The best online Quran teacher for kids can be easily found if you take certain criteria into consideration. What are those criteria? we will find out!
Before knowing how to choose the best online Quran teacher for kids, let’s first know who is considered a kid?
Who Are Kids?
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child defines a child as “a human being below the age of 18 years unless, under the law applicable to the child, the majority is” Wikipedia. The term is often used as a generalized reference to one especially younger or less experienced.
Why Are Children Now Called Kids?
It was considered informal English by the mid-19th century and is now in common use. Kids’ referred to when the word first referred to children were sold by criminals to sea captains who took them to British colonies as laborers or slaves. They were also youngsters enlisted by British sailors or soldiers.
Early And Late Childhood
Early childhood
Early Childhood extends from two to six years old. Educators name this period (Preschool age). The early childhood years, either in the home or in a preschool, are a time of preparation for the long-term learning process. Psychologists name this period (PREGANG AGE) It is one of the most commonly applied names. They refer to early childhood as the Exploratory Age, Questioning Age, Creative Age, and Initiative Age.
The average child grows 2 ½ inches in height and gains between 5 and 7 pounds a year during early childhood. Girls are slightly smaller and lighter than boys during these years, this usually continues through puberty. Children tend to lose their top-heavy look and body fat is decreased. Girls have more fatty tissue than boys because boys have more muscle.
Children’s growth patterns vary individually, this is mainly due to heredity and now environmental experiences are involved. Tendency to use one hand or the other appears at this stage. The brain during early childhood does not grow as rapidly as it does during 2 years of infancy. Throughout early childhood, height and weight increase. Balances improve; walk more rhythmically; they become able to hurried walk, as well as their ability to change to Run, Jump, hop, throw, and catch with a rigid upper body. They also become able to Use spoons effectively. First drawings are gestural scribbles during the three to four years.
Early running, jumping, hopping, throwing, and catching become better. Skills such as galloping and one-foot skipping appear. As well as Pedals and steers tricycle. They Use scissors and Fasten and unfasten large buttons effectively. They start to Use tadpole images to draw imaginary pictures. They start to lose primary teeth at the age of five and six.
Late Childhood
Late childhood extends from six to the time the child becomes sexually mature. Parents call this period of age with the name of (Troublesome Age), when children are more influenced by their peers than by their parents. Also, this stage is called the (Sloppy Age), where children tend to become careless about appearance and being messy.
Educators of Elementary schools call this period a (knowledge age), It is the age of Expecting to require the begging of knowledge. Also, it is considered a (Critical Period) whereas children are expected to learn how to form the habit of being achievers, under and over achievers.
Psychologists call this period (The Gang Age), where they are accepted by their mates and membership in a gang, especially a gang with prestige in the eyes of their age mates. Also, it is called (The age of Conformity), children are willing to conform to a group – which is approved of their appearance and behavior.
Can Kids under Six Memorize The Holy Quran?
A man went to a wise man complaining about his son, the man said, “My son doesn’t obey me.” The wise man asked,” How old is he ?” The man replied, ” He is four years old”. The wise man said, “O my lord, It is too late to bring him up”.
The prudent lesson from this story is that we should bring up our children from the early years of their birth, from the moment they start talking or maybe before that date. Psychology says that ninety-five percent of rich people’s sons become rich and the same percentage of poor people’s sons become poor. Do you know why? That is due to the way they had been brought up during the early years of their age. Precisely the period from one year to six years old.
Psychologists found out that this period of age is the period of downloading programs and files to the unconscious brain. The kids use these files unconsciously when they need them throughout their whole life. So, it mainly depends on what files each family had downloaded to the unconscious brain of their kid. The files may be some of the life skills or some of the personality traits such as confidence, Persistence, ambition, or that adventure by a rich family and via versa by a poor family.
The poor family may have a genius brainy kid but they will become poor in the future. And maybe a rich family has an idiot kid but they may become rich in the future. It depends mainly on the approaches and procedures including the kinds of programs and learning files that had been downloaded for the unconscious brain of the kid by parents.
