Ramadan for Kids - Making It Count
This post is in: Ramadan and Fasting
As adults, we look forward to Ramadhaan as a time of increased spirituality and a more concerted effort at increasing our ‘ebaadah. In preparation, we read books and articles, listen to lectures, plan goals and menus for the month.
But what about kids? What do they know about Ramadhaan, what do they think about it, and how special is it to them?
Some parents, masha’Allah, teach their kids all about Ramadhaan and have managed to impart create that “Ramadhaan atmosphere” so that their children can really feel how important it is. For others, though, it can be a bit more difficult - so insha’Allah this post will be focused on teaching kids about Ramadhaan, and making it an important and special part of their lives. We want to do our best to create fond memories that they’ll look back on happily and take a lesson from in the future, bi ithnillaah.
First and foremost, it is absolutely imperative that we make this effort in teaching the young’uns about Ramadhaan - and besides just teaching, about making them understand and feel it. For those of us living in the West, we know how the non-Muslims make a big effort with their special occasions, especially Christmas. Muslim kids can sometimes feel left out when “everyone else” (i.e. their friends at school) is busy with Christmas shopping, Christmas crafts, Christmas cooking… you name it. Thus, when Ramadhaan comes around, we have to explain to them that we’ve got something a kazillion times better than Christmas and all the other stuff they celebrate - but the only way to make them know that is to make it so.
I’ve personally found that there are two aspects to ‘introducing’ Ramadhaan to kids: the first is the technical education (what Ramadhaan’s all about), and then the implementation of that knowledge and creating the special environment. They shouldn’t really be separate, but in the case of Muslim schools or part-time Madrasahs, that’s how it is: the education is done at the school, and the implementation is something that needs to be done at home.
Anyway, here’s what we’ve been doing at the Madrasah to teach the kids about Ramadhaan:
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JazakaAllahu khayr to everyone at muslimmatters.org.