Eid is only 10 days away! Are you ready? For some festive decor ideas and activities, be sure to check my post about Ramadan Fun and how to make Maamoul and Eid cookies with the kids. Most of the decorations and vendors I share are perfect for Eid as well! I made the sign below using cardboard letters, painting them with acrylic paint and then some glitter paint. There is also this festive LED letter option that I love!

Right about now, you may be searching for some fun Eid gift ideas for the family. Well, given our current circumstance of social distancing, most summer programs, camps, and travel is CANCELLED. To keep this Eid holiday exciting and also serve your summer plans, make sure you have some gift ideas to include outdoor play and indoor activities to keep the kids and everyone in the family active and busy! Here is a list of some of our favorites over the years, and some we plan to gift this spring to keep the kids busy all day, all summer!

Nature Fun and exploration

Like most kids around the world, your child was likely in front of the computer or a screen for most of the remainder of the school year. It is time to get out and dirty with nature! Here are some of our favorites. You don’t need to guide the kids much; their curiosity and excitement will lead the way!

1. Garden gloves to dig in the dirt! You will definitely want some kid sized gardening gloves such as this set that comes in a multi-pack for several kids, or an individual pair like this Melissa and Doug water proof pair. If your child loves the sensory play of digging in the dirt and mud like mine do, you will especially appreciate these.

2. Garden tools: Plant some seeds or a seedling from a garden center (such as Home Depot) in the dirt or in a pot. Sunflower seeds, leafy greens, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes all grow well if tended to with some good sunlight and enough water. My kids absolutely LOVE harvesting the cherry tomatoes throughout summer. A handy garden kit with a shovel the right size for small hands is another wonderful tool set kids would enjoy for the outdoors, whether planting in a pot or right into the dirt. If your kids are older than age 5, you may want a heavy duty shovel that does get some garden work done. We love this trowel for its large heavy duty grip and purposeful shape to make the digging easier. Just be sure to practice safety first!

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3. Another fun way to enjoy and explore nature is with a bug catching kit- just be sure they kids are instructed to let their critters free once they made observations. I really love this simple tool by Carson optics, as it encourages only the observation of critters, and not the capture.

If you are looking for a small container to observe critters for a longer period, this is an excellent carrier:

Active play and sports

There is really a lot you can do outdoors, if you get creative. Here is a list of some of our favorite outdoor games, which are also great to pull out for large play groups or parties:

1. A volleyball and a net is easy to set up in any backyard, and would offer great fun for the whole family. If you want a durable and quality net, this Baden set is one of the best you can get, and it also includes badminton racquets for 2 games in 1:

2. A basketball to shoot around with either at home, or the neighborhood playground and hoops can offer endless fun! A soccer ball is also very easy to enjoy anywhere.

3. Outdoor games such as bean bag toss or ring toss are always fun, especially for family gatherings or parties. These are also portable fun to take to parks and picnics, because soon we will be able to do this again I hope!

4. With high temps around the corner, you may want to get everyone a water blaster, especially if social distancing is prolonged into the summer. Children and adults alike will have endless fun having a water soaking fight! It’s a sure way to have great fun, from a distance!

5. This climbing dome is a top seller on Amazon and back in stock! It is durable to withstand both the weather and the kids climbing, and it is a great outdoor adventure if you don’t want to commit to expensive and permanent play-set installations.

6. Water bombs are another fun way to stay cool in the heat, while also maintaining social distancing. Water bombs are an eco-friendly solution to water balloons. They are reusable, will not litter the yard or space with latex and plastic, and usually dont hurt as much as a balloon popping on you! ALl you need is a large tub or bucket of water and throw these in and you are set for hours of explosive fun!

Indoor activities

I have always organized all of our play objects in a way that they are conducive to creating, thinking, or problem solving. Storage bins to keep different play toys organized in is a life saver, and makes clean-up easier for kids.

1. Magnatiles or any magnetic block building set is really fun for almost every kid. We keep them in canvas bins on a toy shelf and pull it out whenever other children are around. They are a sure way to keep kids busy, but they can be expensive, unfortunately. Here is a set we have tried and loved, and the kids would always be thrilled to get more:

2. Legos and a lego table are an excellent way to keep kids busy for a long period of time. The creativity and problem solving is also a wonderful element that goes into building. My kids love their legos, but they are always all over the place which is a real PAIN. I decided to get this lovely table that keeps legos organized in a bin, and also gives the children a clear boundary as to where these little painful blocks may lie around.

3. Building blocks are such a wonderful way to keep kids of all ages. This beautiful FAO Schwartz wooden block set allows kids to use problem solving skills to build a castle! You have the option to purchase a 75 piece set or 150 piece set, for only a $10 difference, so I would definitely go for the set twice as big. Lincoln logs are another favorite both in my home and the classroom. Kids love the open creativity to construct with these interlocking logs to create whatever they please with this set. Bonus fact: Lincoln Logs were developed by a Chicago local, John Lloyd Wright the son of famed Chicago architect, Frank Lloyd Wright!

4. Brain Blox are an awesome building kit that stimulates the imagination and creativity. This educational building set is perfect for all stages of brain development.

Dramatic and Imaginative Play

1. Play table– a good play table to anchor where kids can color, play, eat snacks has always been integral part of our toddler home. I love this modern white set:

1. A play kitchen is another wonderful way to anchor some play space in the home. This area can be filled with play food and kitchen tools for hours of imaginative play that is great for both social and emotional development as well as cognitive growth.

