Tips to help kids fast (part 2)

Make wudu once you get out of bed because it will fully awaken you. Allow yourself to air dry. Do not towel dry your wudu. Allow wudu to be refreshing.

Make suhoor/Fajr routines as a family, especially if the actions are sunnah. 

For example: We take turns reciting Qur’an between suhoor and Fajr and just sip glasses of water until the adhan, Pray Fajr on time, Do not rush through the two rakas of Fajr, Watch Mekkah live on the internet, Read Qur’an until shurook and share the hadith about staying in the same position you prayed fajr until you pray sunrise prayer.

Let the kids sleep in a little, such as 9 – 10am. Do not let the kids sleep in late, for example, until Dhuhr or mid-day.

Pray all prayers on-time together, as a family.

Have kids pick iftaar meal.

Have kids help make iftaar meal with you, and make a surprise side dish.

Do not have kids help in the kitchen near food if you know they can’t resist tasting the food. For example, one of our daughters loves making salads because she loves eating fresh vegetables. When she was younger, she made innocent mistakes and took intentional snacks. We worked hard to preoccupy her during food preparation until she was old enough to resist this temptation.

Have kids pick iftaar dessert.




Have kids help make iftaar dessert with you, and set aside a tiny sweet surprise.
Encourage kids to walk away from tempting situations involving food (i.e., snack bars at stores, cafeterias, restaurants, etc.)

Encourage kids to walk away from confrontation with others (especially siblings) by saying “I’m fasting” in a kind, gentle way and walk away politely. Do not allow kids to pass it off as a brash excuse to be rude.

Learn Qur’anic Arabic together with rules of Tajweed. Remember it is an obligation upon every Muslim to read and recite the Qur’an. The talent to memorize is a gift.

Memorize Qur’an together. Set a personal and family goal as to number of lines, ayats, surahs, pages, etc. for the month and work each day to meet this goal.

Encourage kids to have private reflexive time to contemplate a given chore: tafsir, reflecting on the poor, etc