How do you celebrate the month of Ramadan with your kids at home?
Is there anything special you do - like involving them to make Iftars? or Sahoor?
Do any of the little ones keep 1/2 a day of fasts to feel included.
Other ideas?
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
My 9 yr old will start with 1/2 day fasts for the first time this Ramadan! We're really pumping him up and getting him excited because our masjid just started a "badge program" kind of like Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts where the kids can earn patches and other prizes for certain accomplishments during Ramadan.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
My LO is too young for any of that. But my sister has a 4 year old and last Ramadan both of them decorated the entire house. They put up string lights on the staircases etc. Her son loved it and it made him feel like Ramadan was a very special month :D I love that idea!! And she also bought gifts for her kids, wrapped them up and put them in the corner of the living room and told them they could only open them on the day of Eid.
I'll probably do the same with my daughter when she grows older to understand things like this.
When I was a kid I used to keep the 1/2 day fasts lol.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
My kids have "Ramadan/Eid Stockings" I hang from our fireplace along with a string of lights...throughout the month I deposit little trinkets in their stockings and they love watching the bulge grow, lol! On Eid morning they get their stocking goodies before we leave for Namaz, and then their big gift at our family party that evening
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
Nice thread...!
How soon do you think it is for them to start understanding that there is something sacred about this month and the festivities of Eid...??I feel my kid is still young to get a feel of it (She is 27 months).
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
I admit I used the term “Eid Fairy” when they were little. 
This year since Ramadan is falling in summer vacation, I want the girls involved more. They are going to taraweeh prayers with their dad but I want them to learn how to make a typical Iftaar.
I got them Islamic books (thanks to the thread) and go over some tafseer with them.
They really enjoyed the sleepover in the masjid with all their sunday school friend on Layat qadar last year and plan to do the same this year.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
i think we had a similar thread last year.
Stuff that I would love to do Inshallah with the kids:
- buy gifts and wrap them and put them in a common place (family room, living room, etc) and have the kids open them on Eid Morning
- Decorate the house for Ramadan
- bring my kids to the Welcome to Ramadan dinner held annually at the masjid
- bring my kids to a few iftaars at the masjid
- sponser an iftaar at the masjid and have the kids make some sort of food item (maybe decorate cupcakes)
- encourage them to fast, even a half day fast. Usually when a child in our family does their first fast, it's a big deal, and the whole family comes over and there is cake and presents.
- have them help me out in the pre-Ramadan iftaar food preps (I remember I used to help my mom stuff and close samosas..what a nice memory)
- get them involved in making Ramadan Baskets for the needy
- encouraging them to give monetary donations from their "halal" piggy bank to the masjid or to the poor
- have Ramadan/Eid nasheeds playing throughout the day
I don't want to make Ramadan/Eid all about the presents and gifts, but also encourage them to help others, help out their community and to spend more time in the masjid. Also want to teach them about patience and disciplining themselves to please Allah.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
Agreed Afshi! Because our family is so involved in the local masjid (hubby and I both serve on various committees including Ramadan committee) and the boys go to Sunday school (and have very in depth texts and curriculum there) and other youth initiatives, so I don't mind indulging them with fun stuff at home because it is all backed up by the religious core values. They are very ensconced in the meaning and importance of this blessed and holy month. We read from volumes of "stories of the prophets" daily and during the summer, they go for maghrib or ishaa with my husband. This year, I'm going to send my 9yr old for tarawee as well, and I'll being the twins back home.
I think it's all about balance. It's hard for kids in the West, when they see the onslaught on Christmas stuff starting in the fall. I like to provide them with the same nostalgic feelings my parents gave me as a first generation Muslim born and raised in the US.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
yep. Hubby and I are also very involved with our masjid - that’s where we both met 
and got married there.
I remember when I was kid, that all my family members (like 50 of us) would go to the farms and do our qurbani..right after our Eid Lunch. I remember wearing our Eid best and running around the barn with my cousins. I loved my Eid memories.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
We had our daughter do that. She had to break within 30 mins because she became so so thirsty
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
^ I'm predicting the same thing!
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
The fasts are very long this year. I want to encourage my daughter but I know she's too small (7) for a 14 hour fast.
She's stubborn enough to last the whole day.
**
Question:** So how do you do a kiddo version of a fast. Do they get up for sehri with you guys? and then have lunch and particiapte in Iftaar. Or just start from the middle of the day?
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
LOL that’s cute 
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
i think we had a similar thread last year.
Stuff that I would love to do Inshallah with the kids: - buy gifts and wrap them and put them in a common place (family room, living room, etc) and have the kids open them on Eid Morning - Decorate the house for Ramadan - bring my kids to the Welcome to Ramadan dinner held annually at the masjid - bring my kids to a few iftaars at the masjid - sponser an iftaar at the masjid and have the kids make some sort of food item (maybe decorate cupcakes) - encourage them to fast, even a half day fast. Usually when a child in our family does their first fast, it's a big deal, and the whole family comes over and there is cake and presents. - have them help me out in the pre-Ramadan iftaar food preps (I remember I used to help my mom stuff and close samosas..what a nice memory) - get them involved in making Ramadan Baskets for the needy - encouraging them to give monetary donations from their "halal" piggy bank to the masjid or to the poor - have Ramadan/Eid nasheeds playing throughout the day
I don't want to make Ramadan/Eid all about the presents and gifts, but also encourage them to help others, help out their community and to spend more time in the masjid. Also want to teach them about patience and disciplining themselves to please Allah.
Love this!! I'll be doing this with the kiddos too inshallah :D Can't wait!!
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
The fasts are very long this year. I want to encourage my daughter but I know she's too small (7) for a 14 hour fast.
She's stubborn enough to last the whole day. ** Question:** So how do you do a kiddo version of a fast. Do they get up for sehri with you guys? and then have lunch and particiapte in Iftaar. Or just start from the middle of the day?
Usually it's a half day fast. Yes, wake them up for Sehri and to pray fajr with you. At noon they should be able to break their fast. Or you can wait until Zhuhr Prayers.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
Also when I used to teach Islamic School, I would ask the children to make Ramadan goals for themselves - whether it be memorize a small surah per day or week, or just reading a page a day from the Quran. Other children had goals of collecting a certain amount of money from family and friends to donate to the masjid. Some kids made it a goal to set the table every evening for iftaar and then right before going to bed for Suhoor.
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
Nice thread...!
How soon do you think it is for them to start understanding that there is something sacred about this month and the festivities of Eid...??I feel my kid is still young to get a feel of it (She is 27 months).
My son will be only 9 months but I plan to decorate the house, pack his gift and celebrate eid with him.. he will not remember anything but at least he will be able to look back at the pics and say yes we have eid traditions since my first eid.. just like 1st birthday parties are for parents, celebrating our childs first eid will be very special for us inshaAllah.
You can make the day special for her by letting her pick the outfit for that day, decorate the house, get her involved in hanging balloons, streamers etc, give her a gift that she probably wants, take ehr out to the park (since she loves going there) and just let ehr enjoy! I remember my mom was against eating candy, soda etc but on eid day, she will give us Rs. 10 from our eidee and we could buy as much junk as we wanted.. yep no kidding :D
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
You guys are awesome !! Thanks for the ideas!!! X
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
how wonderful!! lovely ideas.... i love the stocking idea and the lights too.... definately should do something this time round and make it special for the munchkin
Re: Making Ramadan special for kids
I used to have a Ramadan calander when I was younger. It was sort of like an Advent calender, counting down the days until Eid and behind each door there was a little fact about Islam or some advice or good deeds to do to be a better Muslim.