Sensory Play

1. Kinetic Sand is an instant way to occupy kiddos of all ages. The sensory experience captivates children and adults alike, and it is not messy (thats a win-win in my book). Just add in some of their favorite animal or dinosaur figurines and you are set for the hours of play! This set below is a great value with 6 lbs of sand in three different colors!

2. Another way we have been keeping busy at home is with polymer clay. Polymer clay has a similar consistency to real pottery clay and it bakes in a home oven. The kids really love seeing their creations come to life, as their work becomes little ceramic pieces. This set comes with a variety of colors, as well as some useful sculpting tools they will need for details.

STEM games

There are a ton of classic board games most people know about. Below I list some of my favorite problem solving and critical thinking games perfect to play at home, while applying mathematical and science concepts.

1. Crazy Tower is very similar to Jenga, but it has a few more rules making the fun a lot more crazy, literally! Gravity and balance come into play, as does concepts of perimeter and area when kids figure out their strategies and scores. I love this game, hence it is #1 here!

2. Rush Hour is one the best selling problem solving games. The whole family can enjoy this one too. The logic and problem solving skills in your child will come alive here.

3. SmartGames Little Red Riding Hood is an awesome puzzle perfect for preschoolers and up. Adults can use story telling as they play to really engage the child to help Red escape from the wolf. This is another logic based puzzle that serves from beginner level preschoolers, to masters. The puzzle in conveniently sized making it perfect for travel too!

4. SmartGames IQ puzzles is another favorite! We have 2 of them and there are a few other versions available on Amazon. The one below is my favorite, especially because it does not have so many little pieces that can go missing. This compact case holds everything you need, and slips right in my purse so I take it with me on the go (restaurants, someone’s house, travel). This will keep kids occupied with over 120 puzzles starting from easy level to master (where the parents even struggle to solve!)

Having lentils on hand is important in my household. My husband and I eat a mostly plant-based diet, so we need the good protein and carbs. They are great for tossing into a salad for a hearty and textured meal, kushary is a staple comfort food in our family, and most importantly, my kids just love eating these lentils!

I have botched many pots of mushy lentils, and was determined to perfect the recipe so I don’t ever encounter this problem again. So here are my fool- proof tips collected from all my flops as well as from my well experienced mother:

1) Use green lentils, as they are firmer and don’t lost their shape as much as the brown variety.

2) Be careful not to presoak the lentils when you wash them. Wash and drain immediately.

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4) Only put enough water to just cover the lentils by a centimeter in the pot. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low, NOT LOW. Low is what I typically reduce to when cooking rice, but this allows the lentils to cook more slowly in the water, which we do not want. Medium- low allows the lentils to cook while the water evaporates more quickly.

5) Do not add salt until the end of the cook time. This is a rule I always follow when cooking beans in my pressure cooker and I realized I should probably apply it to lentils. And it works! Salt can inhibit the cooking of legumes in water, so you shouldn’t add it in until the end.

6) Of course use the following rule at your own discretion, but this is mostly a warning to both parents  or easily distracted chefs: watch the pot. Cook lentils when you are hanging out in the kitchen for 20-30 minutes. Do not leave the room! I cannot tell you how many times I have burned a pot of lentils to a charred black crisp because I wandered off to help one of my children. Doing another house chore or working with a child is like a blackhole which you often forget to climb out of! 

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This is a common starter in Egyptian homes during the months of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to sunset, which during these long summer days is over 16 hours long! When we break our fast, it is the tradition of the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) to break the fast on a date and water. This dried fruit compote reflects that tradition, but it also combines other highly nutritional dried fruits and nuts. Dates are well utilized in the Muslim world as they are recognized for their high mineral content: calcium, iron, sodium, magnesium, and zinc are all packed into this tiny superfood. Dates are also a supreme source of fiber and energy, and their sugars are low glycemic, releasing slowly and steadily into your body (which is a great thing for sustaining energy while fasting!). Dried apricots are also a super star in this fruit compote; they are packed with carotenoids, iron, potassium and fiber. This fruit salad compote is not only a very refreshing and nutritious way to break your fast (or start it). It is a delicious and sweet juice cocktail to enjoy, but you will need a spoon! The juice taste like an apricot drink scented with almonds and dates. I like to add extra apricot juice to the water to boost the color and flavor, but this is not necessarily traditional to the recipe. Apricot juice however, is another very popular drink enjoyed in the Middle East during Ramadan, but that is another recipe post! The dried fruits in khoshaf get very plump and juicy because they reconstitute themselves as they soak in water for a few hours before serving. 

The ingredients are very basic and easy to find; I collect them all on the same shelf at the grocery store where the dried fruits are, except for the dates. I do not recommend using chopped dates or already pitted dates, because they seem to be drier for some reason. They ar not as fresh either. We use organic Medjool dates that are very plump and sweet (Whole Foods and Costco have some of the best ones I have found). You should always slice the date open first to make sure it is clean, and also to remove the pit!

 

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First, you will add boiling water to the apricots, raisins, and prunes. You could also add dried figs if you like, but I do not because I personally do not prefer the texture of figs and their seeds in this compote. 

Once the water and dried fruit mixture cools, you can add the chopped dates and stir in cold sugar water and sliced almonds. Refrigerate for a few hours and serve chilled. As I mentioned, this is a great drink or fruit salad to break your fast on because the dates and other dried fruits will replenish the body with several nutrients and minerals. This compote is hailed to be more nourishing and hydrating than water alone. So give it a try if you have been fasting, or if you simply need to replenish your body after a workout or marathon!

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