Creating Doodle Maps: Navigating the Quran Through Creative Play 🗺️🎨

Bismillah: With the arrival of Hilwaa and our growing family, we continued to explore new ways to make learning about the Quran fun and engaging. One of our most successful ideas during this time was the introduction of "doodle maps"—a creative way to navigate Quranic stories while making the lessons come alive. 🌟

Turning Stories into Adventures 🌱

• The Birth of Doodle Maps: It started as a simple idea—what if we could map out the stories of the Quran visually, using doodles? This approach would help Syauqi and Nurin understand the sequence of events, locations, and key characters in a fun, interactive way.
• Visualizing Quranic Journeys: We began with the story of Prophet Musa (AS) and the parting of the Red Sea. Together, we drew the path he took, the sea, and the moment the waters parted. Each doodle was a step in the journey, helping the kids visualize the story as a whole. 🌊
• Engaging the Imagination: These maps became a favorite activity. Syauqi and Nurin loved adding details to each story, whether it was drawing animals on Prophet Nuh’s (AS) ark or the stars in the sky when Prophet Ibrahim (AS) pondered the creation. 🌟

One of the most memorable doodle maps was of the journey of Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and the stars. Syauqi meticulously drew each star, while Nurin added a big moon, and together they connected the dots to understand the story of faith and guidance. 🌌

The Power of Creative Play with Iqrasaurus 🦖

This period emphasized the Integrate and Inspire pillars of our journey. Doodle maps allowed us to bring Quranic stories to life in a way that was both educational and deeply engaging. It reinforced the lessons in a visual and memorable way, making the Quran a living, breathing part of their world.

As Allah says in the Quran:

"And it is He who created the night and the day and the sun and the moon; all [heavenly bodies] in an orbit are swimming." (Surah Al-Anbiya, 21:33) 🌙🌞

This verse inspired us to explore the beauty of Allah’s creation through the lens of creative play, helping our children see the world through a Quranic perspective.

A Peek Into Our Conversations 🗨️

Nurin: "Ummi, can we draw the stars like Prophet Ibrahim saw?"

Ummi Ziehan: "Of course! Let’s make a map of his journey and all the stars he saw."

Syauqi: "And I’ll draw the big moon! Prophet Ibrahim knew Allah was even greater than the moon!"

Daddy Ikram: "MashaAllah, you both are doing such a great job! This map will help us remember the story every time we look at it."

End Note: Creative play opens the door to deeper understanding and connection with the Quran. Join us next time as we explore why we chose to homeschool and teach the Quran at home. 🏡📚