Be Back Soon Insha'Allah & Book Recommendation

Assalamu alaikum,

I have not had an opportunity to upload any activities this week and it looks as though I may not be able to do so until mid-next week insha'Allah.

But I'd like to share some really cute (and Earth-friendly) board books I saw in the bookstore the other day. These adorable books are made from 98% recycled material and in the back they have ideas/tips/etc. for parents to help extend the learning acquired from the story. Really cute masha'Allah! They are for infants 36 months and older insha'Allah. Here is one of the books from the series:

Here is the website of the publisher: Innovative Kids.com

Enjoy insha'Allah!

Arabic Nasheed for Learning the Alphabet

Assalamu Assalamu alaikum,

In an earlier post I posted a memory game and alphabet games for infants 18 -24 months old and 24 -36 months (found here). This nasheed can be used to add rhythm to that activity insha'Allah. **There is no music in this nasheed alhamdulillah.**

The Importance of Using the Hijri Calendar

Assalamu alaikum,

Subhana'Allah...this is a post that I will kindly request that each reader copy the link to and pass on. Why? you ask. I was doing some reading and I came across the origins of the names of the days of the week (in English) that we teach to our children without thought. But la hawla wa la quwatta ila billah the names of the week are complete shirk. Read on:

Sunday - is named in honour of the sun. It name is derived from the Latin dies dominica, meaning the day of the Lord (which for Christians is not Allah).

Monday - was named in honour of the moon.

Tuesday - was named in honour of the god of war...astagfirullah. Comes from the Roman dies martis - the Roman god of war.

Wednesday - was named after the Roman god Mercury...astagfirullah.

Thursday - was named for the early people's god of thunder and lightening.

Friday - is named for the early people's goddess of love.

Saturday - was named in honour of the early people's god of agriculture.

I found some slight variations on the origins of the days of the week but there is no deviation from the shirk. For further reading please click here and/or here insha'Allah.

Alhamdulillah, Allah has given us the hijri calendar. Please use it from the day your child enters this life and do not permit this shirk to form on their precious lips. Do not allow their small, beautiful soft ears to hear this poison. Please, for the sake of Allah, try as much as you can insha'Allah.

In an earlier post that can be found here insha'Allah, I've uploaded an Arabic calendar set that can be used insha'Allah, in the home and classroom. Please download it (it's free) and use it for the sake of Allah. And again, la hawla wa la quwatta ila billah. May Allah forgive and guide us...Allahul must'aan....

Free Book Download for Infants 24 to 36 months

Assalamu alaikum,

I wanted to share a free book download for infants 24 to 36 months insha'Allah. The book is called "My Blue Prayer Rug" (second book under the heading 'Books') and it's a simple book with easy, repetitive language for infants/toddlers insha'Allah. The book lends itself to 'pretend' reading that children often do when they know a story and have pictures that help them re-construct the story after having it read to them. You can also download the book in German here alhamdulillaah wa jazakillaahu khayr ya ukht Sarah who submitted the translation.

The book's repetitive language also follows the guided reading structure that allows a child to become familiar with site words and colour words too insha'Allah. At the end of the story children have activities and colouring pages that help them connect the story with their own lives insha'Allah.

Most importantly, the book reinforces a concept that I believe is critical to Muslim children: seeing themselves and their beliefs represented positively in literature.

I pray that you and your child(ren) enjoy and benefit from the book insha'Allah. I hope to upload an Arabic version soon insha'Allah but the PDF issue with Arabic continues to rear its patience trying head...lol....khayr insha'Allah. I'll try to see if I can figure it out insha'Allah.

Enjoy insha'Allah!

Toddler Craft Ideas

Assalamu alaikum,

The warm weather is on the way insha'Allah (or depending on where you live it may already be there masha'Allah). So I thought, better stock up on spring/summer activities now insha'Allah. The websites below have great craft ideas and activities (many are not expensive at all alhamdulillah) for infants & toddlers. Head to the craft store and get ready for fun insha'Allah. I'm thinking many of these ideas can be given an Islamic flavour and you can have Islamic education taking place in the midst of all that fun insha'Allah. I'm going to try some insha'Allah and I'll try to upload some pictures to share insha'Allah but you must promise not to laugh (at least not too hard and too long...lol).

And here's a quick idea for crafting that is easy insha'Allah (at least it sounds like it) and kids can have fun being creative with it insha'Allah: Freezer paper stencilling. Never heard of it? Neither had I until today. But just look what you can do with it!

Learn how to do it here insha'Allah.

On a side note, I haven't been uploading any materials lately just due to exhaustion but as the school year is close to ending insha'Allah, I hope to upload more during the summer months insha'Allah. In the meantime, enjoy insha'Allah!

