising Mums is a weekly broadcast that streams LIVE on my Facebook and Instagram page every Sunday at 10am GMT!

In Next Week’s Episode, on Sunday 2nd February 2020, we’ll be talking about:

How to Add Poetry and Song into your Homeschool!

I’m so excited to talk about this topic! Adding poetry and song to your homeschool truly brings so much joy and heart to your children’s learning experience, and I can’t wait to talk to you more about it!

Thank you for stopping by today.

Wishing you a beautiful and blessed week ahead.

Peace and Love,

mum stress
.

How to Homeschool during Pregnancy!

how to homeschool during pregnancy

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

I’ve just had a baby, so I know how hard it can be to homeschool during pregnancy!

As if homeschooling wasn’t challenging enough; and then add in nausea, exhaustion and the mood swings (oh boy those mood swings!) and it can seem almost impossible.

This blog-post contains affiliate links. For more information, please see Disclaimer.

But my experience with four pregnancies has taught me some “hacks” that can sustain your homeschool during pregnancy, ensuring that your children’s education doesn’t suffer and neither do you!

In Episode 16 of the Raising Mums, I share some amazing ideas will maintain the momentum in your children’s learning experience, whilst being easy and gentle on mum (that’s you!); and isn’t that what every pregnant mum needs?!

Whether you’re pregnant now, or worried about how having more children will impact on your homeschool, I’m speaking to you in this episode…

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Prioritise your Health in Pregnancy

Remember, there is no homeschool without a homeschool mum!

If you don’t take care of yourself during this time, there may be no homeschool to come back to after the pregnancy is over. It may be necessary to rest during pregnancy, or take some time off from homeschooling, to maintain your own health and wellness…and that’s ok!

There is no homeschool without a homeschool mum | self care | homeschooling mum mom

Get more Homeschool bang for your buck!

Incorporate different subjects into one lesson. What does that mean? Let me explain!

For example after reading a work of literature, have your child:

  • Write out a passage for hand-writing
  • Practice spelling some of the words
  • Learn new vocabulary from the passage
  • Narrate what they just heard for English composition
  • Writing down their narration will also teach spelling and grammar too
  • Have them read the next page for reading practice
  • Choose a book that is set in a historical time period to include History
  • Perhaps there is a way to involve Science or Maths into the lesson too!

Maybe you can find a way to bring maths into a science lesson, or maybe even English or History!

This doesn’t mean creating complicated unit-studies, but just using what you already have planned and see if your children can learn anything more from it!

Simplify homeschooling when pregnant!

Unless it brings you joy, cut back on complicated art projects, hands-on activities or field trips.

Instead, use resources that give you “more bang for your buck!” (see explanation above).

Use Open and Go Homeschool Curricula

Open-and-go curricula are generally not something I would use. They do not fit well with the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education, however for those really hard days (or weeks) during pregnancy, open-and-go curricula are a life-saver!

All that is required is to open the book or login into the online programme, and work through the next lesson.

Here are a few of my favourites:

Don’t forget AUDIOBOOKS!

Pregnancy is a great time to catch up on reading, and let you kids feast on the plethora of excellent quality audiobooks that are out there. We get our audiobooks from:

  • Audible – Choose from the world’s largest selection of audiobooks including best sellers, new releases, sci-fi, romances, mysteries, classics, and more. 30-Day FREE TRIAL! Get One free audiobook of your choice – yours to keep, even if you cancel! Prime customers receive two audiobooks in your trial.
  • Quantum Chronicles – a collection of Islamic audio series including the Life of the Prophet (saw) and Maryam, the mother of Eesa (AS). Use DISCOUNT CODE: OMHomeschool 15 for 15% OFF!

You might also like:

You might also like these episodes of Raising Mums all about Time Management!

Run your Home like a BOSS – Part 1

Run your Home like a BOSS! – Part 2 + FREE Planner

How Super-Mums do it ALL! + FREE Planner

Thank you to our Sponsor

A big thank you to WordUnited for sponsoring this episode. Check out their Free Resources Hub with 100s of free resources to download, print and share, and their Blog that includes many videos with lots of ideas and links to free printables to make learning fun. Explore free resources for maths, English, languages including Arabic and French, science, history, geography, arts and crafts, fine motor skills and resources for children with special needs.

I’ll be back again next week, Sunday 26th January, at 10 am GMT, LIVE on Facebook and Instagram for the next episode of Raising Mums!

Peace and Love,

Homeschool resources
.

13 Ways to Encourage the Reluctant Reader

Encourage the Reluctant reader

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

It can be disappointing, maybe even heart-breaking, when your child won’t read. Many families have at least one reluctant reader who just doesn’t enjoy reading. But don’t worry, there are many ways you can encourage your child to read at home, and enjoy it!

