2021 Ramadan Doodle Challenge – Free Printable

- Umm Yusef Leave a comment
Ramadan activity for the muslim drawing prompts free printable family

Asslamu ‘alaykum and welcome.

This is going to be a very short post because tomorrow might be the first day of Ramadan 1442 and I still have a lot to do… so here it is:

The RAMADAN 2021 DOODLE CHALLENGE (free printable)

What is a doodle challenge?

A Doodle Challenge is a list of drawing prompts: One thing to draw every day of the month. You can use any technique you want and you don’t have to be artistically gifted to take part. It is aimed equally at children and adults.

Why a doodle challenge for Ramadan?

Because Ramadan days can be long and tiring, especially for children who are old enough to fast; and they can be intense for mothers. Both can use a super simple, fun activity like this to share a relaxing moment together and brush up their artistic skills (pun totally intended!!!!).

Screenshot the list of prompts or, alternatively you can download the free printable by clicking on the image below. If you participate and share your pictures on Instagram, please tag @salamhomeschooling !

May Allah allow us to reach Ramadan, strive sincerely for His sake during it and beyond, and receive His abundant forgiveness and mercy, ameen.

Ramadan doodle challenge free kids activity

Ramadan bullet journal – FREE printable

- Umm Yusef 9 Comments
Ramadan activity free printable journal planner family kids

NOW UPDATED WITH 5 NEW PAGES! (links below or click on images)

Over the last few years, millions of people have used and benefitted from – or, at the very least, heard about – the bullet journal method (a useful introduction to what the method is here). It is so popular because it can be really helpful: A hybrid between a planner and a journal that is completely customisable. It is a simple, inexpensive tool to track your to-dos, organise your thoughts, set your goals and work towards them, track your habits and, in general, keep every thought that is worth keeping, so that you can find it again.

Muslim journal Islamic bujo Ramadan kids printable

Why a Ramadan Bujo?

The thing about Ramadan is that it is one month of the year. A month that, for the believer, bears rewards like no other. A month that must be used well; a source of mercy that we must squeeze to the last drop. Sometimes, and for some people, the feeling of anticipation that accompanies it can be tinged with anxiety: Will I live up to the standards I hold?

Some of the concepts and techniques of the Bullet Journal Method can be easily applied to the goals of a Muslim in this blessed month, for spiritual productivity, reflection and self care: Know what you want from this time, be conscious of how you spend it and be grateful for every act of worship that you carry out, however small.

A Ramadan Bullet Journal can definitely help with that, in sha’ Allah.

Islamic resources Ramadan Muslimsh journal planner

Who is this for?

Anyone who can write can benefit from this simple resource at his or her level. I will be using it and I will make copies for my children. My older two (aged 13 and 10) will probably write or doodle in it and use the trackers, especially as a distraction if they get tired or hungry during the day. My 5 year old will want her own copy, not to feel left out, and I expect she will just doodle in it or try write a few words.

Different people will find some of the pages I offer more useful or more appealing than others. Print or copy what applies to you.

Several of the pages can be used in different ways: An 8 year old might not have lots of appointment and deadlines to keep track of in the calendar, but she can use it to write a memory or highlight for each day (more on this below).

How to use it

If you already are a lover of bullet journaling and you enjoy spending some time with your stationery (*rubs hands*), you might prefer to use these pages as inspiration and copy them out onto your notebook.

If that is not your cup of tea or, like me, you need multiple copies and don’t have the time (or patience!) to create them all by hand, print them out and either stick them on the pages of a notebook, bind them into their own booklet or punch them and add them to a binder or to your existing planner.

Please note that, if you plan to use the daily planner/journaling page (the very last of the file) you will need to print out 30 copies of it, one for each day. The same applies to the Qur’an Mind Map: they are note taking pages and you might need to print out more as you go.

What pages are included?

The 1442 Ramadan Bullet Journal comes in two different accent colours (both easy on your printer!): Gold and Blue. Each of them has two cover designs to choose from (I simply couldn’t settle on one). Each of the two colour versions includes the same pages:

