Ramadan Children's Activities

Ramadan is a festive event children of all ages can participate in.

Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, an important holiday celebrated by billions of Muslims worldwide. The holiday is based on the moon's movements, inner reflection and a desire to get closer to God. Children can participate in the holiday through engaging activities teaching them its cultural importance.

Fanoos

You can create traditional Ramadan Fanoos with your children using construction paper and stencils. Children can trace the fanoos, a traditional lantern, if there are no stencils available. Then they can color it with red, yellow, blue, green or purple crayons. Make sure each section of the fanoo has a different bright color. You can also make all the sections from different colored construction paper and glue them together on cardboard backings.

Night Sky and Moon Project

Help your children create a night sky background with black or blue construction paper. Use a stencil or shape a crescent moon for them. Have your children color the moon with white, yellow or gold markers. Let them add stars to the paper if they can draw them. Provide stick-on stars if they cannot. You could also cut circles from black paper and glue them on cardboard backing so the children can hang them by a string. The children can then draw in one edge with glitter pens to simulate a crescent moon. This lets them know crescents are only small parts of the full moon.

Sunset View

The Sunset View and Horizon project takes two days to complete and is meant for older children. Ask your children to observe the sunset's colors and building outlines in the neighborhood. The next day, have them wet pieces of white paper. Then they will paint red, orange, pink and purple colors horizontally across the wet paper with water colors. This will represent the sunset background. Have the children trace the outlines of buildings or mosques in the middle of black construction paper. The paper's bottom half will be where the lower floors are. Have the children cut along the paper's top so that the building's outline will be left. Finally, glue the building background to the sunset background. Add a phrase about breaking fast or prayer above the buildings.

The Five Pillars

Teach your children the Five Pillars Submission song to God. The song covers the Five Islamic Pillars, including prayer, fasting, worship, the Hajj pilgrimage and giving to charity. It reinforces the foundation of Muslim culture and the children's heritage, suitable for the Ramadan holiday.

References

• Children's Activities for the Month of Ramadan
• Islamic Holidays and Observances: Ramadan, The Month of Fasting