Here is our list of fun Ramadan activities, games, and ideas.
Ramadan activities are events you can host for your team during Ramadan. During this period, Muslims fast, pray, read the Quran, and carry out charitable acts. Examples include movie nights, Iftar potlucks, and Ramadan decorations. The purpose of these activities is to help Muslims observe spiritual purification, empathy, and self-discipline. These activities also help non-Muslim colleagues learn about new cultures and encourage diversity and inclusion.
Ramadan activities are examples of holiday team building exercises that you can host during a holiday party. Hosting Ramadan activities is one of the best diversity and inclusion ideas and fosters diversity in the workplace.
This list includes:
- Ramadan activities for adults
- Ramadan games
- Ramadan event ideas for work
- things to do in Ramadan in the office
Let’s begin!
List of Ramadan activities, games, and ideas
By organizing Ramadan activities and games, companies can create an accommodating and fun environment for Muslim employees. Here is a list of activities, games, and ideas for your workplace Ramadan celebrations.
1. Virtual Mosque Tour
A virtual mosque tour involves connecting with a local mosque or an Islamic center to arrange a guided virtual tour for your colleagues. You can host this activity via video conferencing platforms or even prerecorded videos. During the tour, a knowledgeable guide from the mosque can provide insights into the history, architecture, and significance of different areas within the mosque. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn about Islamic practices, rituals, and the role of the mosque in the community.
2. Creative Writing Contest
A creative writing contest is a platform for employees to express their thoughts, emotions, and creativity through written pieces related to Ramadan or Islamic culture. Participants can submit short stories, poems, essays, or even fictional narratives. Participants can write these pieces around themes such as the importance of Ramadan, personal reflections, cultural experiences, or stories from Islamic history. This activity encourages self-expression, cultural appreciation, and storytelling within the context of Ramadan.
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3. Quranic Calligraphy Workshop
Quranic calligraphy is a revered art form that involves writing verses from the Quran in an artistic and aesthetically pleasing manner. In a virtual Quranic calligraphy workshop, a skilled calligrapher can guide participants through the basics of calligraphy tools, techniques, and styles. Participants will get to practice writing select verses and gain an appreciation for the beauty and depth of Quranic text. This workshop provides insight into the intersection of art and spirituality within Islamic culture.
4. Virtual Cultural Exchange
A virtual cultural exchange allows your team to connect with individuals or groups from a predominantly Muslim country to learn about their culture, traditions, and way of life. This exchange can take the form of video calls, presentations, interactive discussions, and even virtual tours of local landmarks. Participants can ask questions, share their own culture, and engage in cross-cultural dialogue. This activity promotes understanding, empathy, and global awareness by fostering direct connections between individuals from different backgrounds.
5. Sadaqah (Charity) Jar
You can enhance the spirit of giving within your workplace during Ramadan with the Sadaqah jar initiative. This simple yet impactful exercise involves placing a Sadaqah jar in your office space. Then, encourage employees to contribute spare change as a voluntary act of charity throughout Ramadan. Each donation, no matter how small, holds the potential to create a meaningful impact. By the end of the month, you can direct the collected funds toward a chosen charitable cause. This initiative offers a wonderful opportunity for your team to come together, practice generosity, and contribute collectively to those in need. You can embrace the essence of Ramadan by fostering a culture of giving and empathy among your colleagues.
6. A Movie Day
All work, fasting, and prayer during Ramadan without some relaxation can be overwhelming. A movie day for staff members is one of the best Ramadan event ideas for work. Most Muslim families enjoy watching movies together during Ramadan, and bringing this cozy activity to the office for Muslim staff is very thoughtful.
Here are ways to organize the perfect movie night:
- Decide on a day and time that works for employees. Muslims break their fasts at sunset during Ramadan, so it might be best to fix a time after sunset prayers.
- Choose a venue that is spacious enough to accommodate guests and includes the right equipment, like a screen and projector.
- Select a movie relevant to the traditions of Ramadan. Examples of recent Ramadan films include Ayny – My Second Eye, Souad, and Mirrors of Silence.
- Decide on food or snacks to serve during the movie night. Some ideas are Meshtah, popcorn, and drinks.
- Send out invitations to employees containing details of the movie night. Details should include the date, time, location, and movie selection. You can design invitations using Canva.
- Set up the venue on the movie night date. When attendees arrive, start the movie and encourage employees to participate in discussions about the movie.
- At the end of the movie, thank guests for attending. Also, encourage feedback for future movie nights.
