Adult Information:
Ramadan falls on the ninth month of an Islamic lunar calendar.  A lunar calendar (based on the moon), like the solar calendar (based on the sun), has 12 months, except the months on a lunar calendar has 29-30 days.  Ramadan is a religious holiday celebrated by followers of the faith of Islam.  Followers call themselves "Muslims."

Ummibrahim's Favorite Activities:

Creative Art:
Mosques
1. Show pictures of mosques and Islamic architecture then have the children draw/create their own picture of a mosque
2. Cut out shapes of mosques for children to decorate with collage materials
Eid Cards
Children can create individual "Happy Eid" cards and/or make Eid banners that are worked on together as a group

Snacks:
1. Eat "dates" (as Somalian children eat during their special celebration of Eid al-fitr)
2. Eat "mosque" shaped cookies

For related topics of interest, check out these websites:
(If you go there now, just keep hitting your back button when you're finished and you will return to this page.)

Ramadan on the Net
Pictures of Mosques

Here's an idea from Aisha, New Horizons Nursery School in New York where they also celebrate Ramadan:
Moon Project: Ramadan begins and ends on the sighting of the new moon, so as an activity for our preschoolers, I created a yellow moon and sliced it into several pieces and laminated them: I cut it into crescent shapes, except the last shape which looks more like an oval with two pointed ends -- so, about 7-8 pieces total.  (I tried to similate how the moon would appear through each phase.)  I also created and laminated a background piece (dark blue or black).  I put velcro on all the pieces.  As we go through the month, this allows the children to follow the changing of the moon.  It is really great!  The children love it and are all excited when they tell us about what shape moon they see.

The new moon -- the first new sliver to appear in the sky marks the beginning of the month.  Then, we would add a "slice" every day (we would sometimes skip a day or two to account for the 8 slices over the two week period).  The moon becomes a full moon in the middle of the month, then it starts to get smaller again, so we would remove "slices" the same way for two weeks until there was no moon.  We would start all over again once the new moon appeared in the sky again.  Each new moon marks the beginning of the months in the Islamic calendar.  Until I did this project, I didn't realize that the moon actually does this......We learn something new everyday when we are involved in educating children.

Eid al-adha

Ummibrahim, in Canada, has submitted the following information on the country of Somalia:

Why and How?
Another holiday celebrated by Muslim families in Somalia is that of Eid al-adha (pronounced al ad ha), which is also known as the Festival of Ibrahim (pronounced Ee-bra--heem), a man who had great faith in Allah (God).  This holiday is traditionally celebrated for three days.  During this time, every year, many Muslims take a trip called "Hajj" (pronounced haj - with a short a sound as in hat and a "j" sound as in jet).  This is a trip to a very special place called Mecca, and it is a trip that all Muslims hope to take at least once during their lifetime.  During Eid al-adha, prayers are said, lots of food and sweets are eaten, children receive gifts and/or money, and everyone visits with family and friends.

Ummibrahim's Favorite Books:
You can check with your public library about getting these books.  Most large cities will have an Islamic library that can help with teaching materials.  Or, call a local mosque or Islamic center:

The Three Muslim Festivals, by Aminah Ibrahim Ali, Illustrated by Aldin Hadzic: This is a charming collection of stories on the three major celebrations of Islam (Ramadan, Eid al-fitr, and Eid al-adha respectively).  Rabiah, Musa, and Ahmed, the characters in these stories, take readers into their homes to witness each of their families' holiday preparations. Their stories depict the meanings and express the personal significances of these traditions.

Imran Learns About Ramadan, by Sajda Nazlee, Illustrated by M. Ishaq: In this story, Imran has his first experience of fasting during Ramadan.  He learns that Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was first revealed, and that it is full of Allah's mercy and blessings, and that this is the time when Muslims all over the world fast from dawn until sunset in order to purify their hearts and draw closer to Allah, and that this is a time for giving, especially to the poor.  Full colour illustrations.

Muslim Child, by Rukhsana Khan, Illustrated by Patty Gallinger: A unique collection of short stories, poems and activities that examines the world through the eyes of Muslim children.  With each selection, author Rukhsana Khan provides insight for all children into everyday Muslim life, revealing aspects of Islam and a way of life practiced by millions of Muslims.

Islam and its Festivals, by Istafiah Is'harc: This book, aimed at younger Muslims, provides an overview of some of the major aspects of Islam.  It includes not only a discussion of Islamic festivals, and the Muslim calendar, but also presents some of the major aspects of Islam's history.  Illustrations are in black and white as well as in color.  A glossary is included in the back, explaining the Arabic words used in the text.  

Graphic Credit: The beautiful graphic at the top of this page came from this wonderful graphics website: Crystal Cloud Graphics

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