As homeschooling parents, we have to overcome many obstacles and hurdles, to provide out children with the education and lifestyle we want for them. When you first begin, one of the biggest barriers to home education, is dealing with naysayers.
In those beginning months and years of home education, many of us are fragile. The slightest bump in the road can shatter our confidence and leave us questioning our decision to homeschool. And so, when people around us find fault in our homeschooling, it can send us into a negative spiral, of self-doubt and shame.
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So what do you do when someone tells you that you shouldn’t homeschool your children?
In episode 34 of the Raising Mums podcast, I discuss how to deal with naysayers, in a way that will leave you feeling empowered, rather than ashamed.
The key to dealing with naysayers is to identify if they are truly coming from a place of concern, or simply feeding their own ego.
In both situations, put yourself into their position and respond with love and compassion.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t stand up for yourself. If you are being mistreated, you must! But do it with compassion, and you will leave the situation feeling more empowered, and confident in your decision to home educate your kids.
This episode of Raising Mums was brought to you by Miraj Stories!
You can save up to 25% off on this Islamic app for children aged 4-9, with an exclusive Discount Code just for Our Muslim Homeschool fans! It includes Islamic audiobooks, picture books, songbooks and games.
It’s Halal and there are NO ADs! Alhumdulillah!
Miraj Stories is such an EASY way to incorporate Islamic learning into your child’s homeschooling!
As a homeschooling parent, we worry a lot! We worry that we’re not giving our children enough of our time. We stress that we’re not doing enough for them. And we agonise about how to fit it all in!
Thie blogpost may contain affiliate links. See Disclaimer for more information.
In episode 33 of the Raising Mums podcast, I share with you some practical ways that you “squeeze” more learning into your children’s lives, and reframe the way you look at your homeschool.
This episode of Raising Mums was brought to you by Miraj Stories!
You can save up to 25% off on this Islamic app for children aged 4-9, with an exclusive Discount Code just for Our Muslim Homeschool fans! It includes Islamic audiobooks, picture books, songbooks and games.
It’s Halal and there are NO ADs! Alhumdulillah!
Miraj Stories is such an EASY way to incorporate Islamic learning into your child’s homeschooling!
It’s hard to know where to begin when you first decide to start homeschooling.
There are so many options! It seems like a blessing to have plenty of information about homeschooling available online.
However, access to so much unfiltered information can also make homeschooling appear a lot more complicated than it actually is.
Read on to find out how I can help you feel confident to start homeschooling in a stress-free way!
How do you start homeschooling?
It’s not difficult to research the benefits of homeschooling for your family. It’s easy to find a multitude of options for curriculums, reading ideas and crafty activities to do with your child.
But how do you use all that information to teach your child in the most efficient way possible?
How do you know which curriculums are best for your unique family?
How do you maintain a beneficial schedule without homeschool lessons taking over your entire life?
Is it possible to still have time for yourself when the homeschool day is done?
How do you do it all?
All these questions build up in your mind and often lead to crippling self-doubt. Do you have what it takes to handle the full responsibility of your child’s education?
How do you finally take the plunge and start homeschooling?
Start homeschooling with ‘Launch Your Homeschool’
‘Launch Your Homeschool’ is an online course to help you find your own homeschooling path as a Muslim family. This course uses a combination of Charlotte Mason philosophy and crucial Islamic values to give you the confidence to develop your own homeschool curriculum that is suitable for your family.
Instead of feeling anxious about the magnitude of the task before you, feel excited! You will gain the skills needed to design your own path in home education, a path which reflects your children, your family and your values.
Launch Your Homeschoolis dedicated to Muslim families who are striving to design their own unique homeschool life and develop their own curriculum to suit their family dynamic.
This course is for you if:
⭐ The thought of homeschooling appeals to you but you’re not sure where to start.
⭐ You’re feeling overwhelmed by all the different options, curriculum choices and activities to do with your children.
⭐ You want to join the homeschool movement but find yourself confused and unsure how to practically get started.