  • Monthly grid (a hijri/gregorian calendar): Appointments/deadlines, or daily highlights, or daily memory, or lesson tracking, or daily doodles, or shorthand journaling, or meal planning… side column could be used for a running to-do list or notes. Note: Hijri dates are left blank for you to fill in once the moon is sighted!
  • Monthly log: the horizontal version of a calendar, you can use it for any of the uses of the monthly grid.
  • Gratitude log
  • Fast tracker and Qur’an Tracker: colour in or mark the fasting hours for each day. (PLEASE NOTE THESE PAGES HAVE BEEN REMOVED, AS THE SCHOLARS STATED IT IS NOT LEGISLATED TO TRACK ACTS OF WORSHIP. See below for new additions!)
  • NEW! “Fast Aid” Kit: A spread to help you pinpoint your struggles during the fast and reflect on what could help, with encouragement to find evidence from the authentic sources of Islam.
  • Sleep tracker: colour in or mark your sleeping hours for each day.
  • Mood tracker: colour code your mood and choose a prevalent one for the day.
  • Iftaar gallery: doodle (or record) your iftaar every day.
  • Small victories: Record something that you are happy to have accomplished each day.
  • NEW! Qur’an Words: Increase your Arabic vocabulary and linguistic knowledge – one word at a time! Choose a word from the Qur’an each day. You may add a note on the meaning or usage in the space provided.
  • NEW! Qur’an Quotes: Have you ever read an ayah that really touched your heart and thought “I must remember this one” but then you carried on reading and forgot to make a note of it? This is the page for you!
  • Qur’an Mind Map: Use these pages to write down tafseer or linguistic benefits. You can chose between 4 designs depending on how many section you want the page to be divided in (4 section in one page, down to 1 taking the whole page) and how much you want to write for each surah/ayah.
  • Ramadan goals: think about what is important that you achieve this Ramadan, reflect on the steps that will take you there in sha’Allah and record your progress.
  • NEW! Iftaar Notes: Make a note of your favourite iftaars, or those you would like to try, or the most memorable ones that your family will always associate with Ramadan 1442/2021! You could also use it as a collection to come up with your own recipes, to build healthy meals and even count calories or track macros.
  • NEW! Super Suhoor: This collection was inspired by a comment suggesting I create something with a healthy eating theme. Nutrition is more important than ever when we are fasting, so you can use this page to create ideas for your ideal suhoor, to note down new ideas and recipes or to make note on the beneficial properties of the various foods you want to include. It can be used to teach children the importance of heathy eating.
  • Ramadan daily page: inspired by the layout of popular bound planners such as Hobonichi and Stalogy, this page has a timed column on the left and space for notes, journaling or anything you want to write. Beside the date, you can also record the weather and the phase of the moon.

A reflection of your Ramadan efforts

You don’t need a bullet journal to be successful and make the best of Ramadan: Sincerity to Allah and hard work are all a believer needs. But, if used throughout (even if you skip a few days and have to play catch up a little!), a bullet journal can become a reflection of your efforts in Ramadan; it can collect your best moments and your struggles on the journey to become a better worshipper, in sha’ Allah; it can also act as a memory keeping tool, recording the development of our growing children as Muslims.

I ask Allah to let us reach Ramadan, to let us strive in it, sincerely seeking His pleasure and to shower us with His Mercy and Forgiveness!

FREE DOWNLOAD Ramadan Bullet Journal – GOLD (UPDATED)

FREE DOWNLOAD Ramadan Bullet Journal – BLUE (UPDATED)

If you download and use this printable, or if it inspires you to create your own Ramadan bujo, please share on instagram and tag @salamhomeschooling in sha’Allah!

Muslim planner ramadhan free printable islam

THE 3 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF ISLAM – FREE WORKBOOK

- Umm Yusef
Islamic studies workbook three fundamental principles of Islam

Assalamo ‘alaykum and welcome.

“The Three Fundamental Principles” was written so that everybody could learn. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab wrote it in a very concise and easy way, so that everybody could access this vital knowledge: from students of Islamic knowledge, to uneducated peasants, from royalty to school children, and anyone in between. And, by the mercy of Allah, it did spread far and wide.

Yet, when I picked it up Explanation of the 3 Fundamental Principles of Islam (the beautiful, deep and compelling explanation by shaykh Uthaymeen, rahimahullah) eager to share it with my children, I found that I needed to do some preliminary work.

The explanation and, on top of that, the translation into English both add extra material and extra layers for our minds to process. In the case of my children – aged 12 and 9 – I find that, if I want to keep to a level that they can access easily and internalise, I have to break it down for them.

It really helps to isolate the main points, simplify the language when needed and reinforce certain connections. 

Like a penguin feeding her chick, sometimes you have to “digest” the knowledge before passing it on to them. This is exactly what I attempted to do.

Download your copy of THE 3 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES – FREE WORKBOOK HERE

FREE PDF dowload workbook for muslim children Islamic studies Aqeedah 3 principles

The workbook

I put together this workbook from the notes I took while re-reading Explanation of the 3 Fundamental Principles of Islam. I included the main points of the original treatise as well as most of those in the explanation, alhmadulillah. I simplified the language and tried to express difficult concepts in a child-friendly way. A student of knowledge checked my re-wording, alhamdulillah.

