The following post contains affiliate links. Should you choose to make a purchase from these links I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see terms and conditions for more.

 

Are you looking for kid-friendly Eid activities to do together as a family? Trying to maximize the Eid celebrations but need some fun and easy ideas? Whether celebrating Eid-Al-Fitr or Eid-Al-Adha, l got you covered.

In this post I’ll share ten kid-friendly Eid activities you and your kiddos can do together.

These are activities the whole family is sure to enjoy and don’t require tons of work (there are even some shortcuts included).

Some of these activities you can do to prepare for the upcoming Eid holiday, some on the day of Eid, and some even afterwards. You don’t have to do them all, although you certainly can (we do!). Just pick and choose which ones work for your family.

All of them are tried and tested by me and my fellow scientists—aka my children.

We look forward to the days before Eid just to get started on these activities. Living in the United States I’ve found the Christmas season goes on for months, and the days leading up to Christmas are beautifully filled with family fun and activities. (Some even do celebrate the 12 days of Christmas leading up to the big day!) As a Muslim it can get a little wistful watching other commonly found religious celebrations.

From the youngest to the oldest, these ten ten family friendly Eid activities are guaranteed to keep you celebrating—and smiling—for days.

I love me some family togetherness, and there’s nothing like a holiday to bring family together. I wanted to create that same ambiance for my kids, allowing us to enjoy this beautiful holiday—and build up our excitement—for days. Hence many of these activities were born.

1. Plan Your Eid Outfits

For my kids the Eid is synonymous with two things: presents and new clothes.

Personally, nothing said Eid to me as a kid like a beautiful new dress that would sit on the doorknob of my closet door the night before, just waiting to be worn in the morning. And now as a parent, nothing says Eid to me like planning pretty outfits for my kids to wear on that day—knowing they’re going to look adorable.

True it can be a little stressful initially, especially if you’re trying to coordinate everyone. But once you get going it becomes a lot of fun (no? just me?), and the resulting adorable pictures you can look back on are so worth it.

I let my girls help me in planning their outfits. Of course I’ve already done the mom-work and have a basic idea, but I allow them to choose between a few different ones, taking their interests and favorite colors into account.

They help in coordinating everything from their clothes to the accessories worn. Though in reality I’ve already picked most of it and steer them towards the ones I feel suit better. But I made them feel like they’re involved. And seeing their faces light up in anticipation is always a treasured memory.

I also paint their nails the day before as well—an activity they look forward to each day before Eid. We make a Target run together and they’re each allowed to pick out one bottle of new nail polish. If you have older kids this can translate to lip gloss, hair gel, hair accessories, etc.

2. Decorate the House Together

Every holiday needs a beautifully decorated home. It fills the house with warmth and joy just seeing it all. When I was a kid finding Eid decorations in the United States was almost impossible.

That was the one thing that set Christian and Jewish holidays apart from Muslim ones.It was easy to find decorations for Christmas or Hanukkah, and I longed for the same beautifully lit rooms. But things changed drastically in the last decade.

Now finding Eid decorations is as easy as walking into your local Party City! Can’t find them at your local store? Check online for shipping and delivery options.

And Party City will even deliver to your house, if the item is in stock, on the same day for free with a $50.00 order! Some must have Party-City Eid items for me include:

• This banner
• These balloons
• This tablecloth (and it’s plastic so clean-up is easy!)
• These large plates and these dessert plates , napkins (paper, so again—no cleanup—making Eid breakfast cleanup a breeze)

Other options include many sellers on Amazon and within the United States that will deliver within days, if not even on the same day. (Gotta love Amazon Prime!)

3. Bake Delicious Treats

Baking is another holiday tradition that is synonymous with all holidays.

For Eid the obvious ones are Ma’amoul and/or Kaik.

There are tons of recipes that can be found online and circulate on social media during this Eid time (which I’m assuming it is as you currently read this if you stumbled on this page). Personally I’ve yet to make some myself since my kids aren’t crazy about either one to justify making a big batch, but will update this post once I do try one I love.

We’re usually gifted some from family and friends, and that’s enough to tide us over for a few days and satisfy our ma’amoul cravings after just one or two.

But if you do make them you can absolutely have your kids help you! Have them roll out the dough and cut out the shapes using shaped cutters. Or allow them to form some by hand.

Some treats we do bake together though every single Eid and are very kid-friendly? Sugar Cookies!

Decorate Sugar Cookies

Yup, I said it—sugar cookies.

I know sugar cookies aren’t a “Eid” food, necessarily. But have you ever met a kid who doesn’t like decorating sugar cookies? Me neither.

Shortcut: You don’t even have to bake them from scratch if you don’t want to. Buy the ones ready made in the freezer section of your local grocery store, roll them out and shape them with cookie cutters.

Or nowadays you can easily order any style of undecorated cookies from local bakeries with all the items you need to decorate them at home. There are lots of ways to do this.

But my favorite way is to bake them from scratch using a super simple sugar cookie recipe that turns out great every single time. You can find the recipe here. I’ve been using this recipe for years, anytime I need a tried and true recipe, and it’s never failed me.

If decorating your own cookies you’ll need some decorating items.

All of the following items are available at either your local grocery store, bakery, or can be shipped to your house the next day through Amazon.

• My favorite Eid cookie cutters I’ve used in the past. Though this year we’ll be trying out these cutters as the designs are already drawn on them, making it even easier! All my kids have to do is fill them in with icing.
• Royal Icing: You can either make your own or buy it ready made from the bakery section of your local grocery store. A royal icing recipe I always use that uses meringue powder instead of egg whites can be found here.
• Gel Food Coloring found here. I like gel as opposed to liquid because it doesn’t change the consistency of the icing.
• Cookie decorating tips and piping bags can be found here
• Toothpicks for spreading the royal icing and/or precisely decorating

Another activity we’re trying this year? We’re

Decorating Cupcakes

Nothing says holiday like a sugar high.