Watching a movie together during Ramadan is a good way for employees to bond, which can foster a stronger team spirit. Also, movies can be a good break from work stress and help employees socialize, unwind, and feel good. Depending on the team’s decision, you can select from genres like religious, comedy, or even family-friendly movies.
7. Iftar Potlucks
Iftar refers to the meal Muslims eat after breaking their fasts at sunset. Often, communities organize potlucks, where neighbors come together with different dishes to share. This tradition is a fun way to break the fast together. Ramadan is a time of togetherness and community. Organizing iftar for your employees can create a sense of oneness within the workplace, and is one of the most impactful things to do in Ramadan in the office.
Here are ways to organize a successful potluck:
- Select a date and time for the potluck.
- Assign responsibilities, such as bringing goodies, plates, decorations, and drinks. Also, encourage employees to come with their favorite iftar dishes, or suggest what to bring to the potluck.
- Establish some guidelines for the potluck, such as cultural considerations, dietary restrictions, and safety precautions. Communicate these guidelines to employees.
- Arrange a space that can accommodate your group size.
- Once it is time to break the fast, start the iftar by praying or reading a passage from the Quran. Afterward, guests can eat and drink.
- While eating, encourage employees to talk about the cultural significance of the food to Ramadan traditions.
As a company that values the Ramadan season, setting up an iftar potluck is an excellent opportunity to learn about each other’s beliefs and know your employees on a more profound and nonwork-related level.
8. Ramadan Decorations
Creating an exciting Ramadan vibe at work with decorations is one of the most exciting Ramadan activities companies can engage in with employees. Multiple studies have shown that warm lighting significantly affects mood and energy. So, putting up Ramadan decorations is a fun way to boost employees’ morale and lighten their spirits.
You can use globe string lights as indoor Ramadan lights for office decoration. Employees will relax in a cozy and calm atmosphere with these lights.
Other decoration ideas include:
- Ramadan wreath with flowers
- Scented candles
- Balloons
- Chalkboard of Ramadan reminders
Also, office decorations will create a welcoming atmosphere when employees resume work during Ramadan. Putting up decorations for Ramadan shows your Muslim employees how much you value their religion and culture.
9. An Office Prayer Room
One of the crucial components of the Ramadan season is prayer. As an employer, providing employees with a designated prayer room can help them feel comfortable and supported during the work day. As there is no prayer room without a prayer rug, providing a prayer rug or mat for employees will help their prayer lives while in the office.
A high-quality prayer rug employees will find comfortable is the Islamika rug. The rug is great for the knees and the forehead, making prayer times comfortable. Setting up an office prayer room during Ramadan can also save employees the stress of searching for a mosque to observe their prayers. A prayer room is a simple yet meaningful way for companies to support their Muslim employees during Ramadan.
Check out the Islamika rug.
10. Donate to Islamic Relief USA
Ramadan is a period to be thankful and appreciative of what you have. At the same time, it is a season of giving out to those in need. This act of giving is called Zakat al-Fitr or Fitrana, and every Muslim with excess food should give to the less privileged. This season is the perfect opportunity to donate to Islamic Relief USA. Islamic Relief USA provides development and relief materials for recipients regardless of race, gender, or religion. The organization also works to empower individuals in various communities, giving them a voice in the world.
The relief has a specific fund for feeding the hungry during Ramadan called the Ramadan Food Package fund. This food package fund donates nutritious foods like rice, oil, wheat, sugar, and canned fish or meat. Making these donations as a company demonstrates a commitment to community engagement and social responsibility. These acts can help build trust and goodwill with employees, customers, and the community.
Donate to Islamic Relief USA.
11. Secret Eid
If you are thinking of Ramadan activities for adults, then you can consider hosting a Secret Eid. The Ramadan season is a great time to make preparations for Eid. This concept is the same as Secret Santa but for Eid. You can write employees’ names on small sheets of paper, put the names in a bowl, and have each participant pick one. Each participant will get a gift for the employee they choose. Since Ramadan festivities involve sharing and gifting, Secret Eid is a fun way to celebrate the occasion. Moreover, giving your employees gifts shows how much you value them. Gift giving is also a great way to create an inclusive and positive workspace.
You can wrap up gifts using Ramadan-themed treat bags. You can even host a gift decoration party with your team. Receiving a gift can boost employees’ morale and create a sense of excitement during Ramadan.
Here are more office gift exchange ideas.
12. Book Reading
For non-Muslim employers, knowing how to address delicate topics regarding Islam and culture during Ramadan is essential. A great way to tackle this is by reading Mary-Frances’ We Can’t Talk About That At Work! The book provides valuable insights into navigating difficult conversations while creating an inclusive and respectful workplace environment.
