Sr Reminder blogs
As we welcome Ramadan, here’s a great website to some useful and practical ways of preparing and boosting our spirit before the blessed month commences.
http://soundvision.com/info/ramadan/spirit.asp
For the complete collection of Ramadan articles:
http://soundvision.com/Info/ramadan/
Busy Baby Mama blogs
The blessed Messenger, peace be upon him, has always emphasized the importance of exercise for children and adults. He encouraged parents to teach their children sports, especially archery, swimming, and horseback riding. The Prophet himself was engaged in sporting events such as racing and wrestling.
The summer is a perfect time to have our children get involved in physical activities and still “score” some blessings. One of the most wonderful summer camp opportunities for Muslim boys and girls is in Monticello, New York. The director, Jasmina Zekic, has spearheaded this project to give the youth in New York an opportunity to experience Allah’s infinite beauty of nature, enjoy the sport activities freely, and foster Muslim brotherhood and sisterhood.
Although the camp is located in the reserve country side of Monticello, New York near Catskill Mountain, the parents have access to hassle free transportation where in they drop the children off at the Brooklyn site, and then the friendly staff will take care of the rest.
The camp opened in the first weekend of June. And if you are interested, you can sign up for either the weekend camp or the 5 Days Camp. The programs have dates that are designated for boys and for girls. The Program is a great opportunity for parents that are concerned to place their children in a safe Islamic environment. This camp will give Muslim children everything a parent wishes for their child to have during the summer. The schedule is packed with a lot of learning activities, science experiments, arts and crafts and best of all they spend time learning the Quran and studying Islam too. Fun activities at the camp swimming lessons, rafting on the famous Delaware River Rapids, sleeping in the tents, taking boat rides on the lake, and hiking in the beautiful Catskill Mountains. Sports activities will include basketball, soccer, volley archery, tennis, biking, and horseback riding.
At the camp, kids will be active from the early morning starting with Fajr prayer all the way till Ishaa prayer. In between prayers they will have hands-on activities as well as sports activities that the kids will not become weary of the Islamic obligation. Quran and Islamic Studies will be conducted by Shaikh Mohamed who was born and raised in Egypt. He is a graduate of Al-Ahzar University in Tafsir of the Quran and is also a hafidh of the Quran. He currently serves the Muslim community of Monticello, in the newly made beautiful Bosnian Masjid that is within walking distance of the camp site. During their time at the camp, the kids will perform their five daily prayers together and they will learn to inculcate Islamic behavior.
This program of learning and fun can absolutely change the way Muslim children see the world and their place in it. Kids will learn the importance of personal responsibility, the value of goal-setting, the spirit of teamwork, and the thrill of accomplishment. Go here for more information.
Sr Alif blogs
Sometimes we get so caught up in the consumer world that we forget the simplest things in life can make children love learning. As educators, we are bombarded by different educational companies to buy ready made games and puzzles for our classroom learning centers. I sometimes wish that the walls of the classroom could come off, and the children are able to play in the natural world of Allah’ Creation. The teachable moments are priceless yet the cost is FREE.
One beautiful, sunny morning, I decided to take my daughter to the park. We packed our basket with little goodies to snack on (and for the birds too), and we walked to the park. As we strolled down the park, we stopped and collected leaves and flowers, and put them in a plastic bag. We fed the geese, and sat down for a rest in front of a tree that almost looked as if it was prostrating. we watched and marveled how Allah(SWT) created all this living things so perfectly. We collected pebbles and threw them in the pond, and to my child’s delight, it would make rings in the water. Our next stop was my girl’s favorite place- Play ground with sand. She played with the sand with her bucket and shovel, as well as used her sifter to find any pebble treasures. She flew on the swing like an airplane, and slid on the slide like she was in an amusement park. Finally, we spread the maidah on the grass, washed our hands, and feasted on our peanut butter and jelly sandwich and some juicy grapes.
What did this child learn from her day at the park? Built new vocabulary, made AB patterns with pebbles, and wrote her name on the sand.
Allah’s Learning Center: sand, pebbles, plants, and birds are the important tools of learning just as much as classroom centers filled with blocks and puzzles.
Share with us what you do with your child outside the traditional classroom!
Sr Alif blogs
..
