Eid al-Fitr is a time of gratitude and reflection, marking the end of Ramadan. In celebration of Ramadan and to learn more about this festival, RisingOaks Early Learning | Saint John Paul II decided to make sun catchers based around the theme of Ramadan. The moon and stars represent the guidance of Allah on the path through life in Islamic culture - so that’s the shape we gave to our sun catchers and it arose questions which is just what was expected. Amilia and Eliora started with peeling off their Mac tac to start putting the green tissues on. While doing so, Fred posed a question saying “Why the green colour for this?”, supporting inquiry-based learning as I explained the significance of green and how it symbolizes themes of paradise, purity, and prosperity for Islamic culture. Leo further mentioned that he has never met a person who celebrates Eid.
While everyone was busy with their sun catchers, we engaged in a conversation about what Ramadan means and its significance and children were amazed and surprised upon hearing the reason people fast the whole month. This shows how important it is to provide exposure to children so they can learn and grow up in a diverse environment where they respect and treat each other with equality. Later on, we continued with henna, talking about how woman like to apply henna when Eid comes around as a way to celebrate and share the happiness. Eliora chose a snake for her henna while Amilia wanted a floral vine for hers. Helping children to learn more about different cultures helps to foster a greater understanding, respect, and open-mindedness for diverse beliefs, developing a broader worldview and become more informed global citizens.
