Khatam Ramadan Matching Game Tutorial

We really enjoyed making the Khatam Ramadan Window Clings and they became the inspiration for today's craft, an Islamic matching game.

Just remember that if you don't have the Sealed with a Star Fiskars Punch (it makes the 8 pointed star design above), you can simply cut out two identical squares and glue them on each other, offset.  The punch just makes it fast and even.

You can buy the chipboard squares to make your matching game more durable (we plan to make ours a traveling game) as we did, or you can just use a sturdy cardstock. The thicker the paper, the longer lasting your game will be.

Supplies
2 inch chipboard squares
Friskas Punch
Glue
Coloring pencils
12 x 12 colored cardstock

Use your punch and go around the 12 x 12 paper, getting your cuts as close as possible to each other.  You will need 20 (or more) squares and it's a good idea to conserve on paper. Ramadan is a great time to teach the kids about our environment and how we should use up as little paper as possible.

Once you have cut all the way around your paper, get rid of the excess on the outer side and cut more from the center.  Again, making your cuts as close as possible to make it all fit.

Draw two sets of an image on your 2 x 2 cardstock with your color pencil. When you are drawing the second image, it's a good idea to keep the first one near you to match it as close as possible.

Once all 20 squares are drawn, glue the colored khatam punchouts to the back of your drawn chipboard masterpieces.

Can't think of ideas of what to draw? Read below for a list to get your brain started.

Here are what we drew, and their Arabic names, on our squares: subha (prayer beads), hilal (crescent moon), shahe (tea), sazjat al sala (prayer rug), jamal (camel), masjid (mosque), shajara nakhl (date palm), najma (star), Ka3ba (Ka'ba), fanoos (Ramadan lantern).  Over the month, we'll go over the significance of each to Muslims as we create crafts about them.  For now, here is how we drew them on our squares.

Turn all your pieces over, mix them up (or have someone else do it for you) and start a game with a sister, brother, cousin, friend or anyone else you can find. 

Here are the rules: flip over one square and see what it is.  Flip over only one more square for a match.  (Fun adaptation - once you flip over a square, practice saying the Arabic word for it.) 

If they do not match, flip both squares over to the khatam side and the next person goes.  If they match, you get to keep both and they count as a "point". 

The person with the most points at the end of the game wins.  If it as a tie, you'll have to play again!

Khatam Ramadan Window Clings Tutorial

During Ramadan, we like to decorate our walls and windows to give it a festive feel so we remember how special this month really is to Muslims all around the world.

In the past we have made Arabesque window clings out of glue and glitter but today we wanted to try fabric paint.

Rather then put them in our window, we also changed things up and put them in a picture frame so we can keep playing with the layouts.

We decided to use the Khatam Friskers punch for our clings because this eight pointed star plays a significant role in Islamic culture and design.  It is also known as the khatim sulayman (seal of the Prophets) and can be found in the Quran.  If you don't have a khatam punch, simply cut out two identical squares and glue them off set on top of each other.

Supplies
Fabric or puffy paint
Cardstock
Paper punch
11x14 picture frame
Plastic page protector

Punch out a khatam image and place it in the middle of your plastic page protector.  Outline and fill in thickly.

Move the cardstock around your page protector and make as many clings as you'd like.

Wait a few hours and peel off.  If it breaks anywhere, add more paint and wait a few more hours.

Place your clings on the picture frame in a design.

When you need to change things up, move them around for a totally new look!

Make them in one color, one color scheme, mix colors, the sky is the limit!

For more wall ideas, check out our Allah Monogram Button Art or Tissue Paper Allah Framed Art Tutorial or Mini Canvas Minarets Tutorial . 

But if all of them are too much right now, you can always just pint out our Begin Everything With Bismillah Free Printable and simply put it in a frame.

Crescent Moon and Star Traveling Tic-Tac-Toe Tutorial

Crescent Moon and Star Traveling Tic-Tac-Toe by A Crafty Arab

Tic-tac-toe is a game for two players who take turns marking the spaces in a 3×3 grid.

The player who succeeds in placing three respective marks in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal row wins the game.

It is a very easy game that can be played anywhere and with anything really. As long as you can make a hashtag symbol on something, you can play Tic-tac-toe. 

Supplies
Plastic cutting board
Ruler
Clear nail polish
Fabric marker
Canvas bag
Toothpick
Cardstock
Cutting blade
Sculpey clay

In the past, we have made a board from a metal tin and buttons, for traveling. This time I had some extra canvas bags that come with each Arabic Alphabet Game Cards that we used. When I got the bags last year from ebay, they were plain so I added purple striped butcher's twine to them to give them a pop of color.

Insert the cardstock into your bag so that the paint does not bleed through.

Use your ruler and fabric paint marker to mark four lines like the photo below..

Set aside your bag and start to work on your clay.  Begin by cutting it into six even squares.

For the crescent moon, roll the square between your hands and then on the plastic cutting board until it is a long thin shape (2).  Bend the ends to make a crescent shape (3).

For the stars, flatten the square with your hand (2).  Then use the toothpick to mark five V shapes around the edges of your shape (3).

Read the manufactures instructions on how long you need to cook your clay.  We put ours in the oven for 7 minutes to bake.

After your clay is cooled, add a coat of clear nail polish to give it a shine.  Our name polish had little glitter red, white and blue stars in it which made it even textured.

Wait a few minutes and play a game, or put everything in your bag for the go!