You will find in the index page the list of lessons I included as well as page numbers from the book  Explanation of the 3 Fundamental Principles of Islam, should you wish to refer to it.

Each page of the workbook includes:

  • A short, simple explanation (roughly half a page or less);
  • A few Arabic words taken from the original text (the matn) or from the explanation (all collected and translated in a glossary). 
  • An activity based on the lesson. Often an ayah mentioned by the shaykh in which to find evidence of the point made. 
three fundamental principles of Islam muslim study book free pdf muslim kids activity

Arabic words

The ideal approach with this book, and any book, is to be as close as possible to the original. In this case the original is the Arabic matn (which you can download at the bottom of this page).

I chose some Arabic key words for each lesson (and yes, some are repeated in more than once). Most are from the matn, some are from the explanation. Either way, they can be used for copywork and letter formation practice (a little space is given for this) as well as memorisation. Memorising these words and their meaning will provide useful “anchors” of meaning for those ambitious students (and mamas!) who will try to memorise the whole matn: A very desirable practice that is at the core of seeking knowledge, alhamdulillah.

Even for those who do not plan to memorise the original text, reading it as you go, along with the English translation is extremely important even to those with very limited Arabic: it will really improve your familiarity with sentence structure and basically teach your brain what Arabic looks and sounds like, even if you don’t understand most of the words, insha’Allah.

Do you need to buy the book?

Do you need to get hold of Explanation of the 3 Fundamental Principles of Islam to complete this workbook? Yes and no.

No, strictly speaking, you only need the matn: The original text of “The 3 Fundamental Principles” by shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, which is available online as a free PDF both in Arabic and in English.

Yes, because you should definitely read this book. You, the adult, should read it, for your own education as a Muslim. Ideally you should own it. It should be your close companion. It is one of those books that, everytime you go back to it, you will find more benefits, alhamdulillah. And you will go back!

Useful links

There is hardly a masjid upon the Sunnah that hasn’t at some point offered a class in “The 3 Fundamental Principles”, alhamdulillah. Below you will find some series of classes you can listen to, the first being from the translator of the edition I used, Abu Talha (rahimahullah). 

The Explanation of the 3 Fundamental Principles by Abu Talha Dawood Burbank (rahimahullah)

The 3 Fundamental Principles (explanation of shaykh Uthaymeen – rahimahullah) taught by Moosaa Richardson 

The three Fundamental Principles – explanation by shaykh an-Najmee (rahimahullah) – taught by Abu Idrees

The 3 Fundamental Principles – taught by Mustafa George

The Three Fundamental Principles – taught by shaykh Hassan al-Banna (rahimahullah)

The Three Fundamental Principles – explanation of shaykh bin Baz (rahimahullah) – taught by Jameel Finch

The Three Fundamental Principles – explanation by various scholars of the Sunnah – taught by Uways at-Taweel

This is by no means an exhaustive list, in fact you might find a live class being run at your local masjid too, insha’Allah.

I ask Allah that He benefits my family and yours through this humble effort.

Download your copy of THE 3 FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES – FREE WORKBOOK HERE

printable activity for muslim children isalmic homeschooling faith aqeedah salafi manhaj

Ramadan Doodle Challenge

- Umm Yusef
Ramadan doodle challenge free activity for kids

Assalamu ‘alaykum and welcome.

Download your RAMADAN DOODLE CHALLENGE list HERE.

I am getting the usual last minute rush of pre-Ramadan ideas. New concepts emerge thick and fast from the brain fog, between teaching to tell the time and washing a big pile of dishes.

As we know, the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), would encorage their children to fast, even if they had not yet reached puberty. If the children struggled, they would distracted them with a simple toy.

Al-Rubay’ bint Mu’awwidh (may Allah be pleased with her) said while describing how the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told them to fast ‘Āshūrā:

We used to make toys out of dyed wool for the children and keep them with us so if the children asked us for food we would give them the toys to distract them until they completed their fast.

(Sahih Muslim)

Ramadan doodle challanges free printable

Engage the brain to distract the stomach

DISCLAIMER: Islam instructs us to follow the middle way and the just and balanced approach in all things. Training our children to fast is no different: It must be tackled with wisdom, without being too lax or too strict. The age and ability of each child must be taken into consideration and their health and safety must always come first (as is the case for us adults too).

Having said so, many children can fast without any problems, Allahumma baarik, and they should be encouraged and supported in it.

A major part of the upbringing of our children is to train them to perform the legislated acts of worship, even before the age they become obligatory for them. It is useful to have something ready to divert the focus of our kids from food when they start to feel hungry (but can safely be encouraged to power through).

