Amidst the general chaos of Ramadhan children often become forgotten in the turmoil – falling victim to our pursuit of a higher plain of spirituality, while they languish in a repetitive rut, neither understanding nor contributing to a time of year most constructive to the character building of a young Muslim.
It is in introducing children at a young age to the beauty of Ramadhan that we will eventually improve upon the nature of it, exposing a Ramadhan, that is on the whole more nourishing and fulfilling, paving the way to a success that will Insha’Allah allow us to reap the seeds of this Dunya in our Akhira – and fill the hearts and minds of children with a constant and growing awareness and love of Allah.
There are many ways of introducing children in our day to day activities without it becoming a strain on our patience, creating a small niche in an otherwise packed day to dedicate some genuine time to learning, loving and creating, together.
Below is a detailed list of some of the ways we can make Ramadhan a fun and loving time for children.
1. Helping: The prospect of engaging children in our daily activities may at first appear to be a daunting task, after all, why go though the hassle when you are sure to accomplish the task quicker and more efficiently on your own? And while the majority of children are sure to be more receptive to activities that are specifically tailored to suit their fun loving wants, it doesn’t account for the fact that the majority of parents are unable to fulfil it, simply due to a lack of time, especially during Ramadhan. That’s where ‘helping’ comes in, and the difference between devoting time and sharing time – our inability to direct all of our attention towards our children doesn’t mean that quality learning time is impossible, allowing children to participate in even the most mundane of tasks can create an entirely new atmosphere, making Ramadhan not just set activity times, but something special that lasts the whole day long even if it is only helping to prepare Iftar. The theme of ‘Helping’ can be extended in many ways, from your own household to others, teaching children the importance of charitable acts and working together. So rather than setting the children aside while you get on with your tasks involve them and work together.
2. Reward Chart: Whilst it is important to constantly and continuously prompt children to perform good deeds simply for the sake of pleasing Allah, it is also important to give children the initiative and incentive to do so, which is where the nifty idea of a reward chart comes to hand – giving the child visual proof of their progression and something to look back to at the end of the month, that will hopefully encourage them to continue their good deeds the whole year through. There are many great ideas currently circling the web for easy, adaptable Ramadhan reward charts – and we will Insha’Allah be posting links and tutorials to make sure that everyone can join the fun.
3. Count Down: Presenting children with a goal is essential for a smooth ride, and counting down the days to Eid the perfect solution. Children often become impatient with the repetition of day to day activities, and you may find that this becomes magnified during Ramadhan, leaving you with irritable and bored children, and that is why it is important to build up the excitement and give them something to look forward to.
4. Favour Bags: Another idea that has remained a firm favourite with our family are Ramadhan favour bags – small homemade bags filled with small treats to be given to children at the end of the fasting day, the content can range from anything like sweets and biscuits to small toys, but as a rule always contains a small Hadith or daily reminder to keep the Islamic spirit alive. There are many varied ways these can be made and we will Insha’Allah be posting a tutorial and some links so you can try these at home.
5. Qur’an: While the prospect of reading Qur’an for adults often appears to be a daunting task that is put-off regularly and when read, barely understood – it is understandable that it then becomes an even bigger hurdle for young children – its a shame considering the wealth of wisdom and beauty contained within its verses, and even more because this manner of learning doesn’t have to be the case – there are many ways of teaching Quran to children in ways that will capture their attention and awe them with stories of those righteous people who came before them, and Ramadhan is the perfect time to introduce them to it. It doesn’t just have to be about reading and memorising, and this ought to be emphasised at every possible moment, it is the knowledge and understanding gained when learning that is important – that is why it is a good idea to choose specific Surahs within the Qur’an that have a relevant story, for instance that of the Prophets. This can then be teamed up with Islamic story books and even evolve into a small project to be done over a period of time. The more they understand through active learning the more they will be willing and eager to learn. Far too much emphasis is put on reading Quran speedily through Ramadhan, with people reading through their Qur’an up to three times and yet not absorbing a single word, so this Ramadhan make sure to stress the importance of ‘Slow and steady wins the race’, and overall enjoy it!
6. Family Halaqah: The above ties in well with this next suggestion, family Halaqah time. It is important to take time out and dedicate an allocated time in your week to teaching your children about their faith, it is in fact a priority that we often forget – which is why this Ramadhan we ought to make the intention to try and allow room for this special moment. A family Halaqah can take place at any time, on any day, the only requirement is that everyone sit together communally and learn something new, share ideas or even read a story. A non-fuss family sit-down where everyone contributes to the fun.
7. Crafts: Children have a natural love for making, and the process neither has to be stressful nor expensive and only requires a little time and some cheap materials. And there are plenty of things to make! Banners, calendars, charts, pictures, cards, cookies, wall hanging, streamers... the list is endless, and the crafting world your oyster! But here are some to get you started:
a. Sadaqah Box: We’ve made two versions of these over the years – the best we dressed as a Ka’bah by painting an empty tea box (With a removable lid) black, with a gold strip running round the top and golden doors, with then made a small slit in the top to allow for coins to pass though – at the end of Ramadhan we opened the box to find it full, the children had collected with their spare coins over £30 which was then donated to charity.
b. Ramadhan Garland: I love garlands, they almost instantly spruce up a dull room with a fabulous burst of colour – you could try spelling out the word Ramadhan on your garland, or even stars and crescents would be lovely and in keeping with the theme.
c. Streamers: These too are wonderful for dressing up a room and could be made during Ramadhan in time for Eid – tutorials to follow.
d. Crescent Biscuits: We have come across the idea of crescent biscuits quite often in the run up to this Ramadhan – It is always a nice idea to have a theme, it keeps things feeling special. So why not make some crescent biscuits to welcome in this special month. (Recipe to follow)
e. Ramadhan Calendar: I’ve always loved the pleasure of opening the small boxes in calendars to expose the yummy treats inside and Ramadhan doesn’t have to be an exception and there is no need to splurge either. This Ramadhan we have created a fabric calendar with pockets, each numbered and filled with lovely treats, so there is no need to miss out the fun, stay tuned for the tutorial!
Overall, it is clear that big or small, Ramadhan is a special time for everyone – so this year go the extra mile and make sure that everyone in your household is able to enjoy and gain the pleasure from it. Insha’Allah.
