Model-Making

Children love to make models, so direct these towards Islamic stories. The choice is wide and the creativity is really up to the child, but here are a couple of examples to get you started. You may need to adapt them for younger children, and older children can make them more detailed. Tell the Islamic story to the children first of all, and once the model is completed they will remember it far better, Insha’Allah.

1) Muhammad (saw) Meets Bahira At The Oasis

This story describes how Muhammad (saw) went on his first trading journey with his uncle Abu Talib and how they met the Christian monk Bahira who recognized that Muhammed (saw) was the Last Prophet.

Use a shallow tray for the desert scene. In the centre put a dish or lid. If possible, line with blue paper/plastic. Fill with water. Around the outside of the dish arrange a large area of cotton wool. Dampen and sprinkle liberally with cress seeds. Fill the rest of the tray with sand and lightly cover the cotton wool area too. Keep the cotton wool moist and in a few days your oasis will grow! Then, make two small tents out of folded squares of card and write each name on their tent – Muhammad (saw) and Abu Talib. Place near the oasis. Make a small monastery out of old matchboxes glued together and covered with paper – add doors and windows, and Bahira’s name. Place in the sand. Make a cloud by stretching cotton wool onto card cut into a cloud shape. Stick this onto thin wire/ a thin stick and stand in blue-tak. Place in position so that the cloud is over Muhammad’s (saw) tent in the oasis.

2) Allah Protects Prophet Muhammad (saw) In The Cave "

This story describes how the Prophet (saw) and Abu Bakr (ra), on their way to Medina, are protected from their enemies because of a spider’s web and bird’s nest at the entrance of the cave where they are hidden.

Use a small box for Mount Thawr and paint it grey or brown. Cut out an entrance for the cave on one side. Stick leaves or grass around the cave entrance. Make a spider’s web by folding a circle of dark paper into eighths. Cut out a series of curved rectangles from one side almost to the other. Remember to curve the outer edge of the circle inwards too. (This is difficult to describe on paper so experiment first!). Older children could also experiment with pipe cleaners, wool, thin wire, etc.

For the bird’s nest, use a matchbox tray and glue on dried grass/small twigs/cotton wool painted brown/screwed up tissue paper, etc. Older children could try making their own nest by weaving dried grasses or hay, or whatever they can come up with themselves.

Finally, attach the web and nest to the entrance of the cave.

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