I saw this tutorial on Food Network for flattening the tops of cupcakes. I realized this flat top would be perfect for stenciling sprinkles on top!

Shortcut: I’m actually going to be using boxed cake mix and canned frosting for these. Though you can certainly use any favorite cake and buttercream recipe that you love.

Find these Eid and Ramadan stencils I’m using this year here. Bonus: these stencils can also be used for latte art, making your first morning coffee on Eid-Al-Fitr extra special.

Gift the Treats in Boxes

And now that you made all these delicious treats—and have dozens of ma’amoul, sugar cookies, and cupcakes in your house—what do you do with all of this? Package them in pretty boxes like these, wrap them in pretty Eid ribbon found here and pass them out to your friends and family on the day of Eid!

But nothing goes better with those treat boxes, or will put a smile on your recipient’s faces, than a handmade card made by your little bakers…

4. Make Eid Cards to Pass Out

A super easy craft your kids can do either with you, or alone (maybe while you clean up the dishes in the kitchen from the treats you just baked.)

My kids love making handmade cards, whether for friends or family or to go with that Eid toy they donated for a child in need.

5. Make a Eid Craft

Another fun and super simple activity, and the sky’s (crescent moon?) the limit here. Plus all of these activities don’t only serve an Islamic purpose, but are also educational as well. Some ideas to get you started:

• Make a lamb for Eid-Al-Adha
• Make a crescent moon and lanterns for Eid-Al-Fitr
• Draw the moon phases for Eid-al-Fitr
• Make a Kaaba and/or Masjid out of Graham Crackers for Eid-al-Adha
• Purchase a Gingerbead Masjid kit to make at home found here

6. Pick Out Items to Donate to Charity

Whenever I do any of the items above I’m reminded of how blessed we are to be able to do them. It also sadly reminds me that there are lots of families around the world who aren’t able to.

I remind my kids of this constantly as we go about our Eid festivities. And one activity we always do?

We pick out a Eid gift for a child in need to donate to a local charity.

You can buy a new gift, or regift an unopened toy you already have. (A great way to also purge our home of some of those sale items we purchased and later regretted. Or the mountains of holiday and birthday toys we all have in our storage rooms waiting to be opened “on a rainy day”, but rarely actually do).

We’ve done both, and both spark conversions with my kids about giving back and sharing our blessings. You can wrap the toy or leave it unwrapped—just make sure to check with the charity organization of their rules first as some do prefer one over the other.

It doesn’t only have to be toys either.

It can be food items, books, or new clothes so that other kids can also experience what it’s like to have a new outfit on the Eid.

This is a very humbling fact I’m always reminded of as I pick out my kids new Eid clothes. I think about the mother who would love nothing more than to shop for new Eid clothes for her kids but isn’t able to.

These realizations make me want to give back as much as I can and keep the cycle going with my own children. There’s no better time to do that than during a holiday season, especially Eid as the very essence of Islam is centered on charity and helping others.

7. Read Eid Books Together

There are so many Eid books that can be found online and in local book stores nowadays. And it fills my literature-loving heart with so much joy.

As a kid I used to dream of reading books with characters celebrating Eid like me, and I’m so glad that now my kids can experience that. This year I purchased this Eid Crate filled with leveled books and activities for multiple ages. I;ve already set them out and my kids can’t stop reading them!

One book in that crate however that’s really getting us excited for Eid—and we’ve yet to read since as I write this it isn’t officially the day before Eid yet—is called Tis the Night Before Eid, found here individually. It’s obviously a play after Tis the Night Before Christmas and I love that the author did that. I’ve opened the book myself and can attest that the plot will really excite your family for Eid.

8. Wear Matching Family Eid Pajamas

Another holiday tradition I always longed for as a kid? Waking up on Eid morning to open our gifts in matching Eid pajamas.

While this wasn’t an available option for me as a kid, it’s now a readily available activity for my kids! You can find tons of options online from websites like Amazon, Etsy, and a new website I discovered this year called Jasmine + Marigold. They have tons of pajama options.

The ones I purchased for my kids this year however are from Amazon, linked here and here. And shipping was super fast and arrived the next day for these .

 

9. Watch an Islamic Movie Together

For younger kids this could be cartoons you find on Islamic youtube sites for free. For older kids it could be the critically acclaimed film The Message. There’s no greater time like during the Eid to celebrate and learn how Islam got started in the first place.

10. Visit a Eid Festival

Where I live, in Southeast Michigan—aka the Muslim capital of North America—it’s very easy to find dozens of Eid festivals everywhere. So this is an easy one for me. Though I apologize if it’s not as easy for you.

So what if you live in a place that doesn’t have a predominantly Muslim population? What do you do then? Make one yourself!

Do it in a large group setting everyone chips in or a small one in your backyard for just your kiddos and their three cousins. It’s easy and doesn’t require much effort.

Rent a bounce house or a traveling petting zoo. Or keep it simple and cater some food, and pass out goodie bags. Your kids will have a blast and the memories made will be treasured for years.

I hope these ten kid-friendly Eid activities help you and your family make beautiful memories together.

If you do any of them and share on social media, tag me. I’d love to see and share them! And to catch more of these activities in action follow my Instagram page where I post daily stories of these activities we’re doing and more!

From my family to yours, a very blessed and joyous Eid Mubarak!