In this post: Hajj crafts, Simple Hajj activities for kids and Teaching Hajj to kids that require minimal to no prior preparation. At the end of the post, find more resources to plan kids activities, crafts as well as recipes, parenting tips and personal stories from other bloggers on Hajj and Eid al Adha.
What is Hajj
Hajj – the pilgrimage to Makkah, is the last pillar of Islam. It is performed in the last month of the Muslim Calendar. It is obligatory on every muslim to go on the Pilgrimage at least once in his life time if he has the means to do it.
Most children will not understand Hajj but teaching them about it is a part of teaching them about Islam. I am sharing with you a few ways how you can help your child learn about this last pillar of Islam:
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HAJJ ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
- Talk about the five pillars of Islam. If you are just starting and the kids have no background knowledge about Islam then it is best to start by teaching them the Five Pillars of Islam. Mention Hajj and explain what it is, who can go on it and what they do. You can use my post about what is Hajj and Eid al Adha on the topic.See this fantastic Five Pillars of Islam Puzzle that is both fun and informative. If you are interested in a Hajj craft, See Rahmah Homeschool and how they introduced the idea with a map.
- Let them build a tent and live in it. Kids love to build tents and dens. You can invite them to set up a Hajj tent in which they can pray, sleep or read. There are so many different kind of tents available commercially. Some are really pretty!
- Give them an Ihram to wear for a day. Ihram for boys is two pieces of un-stitched white cloth that they can wrap around themselves. Girls can wear whatever but need a white head scarf over it. You can buy them a pretty hijab like this. Alternatively, you can let them dress up a cuddly toy or doll too.
- Teach them the Talabiyyah; Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk (which means; In response to Your call, O Allah, here I come.) You can also teach them the Eid Takbir (Allahu Akbar), Tahmeed (Alhamdulillah), Tahleel (La ilaha illalah) and Tasbeeh (SubhanAllah) duringthe first 10 days of Zul Hijjah. (Fun fact: Did you know that here in Saudi Arabia these are recited and put on in Malls like Christmas Carols in the West.)
- Talk to them about how a Haji should not fight, argue or get angry. Talk about how they should be helpful and get along with everyone. Those who perform Hajj do not cut their nails or hair during the Hajj days and they must not harm even animals or bugs. They go out of their way to do good deeds. The first 10 days of Dhul Hijjah are considered as the blessed days to do good deeds. Help the children practice doing charitable deeds during these 10 days of Dhul Hijjah.
- Show them videos and pictures of Hajj. You can also see the live telecast on Youtube. We loved watching them as children.
- Crafts can also help them better understand Hajj. Since your child will be celebrating Eid, you can choose to make sheep crafts or Kaaba cards, etc.
More ideas for making Eid and Hajj greeting cards here. You can also make lap books explaining the journey of Hajj. - Visit a Hajji who has done Hajj in the past. If you know someone who has performed Hajj recently or is going on Hajj, take the children to meet them. You can also talk to seniors or grandparents who have performed Hajj. Children love hearing stories of adventures and really, Hajj stories are usually like that! Read my Hajj story here.
- Plan some Hajj themed activities for your homeschool or home education. I love this list of Hajj activities by Modest Munchies. We generally start by getting out our Hajj books and freshening up our library. You can see 18 books about Hajj here.
- Look through some online resources to find activity packs for your children to do independently. This is another smart list of activities for the kids by the Muslimah Guide. She has recommendations on some homeschooling resources as well as video. See this Hajj activity we did recently:
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I created this Hajj Activity Pack for my kids a few years ago. Children learn about Hajj hands on through it. Many parents have enjoyed it. You can click the image to learn more about it below.
These are just some of the Hajj activities for Children. Scroll below to find more in the Hajj and Eid Al Adha link Up below.
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WANT TO RAISE CHILDREN WHO PRAY SALAH WITHOUT NAGGING?
We use this Salah Chart for our family. Every time I pray Salah, I make Dua for myself and my children. My husband does the same. The difference has been eye opening!
Grab this FREE printable Salah chart (available in two colors).
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