I was inspired to make this cute little pizza book after finding it on Umm Rashid’s blog.
I made it with my younger two daughters, Amina 4 and Basma 3. They made one each.
I like the idea that you can pack lots of information into a book that you can fold up and hold in your hand, masha’Allah.
First of all I cut out two very large circles of card. I didn’t have any large sheets, so I ended up taping two sheets together, which was actually helpful for creating a neat fold along the taped line which ran through the centre of the circle.
Then I folded each circle into half and then again into quarters. I then unfolded the circles which now showed 4 equal quarter sections. I then slit the circle up the length of one quarter to the centre of the circle, this helps with the neat folding of the finished book.
When the circle was prepared, I folded it up to prepare the front covers. I did this late in the evening while the girls were asleep, in preparation for the next day, so my older daughter Samira helped to make the front cover titles.
You will see below the elements for the pizza book which I printed for the girls to colour and glue down. I have made these printables available in my File Share widget for anyone wanting to use them, or you can print your own, or draw your own even.
When the book opens at the first fold it reveals two sections, one on the creation of the Heavens and the Earth and one on the creation of the Sun and the Moon.
The girls coloured the picture of the earth while we talked about Who created the earth and who lived on the land (animals and people) and who lived in the sea (fish). And then the girls stuck sticky silver stars around the earth to show the stars in the heavens.
The second section shows the Sun and Moon. while the girls coloured we talked about Who created the the Sun and Moon and why they had been created (for night and day).
I should mention here that because my girls are young I decided to make this book with them over 3 days, completing two sections a day. That way they weren’t over-whelmed and it helped them to better recall what they had learned the previous day.
When the Sun and Moon section folds down it reveals two further sections. One on the creation of the Seas and one on the creation of Plants and Trees.
We used some shiny blue card glued down to represent the ocean and the girls added some beautifully coloured fish. We talked about why Allah had created fish (“…so that we can catch them to make fishcakes…” was Amina’s answer, masha’Allah.)
Then we talked about the flowers and trees that Allah created and why Allah created trees (to produce fruit). Then the girls looked at the picture of the fruits and named them all as well as what colour they all are, masha’Allah.
The final two sections are revealed when the Plants and Trees section is folded down. Both of these sections are dedicated to the creation of Animals.
As Allah mentioned in the Qur’an in various ayat including ayah 40:79, He created animals for us to ride on and to eat:
Allah, it is He Who has made cattle for you, that you may ride on some of them, and of some you eat.
So one section was dedicated to animals that we ride on such as camels and horses, and one section was dedicated to animals that we eat. I discussed this with the girls and we talked about what each of the animals give us, i.e. milk from cows, wool from sheep, eggs from hens and the fact that we get meat from all three.
Finally here is a picture of what the pizza book looks like when it’s completely opened out.