The Ramadan Doodle Challenge is only one of of the many possibilities, some others are:

  • A small gift every day (collectible cards, marbles, small toys, puzzles, magazines or books…). This is usually very well received but it can get expensive and can produce an amount of cheap toy clutter in the house.
  • Art and crafts materials: try a different activity every day (different techniques, media, styles, subjects…)
  • Line up 30 STEM activities and try one each day (find some tween friendly STEM and Lego activities here).
  • Compile a family scrapbook.
  • Prepare a list of board games and play a different one each day (list everything you have, look online for free printable ones, ask your friends to swap with you to have the whole month covered!)
  • Have your child take one photo each day – which should not include people or animals – that represents his or her day and then assemble the Ramadan picture album after Eid.
  • Use journaling prompts (This is a list of Ramadan Journaling Prompts that you can print for free).

Why doodles?

  • It is inexpensive.
  • You already have everything you need (paper and a pencil and you are good to go!)
  • It is suitable for any age, from toddler to adult.
  • It is fun, especially if you all attempt the daily doodle together.
  • It is relaxing and it will provide a welcome distraction from rumbling tummies!

Download your RAMADAN DOODLE CHALLENGE list HERE.

The PDF includes a list as well as individual cards to cut out, in case you (like me) want to only reveal one each day and keep the rest a surprise.

Doodle challenge cards for Ramadan

Have a blessed Ramadan!

If your children (or yourslef!) take part in this challenge, please share your doodles on instagram and tag @salamhomeschooling !

I ask Allah to allow us to witness this Ramadan and gain His rewards and forgiveness. I also ask Him to guide us establish ourselves and our families upon what pleases Him.

30 MORE Days with the Names of Allah – FREE workbook

- Umm Yusef
free printable names of Allah islamic studies workbook

Assalamu alaykum and welcome.

When I set out to review and improve “30 Days with the Names of Allah” (which I first compiled in 2017), I was excited to offer a better product to the Muslim community; however, I was conscious that at least some children – including my own – had aready completed it.

So here is the second installment: 30 More Names of Allah to explore with your children, to reflect upon and to make a living part of our faith as Muslims, in sha’ Allah.

DOWNLOAD your FREE 30 MORE days with the Names of Allah workbook HERE

Islamic printable workbook names of Allah

Using both workbooks

Because my eldest child has already completed the study of the first set of 30 Names of Allah, he will be studying this workbook, while his younger brother will tackle the first set, insha’Allah. I think I might be wonderful to have each of them present their own name of Allah of the day each day in Ramadan (insha’Allah it goes that well! … alhamdulillah, a mom can dream!).

Authentic Sources

The workbook containes all the sources I used. They are:

I tried my best to use the exact explanations of the scholars above. I opted for simpler words where needed, but made sure to convey the intended meaning, insha’Allah. All good is from Allah and any mistakes are my own.

About this workbook

If you and your children have already studied the first 30 Names of Allah included in my previous workbook, don’t despair! here are 30 more.

The format is the same, each daily page includes:

  • One Name of Allah each day
  • A little Arabic handwriting practice (copying the Name of the day)
  • Finding the proof for the Name in the relevant ayah/hadeeth
  • Copywork (in English)
  • A small picture to colour in – or not!
  • A reflection question, which can be answered shortly in the space provided, it can be used as a writing prompt or a starter for a “big juicy conversation” (Bravewriter style).
free isalmic printable activity for kids ramadan workbook names of Allah

Not only for Ramadan

This is not a Ramadan specific activity, but each workbook explains 30 Names , so they are ideal to be completed in Ramadan, insha’Allah!

It is a simple and meaningful daily activity to foster knowledge, and therefore LOVE, of our Creator in ourselves and our children.

There is no reason why you cannot happily include this into your ongoing homeschool, Ramadan school, Ramadan basket, book basket, family circle, madrasah, Islamic studies club… (you get the gist).

A Ramadan gift

30 MORE Days with the Names of Allah, as well as 30 Days with the Names of Allah and any other printable on this site to this date (April 2020), is free to dowlnoad. It is my gift to my family and yours. I ask Allah to accept this humble effort and benefit my family and yours through it.

Allah let us reach this Ramadan and benefit from it, ameen.

DOWNLOAD your FREE 30 MORE days with the Names of Allah workbook HERE

30 days with the names of Allah workbook activity for Muslim kids Ramadan

30 Days with the Names of Allah FREE workbook

- Umm Yusef
Islamic studies activity printable for Muslim children

17 Ramadan 1441/ 10 May 2020: As of today the free PDF 30 Days with the names of Allah has been edited to correct the following typos: The proof for the Name ash-Shakoor is surah Faatir 35:34 (NOT surah Hashr) and the proof of the Name as-Samee’ is surah al-Baqarah 2:127 (NOT 126). Jazakillahu khayran to the sister who informed me.