Clever Toddler Activities
How to Make Baby Stuff (Toys, food, clothes, etc.) - Great site!

Toddler Activities (from 18 months - 3 years old)

Free Toddler Art Activities

The Importance of the Infant's Envirornment

Assalamu alaikum,

I like this video (minus the music in the beginning - pls turn your speakers down in the beginning insha'Allah).

You've probably noticed that I prefer the education method pioneered by Maria Montessori - at least for young children. While I enjoy this method, I do take and leave activities as I see fit - usually, if the activity seems to contradict a principal in Islam I leave it insha'Allah. But this video shows some of the aspects of this method of educating children that I find very beneficial and waAllahu alim. I hope you enjoy it and find something in it that you may wish to implement in your own home insha'Allah. Enjoy insha'Allah!

If you enjoyed this video you might also find these video's enjoyable and inspiring as well insha'Allah: Simply Montessori Materials at home for a 10 month old & Simple Montessori Materials at home for an 11 month old

Arabic Alphabet Memory Game

Assalamu alaikum,
This is wonderful masha'Allah! It's from Yemeni Links but I found it elsewhere. Anywhoo, I think it's great for teaching young Muslims the Arabic alphabet. It's a memory game using the Arabic alphabet so all of the benefits of memory games apply with the added benefit of learning the Arabic alphabet (oh, that sounded redundant...lol). I've added Yemeni Links to the useful websites list too - have a peek insha'Allah. There are some wonderful Arabic learning materials there masha'Allah. Here is the file insha'Allah. Enjoy!

Arabic Alphabet Memory Game

A Suggested Quran Memorization Schedule

Assalamu aliakum,

We always want the best for our children.. the best akhlaaq (manners), the best education, etc. etc. We focus on ensuring they're right up there developmentally: academically, physically, socially, emotionally, & psychologically. Sometimes, that means we get side-tracked from focusing on what matters most: their deen. Their understanding of the deen, their implementation of it, their love for it, and their pride in it.
What better way to keep their heart attached to Allah, than by memorizing & understanding His words?

I was searching for a Qur'an memorization schedule for my daughters and came upon a suggested schedule, starting with kids as young as 3. I will be honest, I haven't tried it yet.. but insha Allah when Hafsah turns 3 I will begin.

Unfortunately, it is only available in Arabic (here is the original topic). I will summarize it here insha Allah, asking Allah that it benefits us & our children.. and that He accepts it as a sadaqa jaareya (continuous charity) for sister Bint Al-Resaalah (may Allah have mercy on her). May it be a source of Noor (Light) for her in her grave, ameen.


---

The Schedule:

The Program was set based on the green Qur'ans (the ones printed at the King Fahd Qur'an Printing Complex in Madinah). It includes 604 pages, each page with 15 lines.

Based on the above:

For the first three years, begin memorizing your 3-yr-old 3 lines/day only. Do this from Saturday - Tuesday. Use Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday as revision days for what was memorized earlier that week.
Do this the whole year, except for one month. Use this month as a revision for everything memorized that year (preferably in Ramadan).
By Kindergarten, your child will have memorized, by the Will of Allah, from Surat An-Naas to Surat Faatir.

For the next 3 years, increase the daily amount to be memorized to half a page, and the revision of a full page. Do this from Saturday - Tuesday. And again, used Wed - Fri as revision days for what was memorized that week.
Do this the whole year, except for one month. Use this month as an intense revision month for everything memorized (preferably in Ramadan). By grade 5, in this case, your child will have memorized the Quran, by the Will of Allah.

What you will need to succeed:

• Patience & perseverance.
• 2 hrs/day dedicated to Quran. Every single day.. no excuses.
• A qualified Haafidh (someone who memorized the Qur'an) who can test your child every 5 juz' memorized.

How to do it:
Recite the aayah (verse) 10 times with clear pronunciation of the letters according to the correct tajweed. It is recommended that the child be able to see the movement of your mouth as you recite the verses correctly. Allow the child to repeat after you until he/she memorizes it correctly. Repeat in groups of 10 as many times as needed.
Recite the following aayah 10 times as well, and repeat as above.
Combine the first 2 aayahs and repeat them together 5 times.
Then add a third aayah, and continue in the same fashion.
Since, at 3-yrs, the child is still very young, here are some ideas on how to keep your child interested:

• Get a small microphone & allow your child to recite in it.
• Get your child to recite one aayah sitting, another standing, etc. etc.
• If you have more than one child, make it a game: Let them stand next to each other, and when one recites an aayah correctly, let him/her take a step forward.. and if he/she recited it incorrectly, a step backward to see who can reach you first.
• Recite while swinging on a swing, or in your lap, etc.