Also, kids from the age of two years to six years have high memorization skills. So, it is a good chance for all parents to download programs on their kids’ long memory such as loving knowledge, loving of Islam, and the appreciation of the Holy Quran. Enthusiasm, persistence, success, and facing challenges are also excellent skills and good values that kids can be brought up in.
Read more about Best Online Quran Tafseer For Kids Classes
How to Encourage Your Kid to Memorize Quran?
Never Force Them
If you force your child, they’ll memorize it and then forget it after a while. Why? because the things we do unwillingly may stay in our memories for a while but never stay forever.
Talk to Them about Allah
A child may ask their parents weird questions. They may inquire about the universe, the creation process, the place where Allah lives…etc. So parents shouldn’t be confused or puzzled. Instead, they should be always calm, confident, and smiling when they are answering these kinds of questions. They should never be furious or cruel towards the kids. They have to be smart and patient in order to satisfy the kids’ curiosity.
It is normal at this age. For instance, If a child asks, “why can’t we see Allah?” The parents should smile and say, “who said that? we see Him the Almighty every day. We see Him through our insight, not our sight.” Then the parents can give them this example by saying, “What about blind people? They feel you, they hear you, they know that you are existent though they have never seen you.
Then the parents can tell their children the story of Musa (Moses) and how he asked the same question when he said, “O my lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You. “Allah said: ” You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me.” So when his Lord appeared on the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Musa (Moses) fell down unconscious.
Then when he recovered his senses he said: ” Glory be to you, I turn to You in repentance and I am the first of the believers.” Surah Al Aaraaf verse. 143. This is a sign and clear evidence that we see Allah with our insights and our hearts.
Reward Them on Their First Learning Day
Regardless of their performance on their first day of learning the Holy Quran. And whether they did well or not. Parents should reward their kids. Stimulation and motivation reinforce the learning process efficiently. So as soon as the first session ends up, parents can tell their children that the tutor told them that they are smart, and genius and they are doing great. In this way, parents are performing a behavioral rule in psychology which is called (good habits formation). They set good beliefs in the unconscious mind of the kid. Also, a small present such as a bar of chocolate or a small sum of money will leave a great effect on the kid’s personality.
The Best Online Quran Teacher for Kids Should Have Unique Personality Traits
Here are some personality traits that should be in the best online Quran teacher for kids:
Calmness
The first personality trait of the best online Quran teacher for kids is being calm. The image of the tutor’s calmness gives the kids an atmosphere of safety, then they feel as if they dealing with a member of their family. And accordingly, they will engage in the learning process efficiently and effectively.
Charming (Good Appearance)
The second personality trait of the best online Quran teacher for kids is having a good appearance. The world of kids is a uniquely different world. They spend 90 percent of their time in their imaginary world. The best online Quran teacher for kids doesn’t have to deal with the kids as if their world is the same as the elders. They are those who can convey the wonderful effect and charm of their product. Also, they should be aware of their outer appearance during the learning session. We should not also neglect the great importance of using imaginative learning techniques by tutors such as role-play, drama acting, and mimicking.
Intuition
The best online Quran teacher for kids should have an intuitive sense of the kids’ behavioral actions and reactions.
Patience
The best online Quran teacher for kids should always be patient especially when they are dealing with kids.
Sense of Humor
The fifth personality trait of the best online Quran teacher for kids is having a good sense of humor. Kids at this period of age are laughter makers. They are always fond of smiling and laughing. So the best online Quran teacher for kids is the one who can mix their teaching process with a sense of humor. In this way, they make the learning session more funny and enjoyable.
Surrogate parent
Moving to the last trait of the best online Quran teacher for kids which is to act like a parent. Psychology says that: In early childhood, children -from the moment they were born until they reach ten years old- have their unique world. They were born with great fear of this world as all their needs are related to others. A child at this age can’t feed themselves, wash themselves or dress themselves…etc. So they are filled with terror and insecurity.
The more they grow up and depend on themselves, the more the terror and insecurity feelings decrease. Accordingly, The best online Quran teacher for kids should take the role of surrogate parent. He should convince the kid that he is his surrogate dad if he is a male tutor. And she should convince the kid that she is her Surrogate mom if she is a female tutor. In this way, the kids’ learning performance will be more effective.