Team sport
Things needed:
Big tub of water for the center
4 smaller tubs or bins to fill with water
4 sponges
Whistle
Ruler
Warm weather
Firstly divide the children in to 4 teams and explain the rules of the game. A whistle sounds and one child from each team takes the sponge to the central bucket and dips it into the water. They have to carry the wet sponge back to their team where they squeeze it into the smaller bucket, then pass the damp sponge back to the next person in their team. The team keeps going back to the central bucket till each child has had a turn…. or if there are a few children (less than 16) you may let them take 2 turns each. In fact you may have to try a dry run of this to get the numbers to work for you because we have almost 40 kids when we play!
At first we let them just play to enjoy the game and get a feel for it. Then we blow the whistle and have a heart to heart. Someone describes to them how the central tub is like ‘ilm’ and for our ummah to win in this life, we need to find the right kind of ilm and come back and share it with our ummah. You can allow the kids to give you examples of ‘ilm’ and encourage them to read and understand the Quran so that they can share it with their ummah. Then we let the kids play again after they have had a chance to reflect over the meaning of their actions. They really look forward to the ‘re-match’. We usually finish by teaching them a small dua that they can say to help them gain the right kind of ‘ilm’.
Just some tips that might come in handy:
We assign one parent volunteer or teacher per group to make sure the sponge is passed fairly and to settle “who dropped it disputes”
Explain to the kids how to run with the sponge or else the younger kids might get wet.
This activity worked well for us with kids ranging from 4 upwards.
The essence of the game is in getting the kids to understand the rules so you need to be loud and clear on that part
The point of the game really is team work. How to wait your turn, how to encourage friends, being a good sport and being patient. You could watch the kids carefully while they play and affirm good players or point out how you noticed kids helping each other and cheering each other.
It really helps to sit all the volunteers down before hand and go through the whole game before you get the kids to play it. Just so that you are all on the same page. On days when it was hard to coordinate everyone I’d just ring them up and go through it.
In the end we all feel good. Share your summer games with us at jannahsteps@gmail.com
Artsy Ummi blogs
Islamic geometric patterns are so much fun to color. You can download them and have your children color them in all different patterns.
Islamic Geometric Patterns 1 DOWNLOAD HERE
Islamic Geometric Patterns 2 DOWNLOAD HERE
I have started the kids early this year- our big project is to create as many repeated patterns so we can paste them on card stock and create Eid cards for all of our friends and family. I figured any art work can be converted to a card, and I’ll have enough for everyone we know and just in time for Ramadan too!
Artsy Ummi blogs
I thought it would be fun to have a family art gallery in our hallway celebrating Islamic Art. My children have became interested in the idea of repeated pattern since I have introduced it to them. They even came up with some neat ideas of their own!
It was pretty simple to create the pattern templates and we began tessellating…the hard part was cutting them out! Here’s a link we used:
http://mathforum.org/sum95/suzanne/cwtess.html
1. To make a square template open a cereal box and lay it flat. Cut squares 3X3.
2. Inside the square, draw shapes on two sides of the square, free-form or trace a shape. The shape needs to be a closed form.
3. Place the template on magazine picture or wrapping paper. Trace around the template and cut out template shapes. It would be best if you have 2 contrasting shapes.
4. Place the pattern shapes and glue them into place and……voila!!!!
Artsy Ummi blogs
For centuries Muslim artists have been using tessellations to create beautiful art designs. Geometric patterns have always been dominant in Islamic design. The use of shapes rather than real life images allows the artist to conform to the religion without stepping out of its boundaries.
A tessellation is a mathematical design sequence that covers a plane surface with geometric shapes in a symmetrical way, without overlapping or leaving gaps. The result is a gorgeous geometric pattern such as this one found on a structure in Morocco…
The best way to introduce tessellations to your child is to make a connection to nature or find patterns around your house…
Then try making some patterns yourself with this free online tool called the Tessellation Creator. Click here.
Another site that my child adores is this one. It is something I can leave her on when I have to get things done around my house, and she can sit there for hours playing with the snowflake maker or the Kaleidodraw!
You need to purchase the full software to be able to get more options like print….but there’s still a lot you can do without having do so!
