Busy Baby Mama blogs

The Prophet (pbuh) said “This is the month of charity in which believer’s sustenance is increased. Whosoever feeds a fasting person or gives a fasting person a single date or a sip of water, to break the fast, for him there shall be forgiveness of his sins and he will be saved from the fire of hell, and for him shall be the same reward as for him (whom he fed)” (Tirmidhi)

The children are  never too young to learn about charity. It seems the younger they are, the more compassion they have for those who do not have. I remember hearing that one masjid made Iftar baskets to give to the needy people around their area. So my daughter and I got busy, and made our own.

Here are the steps you can take to make your own Iftar basket.

1. Buy baskets at the 99cent stores, or sometimes thrift stores have a good deal of them! You also need cellophane wrapper , tape, and ribbons.

2. Buy food items that can make one family meal. For example-For Pasta Dish, Buy spaghetti, tomato sauce, spices, fresh oregano or thyme, pamasan cheese will go in the basket. You can even add your favorite recipe too.

3. Have your child put them inside the basket. Explain each ingredient will make  the recipe. Help your child wrap the basket with cellophane. Add tape to any openings. Twist at the top, and wrap it with tape to secure the top.

4. Embellish it with Ribbons and Eid Cards! This one was a dot paint Eid Card made by my little infamous artist!

Sr Alif  blogs

Here is a great way to have students do a Bake Sale or a Jumma Lunch Sale to raise charity money for the Japanese earthquake victims and learn about Japanese culture too…

Some of the ideas were originally done by Sister Bushra Zaman and Sister Jameelah at Hamza Academy, NY

1. Make cupcakes and top them off with some cute origami decorations. Read the instructions from this amazing blog.

2. Make obento boxes in aluminum lunch containers with clear tops. Make little Anime rice balls and hot dog octopuses! Read more about it here!

3. Make vegetable sushi rolls. Easy to do and a fun cultural recipe to learn. Learn how here.

4. Make cherry blossom cake or cup cakes.  Don’t have time? Why not purchase these sugar cherry blossoms and decorate your cupcakes with one stem and a flower? Here and here.

5. Serve green tea -hot or cold! Recipe here.

6. It’s a hot day? Why not get some students to make Green Tea Ice cream? Recipe here.

7. Make these popular Japanese snacks that my daughter just adores…Pocky Sticks! Recipe here.

8. Stir up some hot Miso Soup to hit the right spot! Recipe here

9. Buy small Japanese inspired items at bulk price from discount stores. Sell them for a dollar or two along with your eating goodies. Ideas here.

Artsy Ummi blogs

We have partnered with Sitara school in promoting the love of giving as well as love of reading (after all, the first word revealed from the Quran was “IQRA”!) – The charity bookmark project. We would like to encourage as many schools, masajid, MSA, and families in US or elsewhere to participate in this fundraising activity. It’s really very simple; download the chosen template and allow the children to color the book marks, laminate,  sell, and send the money to the school via their secure school website, www.sitaraschool.org

Here are steps and lessons on how to teach our children about charity and reading can go hand in hand.

1. During morning message, circle time, or Calendar time, ask them to name all the things they have to learn. ( notebook, pencil, erasure, compter etc.) Then have them imagine having no books to read, not having even a pencil. Send a couple of minutes having students only write with sticks with ink well, chacoal on wooden slate, chalk on chalkboard.

2. Show them pictures  of Afhgan children from Sister Sommeih’s site. Tell them that these children do not go to school because they have to make a living to survive. Ask them what would happen if you do not go to school? Why is going to school so important?

3. Show them books and letting them know how reading is the key to success. And ofcause the most important book to read is the Quran.

4. Have the book marks already printed and cut-the black and white version. (download here).Have children color it. It might be better if you have them color it with markers and then add glitter die cuts, or stickers.

5. Lay  four of them down on laminating sheet and then laminate it. Cut them and separate the book marks.

6. Punch hole and add ribbon and embellish them with beads or charms.

7. Have the children sell them for $ 1.00 each. Once you collected the amount you  feel is enough,  you can donate in line to her school project website, www.sitaraschool.org

Download:

Bookmarks-Stars

Bookmarks-Starsincolor

Bookmarks-boy

Bookmarks-boycolor

Bookmarks-girl

Bookmarks-girlcolor