An employer’s ability to communicate effectively can build strong relationships with employees and create a harmonious workplace for employees regardless of their religion and culture. Therefore, employers should also gift both Muslim and non-Muslim workers this book to foster positive relationships among staff during and after Ramadan.
Check out We Can’t Talk about That at Work!
13. Ramadan Trivia With Aicha Mhamed’s Islam Trivia
Ramadan trivia game is one of the most fun Ramadan games. Trivia is an engaging way to enlighten employees about the significance of Ramadan within the workplace. With the Islam Trivia by Aicha Mhamed, employees can test their religious knowledge and deepen their understanding of Islam.
Islam Trivia contains 177 miscellaneous questions with answers and is suitable for both adults and children. However, employees should take part in playing the trivia willingly. It would help to avoid questions that appear offensive or insensitive to employees.
Check out Aicha Mhamed’s Islam Trivia and here are more trivia games.
14. Big Dot of Happiness Ramadan Scavenger Hunt
A Ramadan scavenger hunt takes your employees on an exciting adventure. You can create a scavenger hunt around the office using cues from the Big Dot of Happiness Ramadan scavenger hunt. This hunt is a hide-and-find game with one stand and 45 hexagon game pieces.
Each hexagon piece has a unique design. This piece should sit on a table where players can see it. Afterward, find different creative spots to hide the game pieces within the office. Then, employees are ready to begin the scavenger hunt, and the employee who finds the most pieces wins. You can add a twist to this game by dividing employees into teams, then assigning each group a piece to hunt.
Check out the Big Dot of Happiness Scavenger Hunt and check out more office scavenger hunt ideas.
15. Islamic Art Coloring Contest
An art coloring contest in the office is an exciting and creative Ramadan activity. Coloring promotes mindfulness and reduces stress after a long day of work. In addition, Islamic art has a rich history, and encouraging employees to paint can help them learn more about the beauty of Islamic art.
To host this coloring contest:
- Choose some Ramadan-themed coloring pages.
- Set up a coloring station with all the needed supplies, including markers and coloring sheets.
- Set a timer.
- Participants will color in their pictures.
- The artist with the best picture wins!
With coloring contests, employees can express their creativity in a new way while appreciating the beauty of Islamic art. The best times to organize an Islamic art coloring contest can be after the close of work or on the weekend. This activity will help employees relax, work together, and explore their creativity.
16. A Ramadan Party
A Ramadan office party is a great way to wrap up the fasting season. Fasting can be mentally and physically demanding. However, wrapping up the one-month fasting spree with an office party can provide employees with much-needed relief and relaxation. Besides, a Ramadan party is a great way to get together and interact with your employees outside office hours.
To host a Ramadan party:
- Set a time and date, and send out invitations.
- Plan a big feast, either catered or potluck style.
- Hang some Ramadan decorations around the office.
- Play some festive music.
- Plan some fun Ramadan-themed games.
- Attendees can eat, drink, play, and enjoy!
Also, a Ramadan office party is an excellent way for companies to honor and recognize Muslim employees who commit and dedicate themselves to their faith and jobs. In addition, this event is a great way to help employees reconnect and socialize after a month of isolation from their usual practices. It is also important to note that non-Muslims can also attend to promote understanding and acceptance between their various religious groups.
Here are more office party ideas.
17. Ramadan Cookie Decorating Kits
Companies can send Ramadan cookie decorating kits to their employees during Ramadan. This cookie decorating kit from NooriEats includes undecorated sugar cookies, royal icing, and sprinkles. The handmade kits are made from simple ingredients and include instructions to help participants follow along.
Cookie decoration encourages creativity. Also, employees get to experiment with different designs, shapes, and colors. With cookie decoration, recipients can create unique cookies that reflect their personalities. Furthermore, employees can include their children in Ramadan activities to teach them the significance of Ramadan. By decorating cookies, kids learn about sharing, giving, and caring for others, which are the core values of Ramadan.
Learn more about NooriEats’ cookie decorating kit.
Conclusion
Ramadan is a beautiful and vital religious season for Muslims worldwide. This season is an opportunity for companies to accommodate their employees’ religious and cultural practices. In doing so, companies demonstrate their devotion to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Engaging in Ramadan activities as a company can achieve numerous goals. The celebration can boost employees’ morale, foster a positive image for the company, promote diversity and inclusion, and increase cultural awareness of the Ramadan celebration.
Next, check out our lists of diversity awareness month ideas and Arab American Heritage Month ideas.
