Choosing books for children has never been so hard! With the huge numbers of ever increasing children’s books available, deciding which one you’re actually going to get is an indomitable task.
Consider this. When you go to the library, how do you choose from the thousands of books that are there, which ones you’ll actually take home? When you stumble across a book online, how do you know if it’s a “We’ve got to have this,” or if it’s a “Nope. Pass!”?
Is it just a matter of making an informed decisions by reading the back cover? Should we put our trust in the publisher’s social media marketing and influencer reviews? Or do we literally judge a book by its cover?
In this episode of the Raising Mums podcast, I share three things to look for when choosing books for children.
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Eid al-Adha is almost here! We can use this special time to teach our kids what Hajj is and why it is so wonderful. Use these activities to not only teach your kids about this amazing journey, but to create meaningful memories and experiences.
We can sometimes feel like our time for worship is diminished when we are doing chores or taking care of the kids. However, teaching them about Hajj can be filled with rewards when done with the right intention.
What is Hajj?
Abu Hurairah narrated that he heard Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) say:
“Whoever performs Hajj and does not commit any obscenity or transgression will return [free from sins] as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.” (Al-Bukhari)
Hajj is one of the five basic pillars of Islam, and it happens once every year during the month of Dhul Hijjah. Muslims from all over the world make their way to Makkah in Saudi Arabia. Each Muslim must make this journey at least once in their lifetime, if they are able. Therefore, 10 days of this special month are celebrated by Muslims around the world in recognition of those performing Hajj.
However, just because you’re not making the blessed journey yourself, doesn’t mean you and your family can’t honour the pilgrimage at home.
Try these Hajj-themed activities to teach your kids what Hajj is and why it is so special.
Sensory Activities
Hajj Sensory Bins
These sensory bins from The Muslimah Guideare easy to make and fun to explore. Find stones to throw at the jamaraat with the Muzdalifah bin, pour water using the Zam Zam bin, and use the Safa’ and Marwah bin to tell your kids the story of baby Ismail.
Finger print painting
This activity designed by Muslim Kid Genius will show the wonderful diversity which exists within the tawaf ritual. Little ones will love getting their fingers in some paint! As a result, you can teach them about the unity of Muslims from all backgrounds walking around the Kabah together.
What is a Hajj lesson without a Kabah activity? Using teamwork and the many cardboard boxes we save “just in case”, build your very own Kabah using this papier mâché method. You could use this Kabah for the tawaf ritual during the role play activity below. Scroll down for details!
Mixed media Picture
Mixed media pictures are wonderfully fun to make, because you can literally use anything to fill your picture with texture. Little ones will particularly enjoy this activity, and even your older kids will be pretty impressed with the results. Check out this amazing picture from A Muslim Child is Born.
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Discuss with your little ones the various ways someone can travel to Makkah. Explain how the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions travelled from Madinah to Makkah before we had planes and cars! Your kids can use various art supplies such as pastels, paints, and collage materials to make these transportation colouring pages fun and creative!
Tracing pages
Train those fine motor skills by giving younger kidsthese tracing pages from Muslim Learning Garden. You can discuss tawaf, pelting stones at the jamaraat, the tents in Mina and even the run between Mounts Safa’ and Marwah.
Reading time
An activity as effective as it is timeless, reading will always be a joy for your kids when you get involved. There are so many kids’ books online which cover the Hajj pilgrimage in a fun and beautiful way.
Give old treasure maps a creative spin and talk to your kids about the different locations which are so important to the Hajj pilgrimage. Plus, you could use these maps in the role play activity below! Scroll down for details.
Kabah paperclip bookmark
This activity from A Crafty Arab is brilliant because not only can your kids have a lot of fun making these paperclip bookmarks, they will make wonderful little Eid gifts from your kids to other family members.
Mosaic art
Teach your kids the wonders of mosaic art as they learn the patience and perseverance it takes to make something truly amazing!These Hajj-themed pictures will make great gifts. Plus, what child doesn’t like getting glue on their fingers?
Foam pilgrims
Image Credit: helloholydays.com
Teach your kids about ihram (the garment pilgrims wear on Hajj) by making these amazing foam pilgrims from Hello Holy Days. Your kids could use them as props for role play or when using their Hajj displays from the activity above.
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Group Activities
Role play
Get the whole family involved and role play the rituals of Hajj,just like this post from Multicultural Motherhood. This can be done inside or outside. If you’re inside, use a different room for each location. Use your maps and your papier mâché Kabah from the activities above!
Using these 4 challenges from The Muslimah Guide, let your older kids put their engineering skills to work. Using these challenges as a guide, you can have a Hajj-themed building competition. Complete with prizes, of course!
Family Quiz
It’s time to put all your Hajj knowledge to the test – as a family. Host a Family Quiz Night using these questions from Education Quizzes. Switch up the fun by letting your kids hold the question cards and test YOUR knowledge!
The most important aspect of this special time is to have fun with your kids. Use these activities to create positive associations with Islamic learning and bond at the same time.
If you try any of these activities with your kids, make sure youtake a photo and share it on Instagram or Facebook using the hashtag #ourmuslimhomeschool so I can see it!
One of the most effective ways to teach our kids Islamic studies, is by using excellent children’s books.
