As we end the blessed month of Ramadan, many Muslim parents are asked to share about Eid in their children’s classrooms. We are providing suggested activities and resources for preschool or elementary school classrooms that were compiled by Rand Abbas, a Muslim parent of children ages 6 and 4. The following is based on what she has effectively presented in her children’s schools.
Overview
Begin by playing a short Sesame Street Eid Greeting followed by a brief introduction and a song. Then go over a few points summarized below and read a short story from one of the books listed below. Play another song, and if time allows, have the students do some Ramadan/Eid crafts. Conclude with a distribution of Eidiya bags.
Introducing Ramadan and Eid to Students:
Consider the following points to make in a presentation about Eid in relation to Ramadan.
People around the world celebrate different festivals based on their faiths, like Easter, Passover, Diwali, and Ramadan.
Eid is a celebration for Muslims which means holiday or festival in Arabic. Eid Mubarak means “Blessed Holiday.”
Eid ul-Fitr is the celebration of the end of Ramadan, which is a month of fasting, prayer, charity, and doing good deeds.
Ramadan is a special holy month for Muslims around the world and it follows a lunar calendar, which is a calendar based on the moon. Like Chinese New Year, the month begins and ends with the sighting of the new crescent moon. People decorate their homes and neighborhoods with lights and lanterns.
Ramadan is a month of fasting, extra prayers, and charity and is a special time for family and friends. It teaches kindness, reflection, self-control, and feeling compassion for people who don’t have food or water. It is a time to increase our patience and gratitude.
People from all faiths around the world fast by giving up certain foods like chocolate, or by not eating or drinking during Lent or on Yom Kippur. Ramadan is similar. Grown-ups fast from food and drink from sunrise to sunset, but then they eat and drink before sunrise and after sunset. Fasting also means giving up bad habit such as getting angry, being rude, or lying.
At the end of Ramadan Muslims celebrate a holiday called Eid ul-Fitr, which means the festival of breaking the fast. It’s 3 days long and is celebrated by visiting family and friends, good food and sweets, carnivals, new clothes and gifts or money for kids.
Resources for Presenting about Ramadan/Eid
Songs
Books
Art Projects
We suggest the following Islamic crafts from the Lunar Learners website.