Assalamu ‘alaykum and welcome.

By the mercy of Allah I started the task I had put off for a long time: revising the printables I offered on my old blog (Islamic Bedtime Stories).

The original idea was to re-type them in a better format (getting rid of the pictures of uncertain status with regards to copyright) but I ended up re-making the workbook. I dusted off a couple more books, listened to a couple more lessons and, Alhamdulillah, there was enough in my notes for a second workbook as well. The success lays in what each of us does with this resource, and every good is from Allah alone.

Download your FREE 30 Days with the Names of Allah workbook HERE

Knowing Allah

The various branches of knowledge are ranked for importance according to the importance of their subject matter. Hence, nothing is more inportant, more foundamental, more desperately needed than knowldge of Allah.

As someone who experienced half of her life as an active member of another religion that claims belief in the One God, I have deep appreciation of the fact that Allah Himself gave us knowledge of Him. We cannot encompass Him with our limited intellect, of course, but He told us a lot about Himself. Every bit of this precious information has profound benefits in our worldly life and far reaching consequence for our Hereafter.

Authentic Sources

The workbook containes all the sources I used. They are:

I tried my best to use the exact explanations of the scholars above. I opted for simpler words where needed, but made sure to convey the intended meaning, insha’Allah. All good is from Allah and any mistakes are my own.

FREE Names of Allah workbook

About the workbook

They can be suitable for most ages. Because I kept the activities quite open, it is not very age specific.

It includes:

  • One Name of Allah each day
  • A little Arabic handwriting practice (copying the Name of the day)
  • Finding the proof for the Name in the relevant ayah/hadeeth
  • Copywork (in English)
  • A small picture to colour in – or not!
  • A reflection question, which can be answered shortly in the space provided, it can be used as a writing prompt or a starter for a “big juicy conversation” (à la Bravewriter).
names of Allah free printable workbook

A Ramadan Workbook?

This is not a Ramadan specific activity, but each workbook explains 30 Names , so they are ideal to be completed in Ramadan, insha’Allah!

It is a simple and meaningful daily activity to foster knowledge, and therefore LOVE, of our Creator in ourselves and our children.

There is no reason why you cannot happily include this into your ongoing homeschool, Ramadan school, Ramadan basket, book basket, family circle, madrasah, Islamic studies club… (you get the gist).

A Ramadan gift

30 Days with the Names of Allah, as well as 30 More Days with the Names of Allah and any other printable on this site to this date (April 2020), is free to dowlnoad. It is my gift to my family and yours. I ask Allah to accept this humble effort and benefit my family and yours through it.

Allah let us reach this Ramadan and benefit from it, ameen.

DOWNLOAD your FREE 30 Days with the Names of Allah workbook HERE

30 days with the names of Allah workbook activity for Muslim kids Ramadan

Ramadan Journaling Prompts

- Umm Yusef
Ramadan activities for children kids activity free islamic printable

Assalamo alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

Are you looking for something not too demanding yet engaging to occupy your children in Ramadan?

Something that is new and for them to discover each day of the month?

That’s exactly what we like to do in our family. On the one hand, we feel the need to put aside the planned activities and the schedules; on the other, we don’t want bored children, languishing around and just waiting for iftaar time!

We need entertainment with benefit and some sense of purpose, in sha’ Allah.

As part of my efforts to bring to this blog any resource I created that might benefit your family and homeschool (and that were originally posted on Islamic Bedtimestories, my old blog), I revisited 30 Days of Prompts. I call them “journaling” prompts because they are quite varied in their nature and a lot of them are about personal expression.

What is it?

It is a list of Ramadan themed writing prompts. They are quite general and can be tackled as simply or in as much depth as desired, so they are suitable – or can be easily adapted – for children of all ages.

What materials will I need?

  • Your copy of the FREE Ramadan journaling prompts list;
  • Something to write on: any notebook or paper with a binder;
  • Something to write with;
  • Anything to decorate and illustrate: pencils, markers, stickers, scrapbooking paper and anything crafty you have at hand and your children enjoy working with.

Alhamdulillah, good times…

That Ramadan, my boys and I had the best time with these prompts and the box of craft paper and stickers (MY box of craft paper and stickers!) that I made available to them. Even my reluctant writer looked forward to the daily prompt! Alhamdulillah.

