5 Ways to Get Your Toddler Involved in Ramadan

In the name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful

A lot of us moms are trying to figure out ways to get our young children involved in this special month that is quickly coming upon us. Especially with toddlers and younger children, when they’re not quite ready to be fasting. So I have some tips to share… but just as a disclaimer, none of them are going to be super specific.

These are more ideas to help you put together a plan that works for you and your family. I personally don’t believe in doing a whole bunch of super special things to bring small children in, because…by nature, they are in. As long as you are putting in the work as a family to just be present in Ramadan and take in all that comes in with that, it would be very difficult for your child to not feel some of that rub off on them. 

Another thing I want to talk about is avoiding the common mistake of grabbing onto other people’s traditions…and twisting them into our own. I don’t think it’s necessarily terrible to make little countdown calendars or to give little gifts throughout the month and things of that nature… but I definitely think it’s a slippery slope. I think that it might be better to figure out some of your own family traditions and also  pull traditions from Islamic history instead.

All that said, let’s get into those 5 tips to help you get your little one’s involved in this sacred month of Ramadan:

1. Identify the themes within Ramadan that you want to hone in on.

When you’re addressing children about Ramadan, you don’t want to come at it from the perspective of fasting necessarily. Let them know what it is and start warming them up to the idea of course. But you want to share things that can really impact and warm their hearts…in this moment. So instead, there are many themes that come up within the realm of Ramadan, beyond fasting… Strengthening our relationship with Allah and building a relationship with the Qur’an. You can talk about the mercy of Allah, His forgiveness, good deeds vs bad deeds, learning about paradise, and so much more. Maybe you can choose one theme for each week or even one theme for each third of the month.

2. Get some books, nasheeds, and activities together.

This is where I recommend you save your energy. On one hand, putting together some materials can be really helpful because children learn a lot through play and being able to engage in hands-on activities. Of course, we can look at some materials related to Ramadan in general…but also, put together some materials related to those specific themes that you’ve chosen in step one. On the other hand though, you know your child best. You can put together the most beautiful, curated stuff and your little one might not have any interest in any of it. My message here is to be balanced. Don’t stress yourself…or your child out over some Pinterest perfect activities.

3. Don’t be afraid to simply include them in the natural rhythms of Ramadan.

We’re not talking about having the tiny one’s fast of course but bringing them into the overall experience that comes along with Ramadan. This could be like maybe making it a family tradition to go sight the moon, welcoming them to join in for suhoor on the day of Jumu’ah, or giving them a date and water with everyone else when breaking fast. It doesn’t have to be big things but just allow them to taste the sacredness that comes with Ramadan. We’ll talk later on in this countdown about praying taraweeh at home – and that can play into including your toddlers too.

4. Include them in your family Ramadan goals.

The first post in this countdown was talking about some ideas for Ramadan goals that the whole family can participate in…that includes our toddlers. So once you and your family have decided on a few goals for the month, make sure the entire family knows what the goals are and each person’s role in achieving it. Of course their participation will likely look different, you might have to make some modifications, etc… but ultimately, you want it to be authentic, fun and encouraging.

5. Create an Ibadah/good deed/good character challenge.

This doesn’t need to be anything fancy and actually, the more tiny and simple the better. But whatever you go, you don’t want it to be abstract – you want things to be nice and clear, physical and things your little one can literally experience. To start with this, decide if you want to choose one thing for the whole month or even one thing for each day. Choose ahead of time what it is you’ll be focusing on. Maybe you want to use popsicle sticks, post-it notes, a cute little chart or something else entirely. Help your little one accomplish the task each day, keep account of it and celebrate it.

I hope this gets your creative juices flowing… In a couple days I’ll share some more specifics that we enjoy using… but for now, I’ll be back tomorrow and I hope to chat with you then.. let me know in the comments, what is your favorite Ramadan book for your little one’s?

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