Ways to teach kids about Islam when you are short on time

We all know it is essential to teach kids about Islam.  We are created to worship Allah alone and knowledge of Islam is fundamental to all ibaadah.  When you are in a busy time of life whether you have a newborn, or you’re caring for sick relatives or other heavy commitments, you can find that you can’t dedicate the time you’d like to this important obligation.   Here are 5 ideas for teaching kids about Islam when you are short on time.

Replace bedtime stories with Islamic read alouds

There are more and more wonderful Islamic books for kids that help you to teach kids about Islam.  As storytime is often part of kids routines, it’s easy to keep consistent as it already has an established time.  I really like the books from Fitrah Beginnings, there are series about the names of Allah, prayer and Islamic role models.

Use Islamic educational resources

Using Islamic texts for reading comprehension and Qur’anic copywork means that kids can complete their work independently and learn about Islam at the same time.  Islamic educational resources mean that you can teach kids about Islam even if they aren’t in a dedicated Islamic Studies class.  It also has the added bonus of showing kids that Islam is part of all areas of life.

Community events

You might not have time to take your child to that kids class, but do you have a friend or relative that can help out?  Often other families want the reward of helping take your kids to the class at the masjid and are happy to step in.  There are also online classes your kids can attend that can really help when you can’t teach you kids about Islam yourself.  Many sisters recommend the classes by Um Maimoonah, may Allah reward her.

Play talks 

Playing talks while you are cooking or doing other tasks around the home has the benefit of creating an environment where kids can benefit too.  They can really surprise you with what they are listening and absorbing even when it seems that they are preoccupied with something else.  This channel is full of beneficial series for you and your family to benefit from inshaAllah.

Use fun activity books to teach kids about Islam

When kids are engaged and having fun, learning is so much easier.  You can find activity books for a range of ages that include beneficial Islamic content in a way that kids love.  They are happy to complete them independently which is perfect when you are short on time.  Young kids will love My First Islamic Activity Book and older kids will enjoy the Animals in the Qur’an activity book inshaAllah.  They are both available to download digitally or in book form from Amazon.

Remind and teach as you go

Many ahadith show us that the Prophet (may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace) often used to teach children in the context of everyday life.  Whether it was riding on a horse, eating food or walking together there are so many instances of golden advice given outside of gatherings of knowledge.  We can follow this example by reminding, teaching and advising throughout the day.  You likely already do this, “don’t forget to say bismillah” or “it’s the last hour on a Friday, make du’aa” but it helps to remember how impactful this is!

Free resources to help you teach kids about Islam

I hope you have found this post on how to teach about Islam when you are short on time helpful.  If you would like to get a FREE resource designed specifically to help Muslim families teach their kids about Islam then join the mailing list here to download a biography pack about one of the Noble Companions promised paradise, Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and gain access to the free resource library.

Here are some other blog posts you may be interested in:

How to teach Islamic content all day long

4 Simple Ways to Use Biographies in Your Muslim Homeschool