Ramadan is a wonderful time to teach your children about the Islamic concept of giving back. However young your child may be, there is always some way of involving them and making them understand about charity and giving back to society.
According to IKEA experts, one interesting way to inculcate this is to have a Ramadan Good Deeds calendar, where you can make a list of charitable or helpful activities that your children can participate in.
What constitutes good deeds
The Good Deeds you put up on the calendar need not necessarily be big ones. While you can include a few big things that you want your children to learn for life, such as memorising one particular surah or understanding the meaning of Ramadan, including everyday courtesies and kindnesses is also desirable.
To make it easier to follow, simply add one good deed per day for the Holy Month and mark it as such on a Good Deeds Calendar.
How to make a DIY Ramadan Good Deeds Calendar
- Use a peg board or memo board as a frame on which to create your calendar. If you don’t have one, IKEA has multiple options you can explore. Decorate it with small stickers of stars and the crescent moon to add a Ramadan touch.
- On this board, fix a big piece of paper with 30 squares, one for each day. (You can also simply print out a calendar template from the internet.)
- Write one good deed in the respective square for each day. If you want to add a touch of mystery, write the deeds on pieces of paper and put them into 30 small envelopes that you can fix onto the frame.
- Ask your child to open one envelope a day and follow the instructions.
Good Deed Suggestions
- Remember to say ‘Thank You’ throughout the day.
- Pick out a few of your toys to give to a poor child or charity
- Spend time with grandparents or help them with some of their chores
- Help to set the dining table for the family Iftar
- Read a chapter from a story book
- Help your mother cook one dish today
- Choose some clothes that you have outgrown so you can donate it to charity
- Pack away your toys neatly after you’re done playing
To make your kids more involved, you can give them small gifts when they complete a certain number of good deeds in a row.
Here’s wishing you and your family a Blessed Ramadan!
