Islaamic Sight Word Book: Fast

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Alhamdulillaah, here is the sixth book in the Islaamic Sight Words Series.  Now that Ramadan has begun alhamdulillaah, children are hearing the word fast very, very often. In'shaa Allaah, this sight word book will help them learn how to spell the word that is on the lips of Muslims world-wide during this blessed month. 

The instructions for all activities are included in the mini-book, however, if you have any questions about any of the activities, please leave a comment and I will do my best to answer as soon as possible in'shaa allaah. And jazakillaahu khayr to the sister who suggested adding the Arabic word for the sight words, at the end of each book. Going forward in'shaa Allaah, the sight word books will have the word in Arabic for children to colour and learn.

Download your free Islamic Sight Words Book: Fast here in'shaa Allaah, or from A Muslim Child is Born's Teacher Notebook store. 

Benefit & Enjoy In'shaa Allaah!

Three Ramadan Games

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Alhamdulillaah, here are three Ramadan games for children 4-6 years old. 

Each of these games is entitled "I Have, You Have, Together We Have", and while each game has a different focus and target skill level, all of the games help children learn and/or practice reading and spelling the sight words had, have, I, you, and we. The games are ideal for use in play groups or in the masjid during taraweeh, if your masjid offers babysitting in a separate room, and of course, the games can be played at home. 

The first game is I have, You Have, Together We Have 5.

This game is intended for children learning how to make 5. Easily assembled and played, in'shaa Allaah, children will have fun working together to make 5. 

How to play:

• Print and cut out the game cards. Do not cut the cards down the middle, simply fold the cards down the middle so you have the front of the card and the back of the card (showing the dates), in one easy step. 
• Give each child a card and explain to the children that they have a card that helps them make 5 but they will need to search the room for the student who has the card that can help them complete 5. Demonstrate: take a card (let's say the card with 3 dates, as in the picture above). Have another student or adult take the card with two dates on it, and have a second student or adult take the card that has some dates on it that will not help you make 5 (i.e. when you add the dates on your card with the dates on the other person's card the total will not be 5). Share your thinking: Walk around the room and share your thinking out loud so the students hear and see how you solve the problem. For example, you might say something like, "Tayyib. I have three dates on my card and I need to find someone who has enough dates on their card to equal 5 dates in all. I see Suliaiman over there. I will go and ask him if he has enough dates to help me in'shaa Allaah. (Walk up to the student). Say, "Assalamu aliakum. Suliaman, I have three dates, and you have (prompt Sulaiman to tell you how many dates are on his card) 4 dates. Demonstrate counting the total number of dates, either using your fingers or by pointing to the dates on your card and then the student's card, and count out loud until you have counted all of the dates. Then say, "Subhana'Allaah, I have 3 dates and you have 4 dates. That equals 7 dates! Together, we have 7 dates! That is too many. Jazakallaahu khayr, Sulaiman. I will keep searching in'shaa Allaah." Do the same thing with one or two other students and then find the student who has 2 dates and repeat the process with that student and say, "Alhamdulillaah, I have 3 dates and you have 2 dates. Together, we have 5 dates!"
• When the students have found the person who has the card that can help them make 5, ask the students to sit along the wall or at a table in pairs and complete the Record Book thus allowing the other students, who are still searching, time to find the matching card they need. 
• When all students have found their matching card, give the students new cards and repeat the game in'shaa Allaah. 
• Be ready to assist students who may struggle to add the dates correctly. 

I Have, You Have, Together We Have 10 is played in the same way but the students substitute the numbers when they say, "Alhamdulillaah, I have ____ dates and you have ___ dates. Together, we have ___ dates! "

The last game, I have, You Have, Together We Have... uses words instead of numbers. Students play the game in the same way they play I Have, You Have, Together We Have 5 and I Have, You Have, Together We Have 10 but they substitute the numbers for the words they spell together. In this game, chldren will try to find the student who has the card that will help them spell the following words:

• Moon
• Date
• Pray
• Fast
• Iftar
• Masjid
• Suhoor
• Iman
• Qiyam
• Good
• Deeds

Download the games for free above or below in'shaa Allaah. Please be aware of the Terms of Use for the materials on the blog in'shaa Allaah. Jazakillaahu khayr!

I Have, You Have, Together We Have 5

I Have, You Have, Together We Have 5 Record Book

 

I Have, You Have, Together We Have10

I Have, You Have, Together We Have 5 Record Book

 

I Have, You Have, Together We Have (Words)

I Have, You Have, Together We Have (Words) Record Book

All games are also available to download free in A Muslim Child is Born's Teacher Notebook store.

Enjoy and Benefit In'shaa Allaah!   

Ramadan Craft Activity # 8

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Picking up from the Ramadan craft activities from previous years alhamdulillaah, here is a simple craft for children 4 and 5/6 years old. 

This little gift box is easy to make, and when done your child can fill the box with dates and/or sweets and give the box away to a family member, friend, or neighbour in'shaa Allaah.