Over the past decade, I’ve collected a small library of Islamic books for kids. I know what makes a good children’s book, and what makes an excellent one!
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Seriously, when it comes to Islamic Studies, you cannot be too particular about which books you use with your children.
If you’re looking to teach your children more about Hajj, then read on friend!
In this blogpost, I’ll be sharing with you my favourites kid’s books about Hajj; books that inspire wonder and awe, whilst also informing the mind and heart.
I know…I expect a lot from my books!
Here are my recommendations!
The 9 Best Children’s Books About Hajj
For Children Under 5
Two Pigeons on a Pilgrimage
This is the story of two pigeons, as they witness the rites of Hajj! Illustrated by a very talented 12 year-old girl, this rhyming story even includes some fun matching games.
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Children Aged 5-9
Makkah and Madinah Activity Book
This fun sticker activity book is packed with dot-to-dot drawings, colouring pages, puzzles to solve, and loads of stickers, to help your children explore the sacred sites of Makkah and Madinah.
This is retelling of Hajar in the desert, and her struggle to find water for her baby son, Ismael (as). Beautifully written, with spectacular illustrations, this is a book your family will treasure.
This beautifully printed activity book will capture the imagination of your children! Its brimming with all kinds of fun activities, colourful illustrations and fascinating facts to teach your children about the amazing journey of Hajj. They’ll love it!
This unique book, follows a young family on their trip to Makkah. In addition to the usual important sites, it also shows you where many other sites of Islamic historical significance can be found; including the house of Khadijah (ra) and what it looked like inside.
It tells you about the birth place of Prophet Muhammad (saw) and how to find it! More than half of the book is dedicated to sites around Mecca that hold an importance with the Seerah and our Islamic heritage.
With Ramadan just around the corner, I thought I would share some of the things that I will be including in my kid’s Ramadan baskets this year.
Ramadan baskets are a great way to prepare your kids for Ramadan! Fill your basket with gifts to teach your children more about Islam, or with toys and books that they can use during the month.
This blog post is being done in collaboration with Nilly Dahlia. She is a young mum from the UK, please Subscribe to her channel!
We are also running another GIVEAWAY this Ramadan!
Details on how to enter are at the bottom of this post!
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What is a Ramadan Basket?
A Ramadan basket is a basket of goodies that you give to your children, or husband, on the eve of Ramadan. You may chose to fill it with:
Toys they can play with during them month
Educational resources that will teach them more about Ramadan
Ramadan Craft activities (such as making decorations or Eid cards)
Resources that will encourage them to do more acts of worship
If you’d like to see what I’ve put in my children’s Ramadan baskets:
It is Ramadan! This month in Our Muslim Homeschool we have been enjoying a wide variety of Muslim children’s books, to teach the children about Ramadan and Eid.
Muslim children’s literature is an easy and fun way to introduce important concepts in Islam; such as fasting, tawheed, sincerity, amongst others, to children from a young age.
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I strongly believe that the stories we tell our children leave an imprint on their hearts and memories, impacting them in later years. What can be better than to read books to them with beautiful meanings and strong morals.
Here are some of the Ramadan children’s books that we have been reading aloud in our homeschool!
For a quick look at which books we have been reading in Ramadan,
This charming rhyming story teaches toddlers to count up to five using the Five Daily Prayers (Salaah). It’s short but very sweet! ” One, two, three, four, five prayers each day that we’re alive…” Suitable for ages 1-3
This is a touching story about a girl who loves to pray Fajr with her father, but is scared of the dark. Her dad teaches her some words (dhikr) that she can say to invite the Angels and their light (Noor) into her home.
The illustrations in this book are stunning. It is also worth noting that the depictions of people do not have facial features.
I would recommend this book for children ages 4-9.
This lyrical story introduces children to the excitment of Ramadan by focusing on the family rituals and events that take place. This book is suitable for children aged 3-5.
This book teaches children about months of the Islamic calendar, teaching the names and of their significance Islamically. Unfortunately this book is out of print, but you can find it second-hand if you’re willing to hunt around! I would recommend it for children aged 5+.
By far, this is the most well-known of all the books I have mentioned. It introduces Ramadan beautifully, in all its wonder and awe, to children. The story follows a family through Ramadan, from one moon to the next, capturing their excitement and feelings. The illustrations in this book are stunning. This book is suitable for children aged 4-9.
Night of the Moon is the story of a Pakistani-American girl who watches the moon’s phases, and talks about all her different experiences during Ramadan. The illustrations are spectacular and remind me of traditional Islamic art, with lots of geometric patterns and vibrant colours. I would recommend this book for children aged 3-9.
This short and simple story introduces young children to Ramadan and Eid. It shows the family in the mosque, eating iftar, and celebrating Eid. The illustrations are very cute and colourful! Suitable for children aged 2-4 years-old.
This is a story about several children from different families, and their experiences on Eid day. The book focuses on remembering the poor on that day, and shows the children giving out Eid gifts to poorer families in their community.
This book is suitable for children aged 3-5.
I hope you got some new ideas and inspiration from this blog post. Perhaps you found some new books for your children here.
What books do your children enjoy reading in Ramadan?
Do they have a favourite?
Please share with us in the comments below. I’d love to hear about other Ramadan books!
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Please remember us in your duaas.
Peace and Love,
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