How to encourage the reluctant reader to read! Booklists, podcast, video and FREE checklist to get them reading!

This blog-post contains affiliate links. Please see the Disclaimer for more information.

Children who read do better at school , opens up world of opportunities There are many little ways to enlarge your world.  Love of books is the best of all.”

– Jacqueline Kennedy

In Episode fourteen of the Raising Mums podcast, I discuss a variety of different ways you can encourage your reluctant reader to start reading!

WATCH THIS VIDEO!

13 ways to Encourage the Reluctant Reader

The key, is to focus on the experience. Make reading a fun activity!Children should feel loved and safe, not judged or stressed.

Here are a feel ideas of ways you can cultivate a love of reading in your reluctant readers:

  • Read aloud – Keep on reading aloud even after children can read themselves.
  • Use Audiobooks – Audible, Librivox,
  • Take it in turns to read a sentence/page/chapter
  • Chose funny books, mystery books, graphic novels, poems, joke books or magazines and comics, or non-fiction. (See book list below)
  • Take a closer look – Illustrated, font
  • Use eBooks – Kindle, ManyBooks, Project Gutenberg, Oxford Owl
  • Find a purpose in reading – Topic they love, something they’re learning about, a place they’ve visited, or an audiobook they’ve listened to.
  • Add in a hands-on activity or a book-related trip.
  • Collect the Series – Get them hooked on a series of books. (See booklist below.)
  • Be the example – Let your children see you read
  • Tweet/Email an author!
  • Create a Book Club with friends
  • Ask them to read bedtime story to siblings

If you can’t remember all of that, don’t worry! I’ve created a FREE CHECKLIST for you.

Download it onto your phone, or print it out for your reference!

Encourage your Reluctant Readers with these ideas! Blog post also includes podcast, video and booklist.

To get your download your FREE CHECKLIST, just CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

Encourage-Reluctant-Readers-CHECKLISTDownload

Books for Reluctant Readers

Magic treehouse

Dinosaur Cove

Ultimate Football Heroes

I Survived

Doctor Dolittle

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.”

– Roald Dahl

You don’t need to try all of these ideas or buy all of these books! Just pick one of two that you think might work for your children and give it a go!

Next week’s episode of Raising Mums, on 12th January 2020, I’ll be sharing My Favourite Homeschool Finds of 2019.

As we’re going on a family holiday, that episode will be pre-recorded and published on my Youtube channel and as Podcast. There will be no LIVE broadcast that week.

But I’ll be back LIVE again the following week, Sunday 19th January 2020 at 10am GMT, with another episode of Raising Mums on my Facebook and Instagram accounts insha’Allah.

I look forward to seeing you there!

Peace and Love,

Free homeschool resources

Simplify your Homeschool with a Morning Basket

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Using a morning basket can simplify your homeschool, whilst at the same time adding an abundance of riches to your children’s education.

Morning baskets, filled with living books, add depth and meaning to your homeschool days in a way that is easy for you to implement. There are no faddish curriculum or clever gimmicks here! Just a basket filled with beautiful books to nourish your children.

Simplify your homeschool with a morning basket! Find out how here! morning basket homeschool

This blog-post includes affiliate links. Please see the Disclaimer for more information.

Morning Basket in your Homeschool

In episode number 13 of the Raising Mums podcast, I explain:

  • What is a Morning Basket?
  • Why is it such an effective teaching method?
  • How do we use the morning basket?
  • What shall I put in mine?
  • How can a morning basket simplify our homeschool?

To find out more, WATCH THIS VIDEO!

LINKS MENTIONS

Raising Mums Podcast – Listen to these LIVE broadcasts when you’re on the go!

Run Your Home Like a BOSS! – Time Management For Mums

Quran (English Translation) – Read just a few ayah each day.

Primary Language Lessons – Used for poetry memorisation and English curriculum.

All the Silver Pennies – Collection of Children’s Poetry

Robin Hood – Our favourite book this year! For children aged 7+. (Disclaimer. Some scenes mention drinking and mild romance)

Little House – Wonderful picture book for all the family.

Read Aloud Revival – Book lists galore!

Ambleside Online – Extensive lists of living books, free Charlotte Mason homeschool curriculum, teacher resources.

morning basket homeschool

I’ll be back again next Sunday, 5th January, at 10am GMT, LIVE on FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM, talking about:

Encouraging the Reluctant Reader!

I hope I’ll see you all there!

Thanks for stopping by.

Peace and Love,

morning basket homeschool

1 2 3