Meaningful engagement

A word of caution: Don’t force it. This goes for any activity you (the parent) are all excited about. If, after the first few days, the excitement fizzles out, don’t bring up the prompts unless the child asks to do it. Some prompts might fall flat with some kid and completely fire up another. If a child wants to keep working on yesterday’s prompt, that’s great, Allahumma Baarik. She shouldn’t be rushed because there are still x number of prompts “to go through”. Meaningful engagement is what we are looking for. If it is nowhere to be found on a given day, move on: don’t take it personally and don’t be disappointed, in sha’Allah.

DOWNLOAD your FREE Ramadan Journaling Prompts list here

May Allah allow us to witness the coming Ramadan and guide us to what will benefit us in the Akhirah.

Beneficial Ramadan activity for children, free kids printable for your Muslim homeschool

Autumn Poems Collection – DIY

- Umm Yusef
Homeschool poetry teatime autumn poems free printable

Assalamo alaykum and welcome.

It is definitely not Summer anymore (I can’t help but smile – now that my kids can’t see me).

What better way to let the fresh Autumn breeze into our homeschool than with a collection of poems about this beautiful season? This is why I like to make my own collections:

I love poetry, but not all poetry.

I love books, but not all books.

I like to save a few pennies if I can.

I like to save space by not keeping on my shelf a 200 page book when we only love 5 pages of it.

When it comes to the literature my kids “drink in”, I like to be aware of it.

As a homeschooling mom, I am also accustomed to taking matters into my own hands!

For these reasons, rather than recommending poetry books to buy or borrow from the library, I compiled a list of links to poems I liked. You can click on them and see what you think.

I am not saying poetry books are not worth having; when I come across a poetry book I mostly like, I still want to have it to keep. But here and now, this little collection does save me money, space and the headache of sifting through hundreds of pages. Alhamdulillah.

DIY Autumn Poems Collection – BLANK (fill it as you like)

DIY Autumn Poems Collection – WITH TITLES (tells you what poem to put in each page) 

A bunch of links and a blank notebook?

Is this really it???

Yes. Alhamdulillah.

I do not believe that “classics” (i.e. old books) are necessarily best and, for this reason, you will find in my list some poems that, being less than a few centuries old, are subject to copyright. I would never want to include something I don’t have the right to offer in my printables. 

This is why you have to do some of the assembly work yourself; although I have done the research for you, which is the most time consuming part: I sifted through what I found to exclude themes that, as Muslims, we don’t care for.

DISCLAIMER: by including poems by a certain author in my list I do not mean to endorse his/her work in its entirety, nor his/her morals and world view. 
Critical filters on. Always, insha’Allah. 

I tried to include a variety of poetic styles, some classic poets and some contemporary ones, some very famous names and some less so and even a few translations of poems that were originally written in languages other than English. Some poets absolutely love Autumn, others totally dread it. 

How does this work then?

Muslim Homeschool literacy poetry brave writer style free printable poem collection

If you have used my DIY Summer Poems Collection you will be familiar with the concept.

  • Choose your printable: BLANK or WITH TITLES
  • Print
  • Fill with poems (your own, or the ones I suggest below)

I am offering 2 version of the printable: a BLANK version (you are free to fill the pages as you wish) and another with the TITLES of the poems I chose, to show you how you can fit them into the pages (plus, the title font looks really good – in my opinion). 

Download your DIY Autumn Poems collection BLANK (free PDF) HERE.

Download your DIY Autumn Poems collection WITH TITLES (free PDF) HERE.

Once you have printed out the booklet, you can:

  • Print out the text of the listed poems and stick them on
  • Use the listed poems as copywork to fill it it
  • Fill it in with whatever you like!
  • You can also skip the booklet and read the poems straight from the websites, if you are not a paper lover…

Insha’Allah this printable will be something that you and your children can make yours, by adding some colour to the pictures, writing or sticking your favourite poems (and whatever else you like) and keep it in your book basket or take it out for your family’s Poetry Teatimes. 

(Click and watch these videos if you would like more information about the book basket (also called “morning basket” or “morning time”) and poetry teatime). 

Autumn Fall themed poetry collection for children free pdf printable homeschool

How to talk about poetry

So, do you just sit there and read poems?

Yes! It is very acceptable and, in fact, desirable to just sit together, have a snack and enjoy each other’s company with some good poetry, alhamdulillah. 

Don’t feel compelled to turn this into a lesson.

Poetry appreciation will occur even without worksheets and whiteboards; dare I say, it will probably happen more easily without them!

Having said so, you may want to challenge your children to spot some poetic elements, themes or devices in the poems that are read. Some people prefer a little guidance as opposed to complete freedom in an activity.

That’s why, as I read a poem, you might hear my lot shout out stuff like “rhyming!” or “personification!” or “haiku, 5-7-5!” with a mouth full of crisps. 