Artsy Ummi blogs
Do you know what sets ancient Islamic art apart from any other type? Well here’s a clue …. You will not find the artist’s name signed upon the art. In the Islamic view, God is the Ultimate Reality. The early Muslim artists experimented with the intricate systems of interconnected geometric forms, and connected its patterns to Allah’s cosmos. Unlike ‘impressionists’ who show the world their vision through their eyes, the Muslim artist only seeks to please Allah by creating flawless art. To destroy ones ego with the aim of pleasing Allah is often the goal. When you enter the mosque, you are humbled by its simplicity of the interior with nothing but a clean open area rug with no furniture. No figurines, portraits, or human faces to worship. All of that is insignificant compared to the beautification of the place of worship.
What you will see is a lot of geometric shapes, weaving in and out of each other as they create mesmerizing patterns. Complex structures that seem simple till you start to follow them with your finger. Whether etched in rock on a building, or painted with finesse on pottery, on carpets, coins and yellowing manuscripts …. Islamic art has left an impression on the ancient world that still echoes till today. From the Omayyad’s in Spain with their Splendid architecture to the Fatimid’s in North Africa with their cutting edge ceramic techniques , Lush Ottoman carpets from Turkey to the intricate blue handicrafts of Persia, each depicts the science and advancement brought about by Islamic thought and remembrance of Allah (SWT) Almighty.
Next time you see a work of beauty remember it took a process to get there and that the artist made sacrifices to create something sublime to please The One he loves.
Sister Reminder blogs
Assalamualaikum! Alhumdulillah, I feel blessed and ever so grateful to Allah for giving me such talented friends.
Here’s a poster designed by Sr Sadia Masroor from Jazba that I’d like to share with you today…
Um Professional blogs
You are ready to leave the work, and you didn’t cook yet. You are about to pick up your kids from their afternoon school program, and suddenly you get a phone call. Your husband gives you a heads up that his sister’s family from a neighboring state is in town and is dropping by your home… tonight! And yes, they’re staying over! Don’t worry…at some point or another we’ve all been there….the unexpected house guest.
First of all, take a few deep breaths and remember the blessing. The worst thing to do is panic and begin complaining. Remember that the Prophet (SAW) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let them treat their guest generously.” (Al-Bukhari) All you need is the right intention… and everything will go smoothly.
Here are 10 tips that will help you keep your calm and bring out the inner domestic diva in you! Oh, and don’t forget to get your kids involved in being good hosts and hostesses!
• When your guest arrives, greet him/her with a warm welcome! Guests bring their own blessing from Allah SWT. The righteous of the olden days would say that the guests bring their own rizq and leave with the sins of the host forgiven. So be gracious and look at it as an opportunity to get lots of blessings and to reconnect with that person.
• So to begin, formulate a quick menu. You will have to serve meals and snacks, so make a grocery list accordingly and go shopping. Or better yet, if you can delegate the shopping to someone else, you can save more time.
• Next, give your home a quick cleaning. No, you don’t need to vacuum every single corner or clean out your cabinets. Overall general appearance is the key. Don’t waste time trying to make everything perfect. Your home should look neat and presentable and that’s it.
• Do all your cooking prep earlier in the day so that there is less to do when you actually finish making the meal. This will give you less stress when you’re serving dinner, and will also allow you to spend more time talking to your guest than just cooking.
• Always try to keep some yummy and filling snacks handy in the pantry or the freezer. Things like frozen samosas or mozzarella sticks are great, because they’re not only filling and delicious, they’re a snap to prepare whenever anyone drops by.
• It’s a good idea to keep some extra linens and toiletries in the home. Extra blankets, pillows, and towels are great to keep on hand for overnight guests.
• You can have your children create a small basket of basic essentials for your guest by using mini or travel sized products. Be sure to include: toothpaste, unopened toothbrushes, soap, shampoo/conditioner, lotion, and a small hairbrush or comb.
• An extra added touch is to make a small basket of snacks for your guests and put it at their bedside. You can fill the basket with items such as fruits, nuts, chocolates, cookies, and bottled water.
• In terms of preparing the room in which your guest will be staying, a few simple touches can make a big difference. Leave some books or other reading material at their bedside. Brighten up the room with a simple small vase with some handpicked flowers from your garden. Put a scented candle or even a solid air freshener in the room. If you have an extra alarm clock put that there too. And if you really want to add the cherry on top, leave them a little note on the bedside telling them how happy you are to have them in your home and that you look forward to spending time with them, better still, have your children write the note or draw them a cute picture!
