Plans.. plans.. plans!

So, here are my plans for my beloved son, Abdullah. As for now, I'm not thinking of a structural kind of learning or scheduled timetable. I won't set specific time for each activity and just let him take the lead. He is 3 years and 8 months. Inshaa Allah, I'll try to make things fun, interesting and let it be hands-on activities as much as I could because children learn better in context. 

- Quran reading

I use Iqra' books and Abdullah has just started Book 1. He can recognize 'aa' to 'ra'' in this 1 week alhamdulillah. I would like to make it a daily morning routine. It is really a challenge to make a 3-year-old boy to sit and read, as I always believe that children learn best when they can relate things to real life. So, rule no. 1, I will not force him to read and will wait until he says 'yes' if I ask him to. No. 2; while reading Quran, I will try my best to make him participate by asking him to identify a few ahruuf that he already knew. Inshaa Allah by this way he will know that the ahruuf that he read during our Iqra' session are actually preparation for him to read Quran the way his Ibu and Baba read.

- Quran memorization

I think I already started with short surahs memorization when he was 2. I kept reciting Surah al-Ikhlas to him and I don't realize when he actually got everything. It motivated me to proceed with other surahs; so now he memorizes al-Fatihah, al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, al-Naas and al-Masad.

- Quran tafseer

This will be along side with Quran memorization. Each time we start new surah, I will read to him the story behind the surah so that he can memorize them easier. Masha Allah I've tried with sabab an-nuzuul for surah al-Masad and he is completely in love with them and always make me tell the 'story' all over again.

- Islamic Studies

This include Aqidah, Seerah, Hadith. Islam is a way of life and I like my children to learn about Islam and the knowledge of Quran and Sunnah through practicality. So let say at this early stage of childhood you can inculcate the Islamic values and knowledge about Allah, prophets, the hereafter and so much more just by practicing it in daily life and take time to explain them to your children so that they will understand better how Quran and Sunnah must be your guidelines and life's manual. And also, the Islamic studies will definitely go along side with Quran tafseer as we go through and discuss them over and over again.

Inshaa Allah, for the seerah of prophets 'alayhimus-salam and the seerah of Prophet Muhammad shallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam specifically, it will be great if I can make my children learn about them in our up coming story telling and read aloud sessions.

- Literacy

Of course the path to literacy must begin with a whole lot of vocabulary and letter recognition. I'm happy to adopt the Montessori approach. Inshaa Allah will share later the activities we have done so far. And now Abdullah just begun to recognize letter 'aa' and I don't know how and when - letter 'ss' and 'oo'.

- Writing

Again, am happy with Montessori way with the sandpaper letters and tracing letters on sand/salt/flour. We haven't started anything yet. Inshaa Allah i'm planning to do it soon. Just did a few tracing on workbook and he didn't want to finish them all. It's ok, no rush and no push.

- Numeracy

He can count from 1 to 10 in Bahasa, English and Arabic alhamdulillah. He is starting to recognize numbers. We will continue this through lots and lots of play! Maybe we'll make sandpaper numbers too.

- Physical games

Play and play and play until Ibu runs out of idea!

Sweet Darling Umamah..

I still need to do more reading and research for infant activities. So hopefully I will come up with a few fun activities for her. For now, I do a lot of talking to her to let her learn and build vocabulary. She always joins our read aloud session before bedtime. She just got her balance to sit and now she has more freedom to explore things with her two hands! She can cruise and definitely very active alhamdulillah.

I pray to Allah 'azza wa jalla to realize my plans and give me His guidance and help in educating myself and my children.