Some very simple things to look for are:

  • What type of poem is it? (free verse, haiku, rhyming, shape poem, diamond, limerick… be as specific or as general as you like)
  • Older kids can work out the pattern of the rhyme, if applicable. 
  • Themes: what is it about?
  • With seasonal themed poems such as these, you will find A LOT of colours, animals, plants and natural elements being mentioned. Younger children might like to spot those!
  • What feelings are being expressed by the poet?
  • What mental image does it conjur? 
  • Do they like it?
  • Manipulate the text (and/or form) of the poem: If something has a striking pattern or topic, do they want to recreate their own by changing the topic or some other detail? Scramble the lines? Create an extra stanza? (often they will want to recreate it in a humorous way)

It is a good idea to add a few blank pages at the back of your booklet, and be ready to jot down any spontaneous poetry your kids might come up with (they might not want to write it themselves, this is supposed to be a relaxing, linguistic and literary treat, remember?).

Remember, forcing an educational task (formal or informal, written or otherwise), contradicts the ethos of Poetry Teatime and will affect the feel and the effectiveness of it. 

The Poems

This are the poems I chose, insha’Allah there is something to suit everybody’s taste.

In no special order:

My Autumn Leaves – by Bruce Weigl

For the Chipmunk in my Yard – by Robert Gibb

Sonnet 73 -by William Shakespeare (also translated into contemporary English)

Fall Acrostic Poem – by Leanne Guenther 

Gathering Leaves – by Robert Frost

My November Guest – by Robert Frost 

Nothing Gold Can Stay – by Robert Frost 

Leaves – by Elsie N. Brady

Nature XXVII, Autumn – by Emily Dickinson

The Name – of It – is ‘Autumn’ – by Emily Dickinson 

Haiku (The baby cow) – by Kobayashi Issa

Haiku (In September) – by Kobayashi Issa 

Haiku (The Autumn evening) – Nakamura Teijo 

Haiku (Holding the umbrella) – Nakamura Teijo

Haiku 2078 – by Calvin Olsen

Haiku 2575 – by Calvin Olsen

Fall, Leaves, Fall – by Emily Bronte

Autumn – by John Clare

Pleasant Sounds – by John Clare

Autumn Birds – by John Claire  

Plums – by Gillian Clarke

Autumn Fires – by Robert Louis Stevenson  

October’s Gold – by Paul Holmes 

Autumn Love – by Savannah M. Jones 

Living Season – by Adele Maritz

Fall Time – by Anna M. Jordan (This contains a reference to what, according to Google, is a rock band, however I really liked the rest. Personally, I will omit that one line and enjoy the rest)

On a Day Like Today – by David Webb

Under the harvest Moon – by Carl Sandburg 

Once Upon an Autumn Day – by Joseph T. Renaldi 

Autumn Song – by Sarojini Naidu

Autumn Moonlight – by Matsuo Basho

Autumn Within – by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Autumn – by Charles Baudelaire  

Winds of Autumn – by Saigyo

You Gave Me Autumn – by Sandra Fowler 

I hope this will be a useful and enjoyable tool for your homeschool and family, in sha’Allah.

If you use the booklets please tag me on Instagram, I would love to see them in action!

Understanding Hajj – FREE printable

- Umm Yusef
Hajj activity workbook for Muslim kids Dhul Hijjah islamic studies FREE PDF printable

Assalamo alaykum and welcome.

It is the time of year when those who haven’t been blessed with the opportunity to perform this great act of worship, feel like brushing up on their knowledge of Hajj.

I chose the Understanding Hajj Series by Abu Muadh Taqweem Aslam. I find the teaching style of this student of knowledge particularly accessible, Allahumma baarik. Also, the whole series consists only of 6 lessons.

I felt I could manage that. Then I though my children would probably manage that too, if I broke it down a little bit first.

Alhamdulillah, the end result is this little booklet where I organized my notes from Abu Muadh’s lessons. I also added a few questions to consolidate the knowledge gained, insha’Allah.

FREE Hajj printable for islamic homeschool madrasah muslim kids family activities for Dhul Hijjah

What age is it for? I would say anyone who can read could use it. I introduced research questions to offer a challenge to the older children. Consider it a starting point: you can simplify it or ask your students to go to greater depth if you want.

I have a couple of disclaimers. First, this is not intended to be a comprehensive Hajj guide. Secondly, the maps in there are purely for representation, they are not super geographically accurate.

Download your FREE Understanding Hajj Booklet HERE.

I ask Allah to benefit my family and yours through this humble effort. Ameen.

Summer Poems Collection DIY (free printable)

- Umm Yusef
Summer poems for children poetry teatime kids read aloud homeschool

Assalamo alaykum and welcome.

We have missed poetry teatime, alhamdulillah. 

