The holy month of Ramadan has been under way for a few weeks now. For the little ones, the early amusements of the month are starting to wane and many parents are finding it difficult to balance the needs of their children with their own Ramadan aims. So on the days when your patience is wearing thin, turn to the Internet for a bit of amusement and inspiration to keep energetic youngsters engaged.
At www.submission.org/YES/child2.html are several art projects including a Mosque Mobile, Ramadan Lantern and Moon Project. The site also has some songs and Qur’anic study classes. A good mix of activities is on offer at www.ramadankids.com. Games, songs and stories about Ramadan are presented in a very colorful engaging manner. The site links to www.funwitharabic.com where kids can hear the Arabic alphabet song and learn some basic Arabic words and letters. Next, go to http://tjramadan.talibiddeenjr.amanahwebs.com/ to enjoy TJRamadan’s Ramadan Resources. The site offers games, an e-library, Ramadan Recipes and information on Ramadan around the world. And don’t miss Yusuf Islam singing “Ramadan Moon” at www.mountainoflight.co.uk.
Eid Al-Fitr will be coming soon, so direct your children’s attention to the upcoming festivities. The World Almanac for Kids (www.worldalmanacforkids.com) has a very nice article about Ramadan and Eid. Find it under the “Chapters” tab in the “Birthdays and Holidays” section. The BBC website offers a visual presentation “In Pictures: Eid Al-Fitr” (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/4404120.stm) which shows the activities of Muslims around the world during Eid. These photos make great talking points on the subject of how Muslims have the same religion and yet express it in different ways in countries the world over. At Jean Warren’s Preschool Express (www.preschoolexpress.com) under the “Holiday Station” is a page for Ramadan, which among other activities proposes to help your children make a “Clothes Collage” in which they show the new clothes they wish they could wear for Eid. Such an activity can provide parents with a glimpse into their children’s inner thoughts and desires.
On a final note, there are plenty of electronic greeting cards on the Net for Eid, but it is much nicer if children either create their own Eid greeting cards by hand or for older children to use design software and clip art to develop digital greetings. Such cards are treasured by friends and relatives for years and make lovely keepsakes.