How to Host a Children's Mawlid

This past weekend, I was fortunate to co-host a special event that turned out so beautifully, I wanted to share it in hopes that others can do the same! We organized a Children’s Mawlid (also known as Milad or Mevlid), where our children took the lead in reciting poetry and praises for the Prophet (SAW).

Over the years, I’ve taken my children to countless mawlids, wanting to share the love and beauty of our Prophet (SAW) and our rich Muslim traditions with them. But I noticed they often took on a passive role, simply watching adults lead and sing. Yet we all know that even a 4-year-old can recite in a way that touches hearts—if we teach them. That’s what inspired us to create this event. I’m sharing what worked for us in hopes that it can inspire others to host something similar!

We gave the children more than a month's notice to choose a song and memorize it. We created a YouTube playlist of all the songs, along with a Google Doc for the lyrics, so the children could become familiar with the selections and be ready to sing together. SubhanAllah, all the children were prepared to lead and join in on each song! And many of their renditions of songs were better than any adult rendition we'd heard!

For the event’s setting, we kept the decorations simple with green and gold accents. Our centerpiece was the blue hilya, with a Medina pop-up card placed in front of it, serving as a reminder of the blessed city. Each child also decorated their own hilya and wrote their own description of the Prophet (SAW)—an activity from my new book, A Children's Study of Islamic Art. Many of the children recited their hilya descriptions during the mawlid, which was truly heartwarming.

In terms of food, we prepared a spread of sunnah foods that nourished both the body and soul: fig salad, dates, zamzam, lentil soup, barley, and dishes made with beets, squash, watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin, and more

We ended the mawlid with reflections from elder siblings, parents, and grandparents, making it a full family event. All the children left with hearts full and faces beaming. I highly encourage others to host a children’s mawlid and would love to hear how it goes if you do!