Finally, you can find all these personality traits of the best online Quran teacher for kids in our teachers at Shaykhi academy.
Kids In The Quran And Sunnah
Kids In Quran
The Holy Quran talked about the process of the creation of mankind until they are up to the stage of childhood and it continues until they reach death. Allah the Almighty said: “It is He, who has created you(Adam) from dust, then from Nutfah [mixed semen drops of male and female sexual discharge ( i.e. Adam’s offspring)] then from a clot (a piece of coagulated blood), then brings you forth as an infant then (makes you grow) to reach the age of full strength, and afterward to be old (men and women) though some among you die before, and that you reach an appointed term in order that you may understand.” Surah Ghafer (67).
The Prophet Yusuf (Joseph) was an infant. His story was mentioned in the Quran since he was an infant. He was taught the interpretation of night visions by Allah the most merciful, The omniscient. His father was the prophet Yaqub.
Allah the Almighty said in the Holy Quran: “( Remember) When Yusuf (Joseph) said to his father: “O my father! Verily, I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon_ I saw them prostration themselves to me.”
He the father said: “O my son! Relate not your vision to your brothers, lest they should arrange a plot against you. Verily! Shaitan ( Satan) is to man an open enemy!” “Thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of dreams (and other things) and perfect His favor on you and on the offspring of Ya’qub (Jacob) as He perfected it on your fathers, Ibrahim (Abraham) and Ishaq (Isaac) aforetime! Verily, your Lord is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” Surah Yusuf verses 4,5,6.
Kids In Sunnah
Our prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings are upon him) gave great attention to the process of bringing the kids up. This is a great lesson from our messenger to all Muslim parents to raise their children following his tips and instructions. He( peace and prayers are upon him) teaches all parents how to deal with their children throughout the kids’ different stages of ages.
Here are some of his short Hadiths with illustrations:
They are easy to understand and memorize by kids. These Hadiths were mentioned by our messenger for all people and for all ages, but if you think carefully, you will find out that they are very useful for bringing the children. As if He (peace and blessings are upon him) guides parents on how to raise their kids up. Also, you feel between the lines as if He (peace and blessings are upon him) is a kind dad advising small kids.
“إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ
— Bukhari and Muslim
Actions are (judged) by intentions“.
“وَخَالِقِ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ
— 40 Hadith Nawawi 18.
Behave well towards the people“.
“مِنْ حُسْنِ إسْلَامِ الْمَرْءِ تَرْكُهُ مَا لَا يَعْنِيهِ
— 40 Hadith Nawawi 12
” Part of the perfection of one’s Islam is his leaving that which does not concern him.“.
“وَأَتْبِعْ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا
— 40 Hadith Nawawi 18
Follow up a bad deed with a good deed which will wipe it out“.
“مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْرًا أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ
— [Sahih Muslim 47A]
“HE who believes in Allah and the Last Day should either speak good or keep silent.“.
“الْكَلِمَةُ الطَّيِّبَةُ صَدَقَةٌ
— [Al- Bukhari, and Muslim]
It is also charity to utter a good word”.
“وَتُمِيطُ الْأَذَى عَنِ الطَّرِيقِ صَدَقَةٌ
— [Hadith Nawawi 26]
“Removing a harmful object from the road is a charity“.
Finally, I want to mention the following important point:-
An Arabic proverb says that learning at an early age is like carving on stones. Carvings on stones last for decades or centuries and sometimes they last forever. So the same applies to early education or what is called learning at an early age.
So parents should start educating their kids to memorize the Holy Quran at the age of three. This helps kids to improve their phonics awareness, vocabulary development, and fluency including oral reading skills. On the other hand, kids’ memorization skills will be improved throughout oral memorization activities. At the age of four and five kids can gain many synonyms of many Arabic vocabularies. And this helps them greatly to understand the different meanings of the verses of the Holy Quran.
The Editor: Raghad Qasim
FAQ
(Q&A of Best online Quran teacher for kids)