Here is what you will need to make the box in'shaa Allaah:

1. An empty square box.
2. Black, white, red, yellow, and green construction paper. 
3. Construction paper in any colour that your child chooses, for the sign. 
4. A plastic straw.
5. Two toy cars - make sure they are cars that your child won't mind having glued to the box and given away. 
6. Glue (a glue stick and liquid glue).
7. Scotch or packing tape.

How to make the gift box:

• Prepare the streets first (depending on the age of the child). Measure the box and cars to see how long and wide your streets need to be.  Make sure you leave enough space in one corner to insert the straw. Also, be sure to measure and prepare the streets for both the lid and the sides of the box at the same time (i.e. if you measure and prepare the streets for the lid only first, once the child has glued the streets to the lid, he or she will have to wait while you measure and prepare the streets for the side of the box. Have all streets prepared in advance.)
• Cut out the black construction paper to make the streets and then use the white construction paper to make the small lines for the middle of the street. 
• Invite the child to glue the streets to the top/lid of the box, using the glue stick. Allow to dry. 
• While the streets are drying, invite the child to glue the streets on to the side of the box. Allow to dry. 
• Prepare the streets lights ahead of time as well, for young children. Use the black, red, yellow and green construction paper to make the stop lights. Invite the child to glue the stop lights on to the side of the box with the glue stick. 
• When the box top/lid has dried, make a hole in the corner of the lid (THIS PART/STEP CANNOT BE COMPLETED BY THE CHILD). Cut the plastic straw to the appropriate length and invite the child to insert the straw into the hole. Place the lid on the box to make sure the straw will not prevent the lid from closing completely. Once verified, put liquid glue around the base of the straw on the inside of the lid and on the outside of the lid. Allow to dry. 
• While the lid is drying again, invite the child to make his or her road sign using construction paper. When the sign is ready, have the child write the words, "Race to do good deeds" on the sign.
• When the lid is dry, place the sign on the straw and secure it with a piece of scotch or packing tape (see picture below). 
  
• Using the liquid glue, put a dab of glue (about the size of a dime, depending on the size of your cars) on the bottom of the car. *You may need to put the glue on the wheels of the cars if the bottom of the cars are not low enough to touch the lid of the box. In this case, you will use less glue.*  
• Allow the glue on the cars to dry and fill the box with dates/sweets and give the box away! 

Benefit and Enjoy In'shaa Allaah!

Ramadan Mubaarak!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Alhamdulillaah: The Ramadan Activity Pack (Prek-KG) is Here!

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Alhamdulillaah, the blessed month of Ramadan is almost here! Here is an activity pack to help our youngest Muslims enjoy while the adults fast, pray, and try to please Allaah. The pack was designed with the idea of all of the components being portable, so the games can be assembled, stored, and taken along to the masjid or to the houses of family and friends in'shaa allaah.

Here is what young children will encounter in this pack in'shaa allaah:

• An activity pad that can be printed and bound so that it is portable (this will also prevent pages from being lost or scattered about).
• 5 games that are easy to cut out and store in zip-lock bags, making them portable. Each game has a card that identifies the name of the game and has a spot for children to write their name. This way, if you store the games in zip-lock bags and they happen to get misplaced at the masjid, in'shaa allaah, they will be easier to find. 
• Upper & Lower case letter matching cards - just cut them out, cut along the dotted line and invite children to find the matching upper and lower case letters.
• Addition game - like the Upper & Lower case letter matching game, this game is easy to assemble and store alhamdulillaah. Print and cut the cards out, mix them up and have the children match the addition fact to the answer (you may want to start with three addition facts and increase as the child gains proficiency).
• Shape matching game - also easy to assemble and store in'shaa allaah.
  Print and cut the cards out, mix them up and have the children match the shapes on the thoubs to the shape cards (you may want to start with three shapes and increase as the child gains proficiency).
• Tally marks game: Print and cut the cards out, mix them up and have the children match the tally marks with the correct number (you may want to start with three numbers and increase as the child gains proficiency).
• Ten Frame Number Matching game: Print and cut the cards out, mix them up and have the children match the ten frames to the correct numbers (you may want to start with three ten frames/numbers and increase as the child gains proficiency).
• Fine Motor Skills Practice Cards - it is best if you print, cut, and laminate these cards so children can use them repeatedly in'shaa allaah. Don't have access to a laminating machine? No problem! Clear packing tap works well and you can also buy sheet protectors and place the cards inside so children can use a dry-erase marker to write on the clear plastic. Easy clean up too! 

Are you ready? Download your free Prek/KG Ramadan Activity Pack here or at A Muslim Child is Born's Teacher Notebook Store in'shaa allaah! Please be aware of the Terms of Use for this and all resources on A Muslim Child is Born.

Also, please feel free to leave a comment indicating if there is something you wish to see included in this pack. If it is possible, additional activities/pages can be designed and uploaded to supplement this resource in'shaa Allaah.

And...If you have a child who is in grade 1, be sure to hop over to A Muslim Child Grows Up and download the free Big Book of Ramadan Activities book. It's 100 pages of Ramadan Activities that are aligned to the Canadian Curriculum and the Common Core Curriculum.

Enjoy, Benefit, and Prepare for Ramadan in'shaa allaah!