⭐ You have a busy, hectic life (like most mums!) and need a self-paced course to complete in your own time
⭐ You’re a Muslim family hoping to find the right balance between your child’s Islamic and secular education.
? Accompanying fun-sheets to guide you through the lessons
? A supportive Private Facebook community
? Your very own homeschool planner
?And lots of special bonuses – CLICK HEREto find out what they are!
You have lifetime access to the course materials so you can work your way through at a pace that suits your schedule. With pre-recorded lessons, you can watch them whenever you want, pause and replay as you need to. This course is designed to be as convenient as possible, because I know how hectic life as a mum can be!
The main skills you learn during the course are centred around homeschool planning and time management. Once you are confident in these areas, all the other homeschool obstacles will become easier and more manageable.
With the course, you learn how to maintain motivation and consistency in your homeschool and feel confident about your journey. You will learn how to avoid common homeschooling pitfalls so you are well-prepared for your homeschool life.
Learn all of this ANDhow to still dedicate time to yourself so you don’t experience homeschooler burnout!
Will you start homeschooling with ‘Launch Your Homeschool’?
What are your biggest concerns when deciding to start homeschooling? Do you struggle with deciding on the best options for your family? Or maybe the thought of adding even more to your to-do list is extremely stressful!
Can the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education work for a Muslim homeschool? An increasing number of Muslim Homeschools are adopting and embracing the Charlotte Mason philosophy in their homeschools…but why?
In this episode of Raising Mums, I discuss why we use the Charlotte Mason philosophy in our Muslim homeschool and discuss if the Charlotte Mason approach to homeschooling is suitable for Muslims?
This blog-post contains affiliate links. For more information see Disclaimer.
In this this episode of Raising Mums I answer the following questions:
? What is the Charlotte Mason philosophy all about?
? Is a Charlotte Mason education suitable and for the Muslim homeschool? Is it relevant?
? Do I need to replace or miss any part of it out?
? What are the advantages of Charlotte Mason homeschooling compared to others?
? Will it prepare my children for higher education? For life?
? Why are so many Muslim homeschoolers switching to Charlotte Mason?
Launch Your Homeschool is an online course that will you hold your hand and walk you through the beginning stages of homeschooling, built upon the framework of the Charlotte Mason philosophy.
I teach you how to choose the right subjects for your homeschool, how to chose the right resources and plan out your year to create a homeschool experience that aligns with the values and beliefs of your family.
I show you the essential teaching techniques that you’ll need to now to get started. There’s even an entire module on how to manage your time so you can still cook, keep the house tidy and take care of yourself, all whilst homeschooling your children!
Our YouTube channelhas a wealth of videos about Charlotte Mason curriculum choices, living book recommendations, day-in-the-life videos and more! Check it out!
More Charlotte Mason Resources
Although the following Charlotte Mason resources are not specifically for Muslims, I believe they have a lot of value. My recommendations for parents new to this philosophy, but wanting to learn more are:
? “For the Children’s Sake” by Susan Shaeffer Macaulay UKUSA
?”When Children Love to Learn” by Elaine Cooper UKUSA
Listen to our story and learn how to start homeschooling! If you want to homeschool your children, one of the quickest ways to learn how to start is by learning from other experienced homeschoolers and their stories. Learn how to start homeschooling from our story!
In this video I share:
-Why do we educate our children at home? -How we started homeschooling? -What struggles did we face in the beginning? -How did we overcome them?
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 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!
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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.
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!
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
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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 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!
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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!
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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.
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.
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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.
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.
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.
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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!
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 a30-day FREE TRIAL!
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.
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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.
Remember, you can’t possibly do everything! So, pick the topics you want and prepare the activities you can realistically get done.
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!
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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.
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 onInstagram.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
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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.
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.”
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!
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?!
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.
Launch your Homeschoolis 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.
Sign up for our FREE Resources Library!
You’ll get access to HUNDREDS of FREE Educational Resources to use with your family!
Thank you!
You have successfully joined our subscriber list and can now access the FREE RESOURCES LIBRARY!
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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.
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!