If you are not sure what poetry teatime is, it involves reading poetry aloud in your homeschool as part of a lifestyle in which children – and their adults! – are immersed in a rich linguistic and literary environment. To make it even better, it is typically accompanied by some sort of refreshments. A good place to start is this site or this video.

I don’t know about yours, but my kids seem to enjoy the eating part most of all; having said that, home baked goods are not a rarity around here, so there must be more to it…

What to read?

Because I didn’t have the time to research books, I opted for a “pick & mix” approach. Instead of going on amazon and splurge on books I know nothing about (at the risk of them finding much of the contents inappropriate according to our values), I decided to do a little online search instead and hand pick poems. 

I tried to include a variety of styles; some classical (by which I loosely mean “old”) and some contemporary poems; some poet’s names you will recognise instantly, while a few were posted on a site by “regular” people (excuse my lack of a better term). 

DISCLAIMER: I didn’t go into any depth about hidden meanings or the poets’ biographies, philosophies or outlooks on life. I just found poems I liked and collected them. 

Is this a printable collection of poems?

No. The original idea was to share the complete collection as a ready to print booklet, but, to avoid breaching the copyright of some of the poems which do not belong to the public domain, I set it out as a little literary DIY task.

The booklet “A COLLECTION OF SUMMER POEMS TO READ ALOUD” is empty for you to fill.

What I am offering you is the chance to fill it using the exact list of poems I picked out for our Summer themed poetry teatime, insha’Allah. All the poems are freely accessible online so this will save you money and – if you also prefer to pick & mix your poems – a lot of time too!

I decorated the pages with little summery pictures one might want to colour in. 

Below you will find the exact list on what I put in each page of our book, in case you want to reproduce the exact collection I put together for our homeschool. I linked the poems to websites where they are shared (to my knowledge) in a completely legal way, insha’Allah. 

FREE printable summer themed poetry notebooking pages. Create a collection of poems for your homeschool poetry teatime

Assemble your collection

First of all, DOWNLOAD your FREE Summer Poem collection DIY pages here.

Here is the breakdown of what you can put in each page:

PAGE 1: Cover

PAGE 2 :

Bed in Summer – by Robert Louis Stevenson 

Summer Dawn – by Spike Milligan

PAGE 3:

At the Seaside – by Robert Louis Stevenson 

Beaches – by Kaitlyn Guenther 

To See the Summer Sky – by Emily Dickinson 

PAGE 4:

Midsummer, Tobago – by Derek Walcott 

Early Summer Rain – by Yosa Buson

PAGE 5:

Daisies – by Evaleen Stein 

The Summer Sun Shone Round Me – by Robert Louis Stevenson 

PAGE 6-7:

Birds in Summer – by Mary Howitt

PAGE 8:

June – by Elaine Goodale 

Summer Stars – by Carl Sandburg 

PAGE 9:

My Kingdom – by Robert Louis Stevenson 

PAGE 10

In July – by Evaleen Stein 

Swaying in my Hammock – by Leanne Guenther 

PAGE 11:

The Violet and the Bee – by John Bannister Tabb

Midsummer Joys – by Winifred Sackville Stoner Jr. 

PAGE 12:

Summer Morning – by Rachel Field 

We Have a Little Garden – by Beatrix Potter 

PAGE 13:

The Schoolboy – by William Blake 

PAGE 14

Summertime – by Brandon Tyler Martin 

PAGE 15:

The Bird’s Bath – by Evaleen Stein 

Baby’s Baking – by Evaleen Stein 

PAGE 16:

The Summer of Stitches -by Raymond A. Foss

Summer – by David Mohn

PAGE 17:

Barefoot Days – by Rachel Field 

Patience – by Pandita Sanchez 

PAGE 18:

Summer – by C J Hurd

PAGE 19:

Summer Haiku – by K P Nunez 

The Gardener – by Robert Louis Stevenson 

PAGE 20:

Rain in Summer – by Henry W. Longfellow

PAGE 21:

The Brook Song  – by James Whitcomb Riley

PAGE 22:

Summer Delight –  by Paul Callus 

Summer Sun – by Robert Louis Stevenson 

How to use this list

With the list of poems above you and your children could:

  • Use them for copywork in the printable booklet;
  • Use them for dictation;
  • Print them out and stick them on the pages;

You can also disregard my list, and choose your own poems to fill the printable pages, or have your children write their own!

Put the kettle on (by which I of course mean “switch on the espresso machine”), make some lemonade, sandwiches, muffins, fruit salad… or whatever you want; put your to-do list in a drawer and – whether it is a physical or metaphorical one – make sure it is shut!

Enjoy.

Homeschool tomorrow, insha’Allah.