Don't depair. You will find at first that things are moving slowly.. but with practice & patience, memorization becomes faster & more solidified.
---
Again, the above is a summary of sister Bint Al-Resalah's program. May Allah reward her with al-ferdaws.

Cookie Cutting For Toddlers 24 Months Plus

Assalamu aliakum,

Kids love anything they can freely manipulate in their hands: squishing, poking, squeezing, pattin, rolling out, and cutting. And it only gets that much better if they can eat it later too! That's what makes this Sugar Cookie recipe a perfect activity (& treat!) for toddlers 24 months plus. Not only does it foster eye-hand coordination, but it also helps develop their fine motor skills. Depending on your cookie cutters & your toppings, here is a chance to learn about shapes, colours, & textures as well.

Here's what you'll need:

For the dough:
1. 3 cups flour
2. 1 tsp. baking powder
3. 1/2 tsp. salt
4. 1 cup butter
5. 1 1/4 cups sugar
6. 3 eggs
7. vanilla


For the Cookie cutting:
1. Lightly floured surface
2. Rolling pin
3. Dough
4. Different shapes of cookie cutters
5. Different sizes, colours, & textures of toppings


Directions:

- Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
- Separately cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy.
- Add eggs & vanilla to egg/sugar mix.
- Gradually stir flour mix into creamed mix. Combine well.
- Form dough into 3 balls & wrap each ball with plastic wrap. Allow them to chill in fridge for 2 hours.
- Help your child roll out dough to desired thickness, and demonstrate how to use the cookie cutters.
- Allow your child to roll, cut, and sprinkle with toppings.
- Bake for 7-10 mins at 375F.

Islamic Fataawa Regarding the Muslim Child: A must have insha'Allah

Assalamu alaikum,

Alhamdulillah, here is a book that Muslim parents will benefit from owning insha'Allah. Written by the following shyook: Abdul Azeez ibn Abdullah Muhammad ibn Saaleh bin Baaz, Abdullah ibn Abdur-Rahmaan al-Uthaimeen, ibn al-Jibreen, and Saaleh ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan.

Parents can take from the book with confidence insha'Allah. The book has various fataawa that deal with issues/questions that arise before birth, birth and onward. A must have for the Muslim home insha'Allah!

Where to buy this book (click on each link and it will take you directly to the book for purchase insha'Allah): Islamic Bookstore.com; Online Islamic Store.

jazakillahu khayr Umm Sayf :)

Arabic Number Puzzles for infants 18 to 36 months old

Assalamu alaikum,

These puzzles extend beyond the previously mentioned benefits of working with puzzles (Helps develop & improve hand-eye coordination; helps develop spacial skills; helps develop children's ability to recognize shapes and sizes, etc.) to include:

1. Laying a foundation for numeracy skills
2. Helps infants/toddlers begin to recognize the symobls used for numbers
3. Begins to teach infants/toddlers one-to-one correspondence. One-to-one correspondence refers to a situation where the members of one set are evenly matched with the members of a second set. (i.e. the number one is matched with 1 dot/picture/object, etc.)

There are two sets of puzzles (the directions apply to both sets of puzzles): one that has dots and one with pictures. Insha'Allah, the dot puzzles are more printer-friendly/ink-friendly than the picture puzzles.
Insha'Allah, I will upload the templates for three and four piece puzzles that I mentioned in an earlier post, sometime this week. In the meantime, the puzzles and instructions follow. Enjoy insha'Allah!

Arabic Number Puzzles Directions (all sets)
Arabic Number Puzzles (dots)
Arabic Number Puzzles (pictures)

Islamic Memory Game Activity

Assalamu Alaikum,

An old favourite with an Islamic twist. Memory games are known for their many benefits for toddlers. Memory games help toddlers develop not only their memory skills but their thinking skills as well. They also help children work on their concentration skills.

Perhaps one of the best benefits that memory games have is that when played with a family member, toddlers learn to work on their social skills and continue building a bond with their parents and/or siblings. Allah said in the Quran:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife, and from them both He created many men and women; and fear Allah through Whom you demand (your mutual rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship) . Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you. ( سورة النساء , An-Nisa, Chapter 4, Verse 1 ).

Let us maintain and strengthen the ties of kinship by spending time with our children in Islamic, fun, and developmentally beneficial ways insha'Allah.

This Islamic Memory game can be played with toddlers 18 to 24 months old but you know your child best. Your toddler who is younger or older than the stated age range may benefit and enjoy the game as well.

Make the atmosphere relaxed and allow the child to simply enjoy the game with you. If he/she makes a mistake do not correct or criticize the mistake, simply explain why the two cards do not match and point out the differences in the pictures insha'Allah.

With that said, enjoy insha'Allah! Islamic Memory Game: 1 of 2 & Islamic Memory Game: 2 of 2 (Due to the size of the file I had to divide it into two files).