Throwing an Eid party for kids

Do you wish to make a special Eid for your kids? Uzma Rizvi shares some excellent ideas!

Eid is the time for celebration and delight, showing our gratitude to Allah (swt), meeting relatives and friends, and sharing with the needy. As parents, we would like our children to have a meaningful time on this most joyous of occasions. So, why not make your kids' Eid memorable and filled with fun by throwing a party for them and their friends? Here are a few ideas for creating an enthralling Eid party.

Eid Related Party Decorations

• Put up posters of Eid greetings in 3-4 different languages, such as Arabic, Urdu, English, etc. This will be a good conversation starter.
• If budget allows, create an Arabian Peninsula look with a tent in the corner, date trees, etc.
• Put up colourful lights in the party area.
• Hang little paper-made crescents with buntings and tinsels.

Theme-Based Eid Parties

Older kids (7-12 years old) can have an Eid party around a special theme:

• Islamic attire theme. Children could come wearing clothes from different Islamic countries. You can also ask them to come in special Islamic head coverings, such as topis, turbans or Arab headgear for boys and pretty scarves for girls.
• Muslim country theme. Ask the kids to bring along something related to any Muslim country of their choice (a flag, a book, crafts, photographs, etc.) They can paste the country's name on the objects and display them during the party.
• Theme of foods mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah. Serve honey, pomegranates, dates, olives, olive oil, etc. Posters, wax replicas, and paper cutouts of the fruits and vegetables can be used as decorations.
• Sharing the joy of Eid theme. Mothers and older children can have an Eid party at the local hospital or orphanage. They can take some eatables and gifts for the needy kids.

Gaming Zone

What's a kids' party without games? You can mould some of the games to give them an Islamic colour.

Games for younger and older kids:

• Quiz between two teams on Islamic knowledge. Ask simple, age-appropriate questions about Muslim countries, Islamic practices, simple Duas, etc.
• Story time. Read a story on any of the prophets or companions.
• Passing the pillow. Short questions about the likes and dislikes of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), about his family and more.
• Lemon in a spoon race.
• Treasure hunt.
• Memory game. Place objects in a tray and show to each child for 10 seconds. Later, ask them to write down the items they can remember.
• Drawing competition. Topics can be: what you did on Eid, what you ate on Eid, making an Eid card for your parents, grandparents or best friend.

Games for mothers and kids together:

• Draw four pictures of Islamic objects on large sheets of paper, for example, a Masjid, a prayer mat, a Hijab, Kabah. Get four parents to hold up a picture in each corner of the room (if the place is small, in different rooms - make sure hallways are clear). Stand in the centre and call out one of the names - children then should run as fast as they can to that corner. You can also use Arabic names or draw sites of Islamic importance, such as the sacred mosques. Keep the game short and fast.
• Charades. Each mom will have to act out a word to make her team guess what the word is. For instance, the word ‘Wudu' can be demonstrated by doing the actions of the ablution.
• Gifts for the poor. A table can be laid out with some fruits, small packs of biscuits or chips, toys etc. With mom's help, each child can pack a small goody bag and take it home for giving to the servants, who work in their house. This will apprise the child with a sense of sharing and caring for the deprived ones.

Ideas for Goody Bags or Give-Aways

Kids always love taking home a reminder of the party. According to your pocket, you can prepare the goody bags matching the Eid mood of the party.

Big budget

CD of "Sound Vision"

Audiotape of "Sound Vision"

Some religious activity book, e.g., flowers of Islam series

Stationary set

Toys

Chocolates

Biscuits

Economical budget

Stickers (I love Allah, etc.)

A set of three religious activity sheets

Some other religious souvenir (key chain)

Stationary items

Balloons

Chocolates

Biscuits

Want More Ideas?

• Play children's Islamic songs in the background.
• At the prayer time, offer Salah in congregation. (Moms and children together.)
• Children can have a camel ride, if it can be arranged.

Story Time with a Difference

Beforehand, prepare a simple story with four main characters or objects - for example, a boy's name, a prayer cap, a Masjid, the Quran. Build a story around them. Draw or write each character / object on a card. The more children you have for this game, the better, so that there are 3 or 5 ‘Masjids', 3 or 4 ‘prayer caps,' etc. Get the children to sit on chairs in a circle with spaces between the chairs. Begin to tell the story. As the children hear their card name mentioned, they have to get up, run around the circle, and sit back down again.

(Courtesy: http://www.islamichomeeducation.co.uk/)

Yummy Foods

Here are ideas to satisfy those growling tummies:

Finger food for 3-6 years olds

• Mini pizzas
• French fries
• Nuggets
• Sandwiches
• Boiled sweet potatoes
• Seasonal fruits

Kids food for 7-9 and 10-12 years olds

• Kebabs
• Burgers or bun kebabs
• Rolls
• Cholay
• Samosas