8 Great Ways PREPARING YOUR KIDS FOR RAMADAN. Brought to you by. IQRA Foundation

Transcription

1 8 Great Ways Brought to you by PREPARING YOUR KIDS IQRA Foundation FOR RAMADAN

2 Help your little ones build a love and appreciation for the most special time of year Ramadan is more than just a month of fasting..

3 IT IS A GIFT FROM ALLAH (SWT)

4 Reading is Fundamental Educate your children about Ramadan based on their age Read books, articles, and hadith related to Ramadan Discuss as a family: Benefits of Ramadan Expectations of a person who fasts The 5 S s of Ramadan S T E P 1

5 What children should learn about Ramadan WHAT ARE THE 5 S S? Sabr (Patience) Salah (Prayer) Shukur (Gratitude) Sadaqah (Charity) Salam (Peace)

6 SUGGESTED READING Books available on iqra.org

7 Build Interest with Have your children: Ramadan Crafts Decorate your home with lights and homemade lanterns Color Ramadan pictures and hang on the fridge Write out the dua s for starting and ending a fast and place in festive picture frames S T E P Create a Ramadan Advent Calendar to count down the days to Ramadan 2

8 Decorations available on iqra.org SAMPLE CRAFT IDEAS Visit iqrafoundation.com for craft instructions Or search online for Ramadan Crafts

9 Plan Ramadan Meals Healthy Start: in Advance Summer time fasting includes long days and hot weather so it s important to learn what foods keeps the body nourished and hydrated for long periods of time Sunnah Smart: Teach your kids about the foods Rasulullah (s) used to eat. Learn about the benefits of his diet. S T E P Meal Appeal: Get kids excited about the special foods of Ramadan. Try out new recipes before fasting begins. 3

10 RAMADAN RECIPES Read Yvonne Maffei s Ramadan Cook Book to learn fun and healthy recipes for Sahoor and Iftar Have your kids look up recipes online and plan an Iftar for the family. - Allow older children to be responsible for the entire meal - Have little ones help in the kitchen or make a centerpiece for the table

11 RaMadAn GiFTs Have children share their excitement for the blessed month by making gifts for grandparents, neighbors, and friends Gifts being made for friends unfamiliar with Ramadan should be paired with a basic explanation of Ramadan s significance. Gift Ideas: Bake cakes or cookies and package in a box with ribbon S T E P Make festive greeting cards include a hadith or ayah about Ramadan. Jazz up the cards with glitter, ribbon, or a pop-up message inside 4

12 SAMPLE GIFT IDEAS

13 Pre Ramadan Goals Make Ramadan goals in advance! It is important to use Ramadan as a time to improve ourselves. New goals should be planned ahead of time so that they can be executed from the first day of Ramadan S T E P 5

14 Work with your kids to create a SAMPLE GOAL Goal Chart CHART or Good Deed Chart

15 Practice Makes Perfect Practice behaviors for Ramadan Turn off T.V. and video games for 30 min. and replace this time with an Islamic story or a trip to the Masjid for prayer in Jamah S T E P 6

16 A Giving Muslim Teach your kids the importance of giving. Don t wait until Ramadan starts to plan charitable activities PLAN AHEAD! As a family decide which organization you would like to work with during Ramadan Charity Ideas: Knit blankets for babies in need Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or food pantry Collect toys and school supplies for kids in need Beautify a Masjid Read books to children in the hospital Visit a nursing home and spend time with the elderly Provide teddy bears, pajamas and books to orphans S T E P 7

17 CHARITY EVENT If you decide to volunteer with a special group take time to prepare. Know the date, time, and location of the chosen charity Talk to a volunteer coordinator ahead of time about your responsibilities and ask about any special instructions Find out if the charity chosen is suitable for young children Encourage friends and family to participate

18 Reward System Establish positive behavior by rewarding children for going above and beyond the expected Catch them being good Setting Up a Reward System: Rewards can be big or small depending on the behavior being recognized and the age of a child Rewards should be limited. For example a child does not need a prize every time she prays salah or reads quran. However, a child that doesn t miss a single salah in an entire month or finishes the Qur an during Ramadan should be acknowledged S T E P 8

19 Reward System When establishing rewards for outstanding Muslim behavior - Children should also be reminded the following: The best rewards come from Allah (swt) A person that does good deeds should do so for the sake of Allah (swt) and not expect something in return from others A person should do good deeds in secret and not show off S T E Suggested Rewards Point cards or Tokens exchanged for a prize after a certain number is collected Special dinner / dessert A special family outing Monetary gift A coupon to get out of household chores Small celebration or party A special outing with friends Extra computer time / outside play P 8

20 Here s what we learned: Educate your kids about Ramadan Build excitement with crafts and decorations Plan Ramadan meals ahead of time Share the joy of Ramadan with gifts for friends Make goals for Ramadan Practice replacing t.v. with an Islamic activity Make plans to volunteer in advance Establish a reward system for outstanding behavior R E C A P