MIAH Islamic Arts Gallery is excited to launch a weekly story-time club alongside our new exhibition ‘From Samarkand to Salerno: Roads of Enlightenment’. Join us for every Saturday from 16th November, 10:30 to 11:30 AM. We will be delving into the fascinating stories of renowned inventors and scientists, starting with Ibn al-Haytham, the father of Optics. Each Saturday will feature a different inspiring figure, making this a journey of discovery for young minds.
Weekly Storytime Themes:
Week 1: 16/11/24 - Ibn al-Haytham - In this fun storytime session, kids will learn about Ibn al-Haytham, the Father of Optics, who discovered how we see and invented the pinhole camera, with a hands-on opportunity to experiment with a real pinhole camera and observe how images appear upside down.
Week 2: 23/11/24 - Al-Khazini - In this week's storytime, kids will learn about Al-Khazini, the brilliant scientist and engineer, and his groundbreaking work on gravity and the stars, followed by an art activity where they'll create their own star map using famous constellations and explore his contributions through interactive, educational models!
Week 3: 30/11/24 - Ibn al-Baytar - This week's session will explore the fascinating life of Ibn al-Baitar, the renowned botanist and herbalist, who offered groundbreaking contributions to medicine and plants, followed by an exciting opportunity to plant your own seeds and nurture your medicinal plant.
Week 4: 7/12/24 - Ibn Sina - In this exciting storytime session, kids will explore the life of Ibn Sina, the pioneering physician and philosopher, whose groundbreaking work in The Canon of Medicine transformed the world of healing, followed by an exciting hands-on activity where you’ll create your own herbal tea blends inspired by his discoveries.
Week 5: 14/12/24 - Fatima al-Fihriya-In this week's storytime, kids will learn about Fatima al-Fihriya, the visionary founder of the world’s first university, followed by a creative activity where they'll design their own bookmarks inspired by her legacy of knowledge and education!
Week 6: 21/12/24 - Ibn Yunus- In this fun storytime session, kids will discover the genius of Ibn Yunus, the brilliant astronomer, and learn how he contributed to the study of the stars. They'll create their own telescopes and explore the wonders of the night sky, just like Ibn Yunus did in his groundbreaking work in astronomy.
Week 7: 11/01/25 - Al-Sufi- In this exciting storytime session, kids will learn about Al-Sufi, the renowned astronomer, and his contributions to the study of the stars and constellations. They'll explore how Al-Sufi cataloged stars and mapped the skies. Following the story, kids will create their own galaxy.
Week 8: 18/01/25 - Maryam al Astrulabiya- This week, kids will learn about Maryam al Astrulabiya, the brilliant scientist who worked with astrolabes—tools for measuring the position of stars. They’ll dive into her legacy and understand how this ancient tool was used in astronomy. After the story, kids will participate in a hands-on activity where they’ll create their own astrolabe, experimenting with this ancient device and its role in navigation and astronomy.
Week 9: 25/01/25 - Ibn Majid- In this engaging session, kids will learn about Ibn Majid, the great navigator and cartographer who charted the seas and discovered new directions. The story will highlight his key achievements in navigation. Following the session, kids will create origami boats and explore how Ibn Majid used the stars and maps to guide sailors, giving them a fun, hands-on way to understand navigation.
Week 10: 01/02/25 - Ibn Battuta- In this week’s storytime, children will learn about Ibn Battuta, the world-renowned explorer who traveled across continents, sharing his experiences and discoveries. After hearing about his incredible journey, kids will create their own jigsaw map, learning about the diverse places Ibn Battuta visited and reflecting on the importance of exploration.
Week 11: 08/02/25 - Al- Biruni- This session will introduce kids to Ibn al-Biruni, the scientist and polymath who made incredible contributions to geography, astronomy, and culture. The story will explore his travels and studies on different cultures. Following this, kids will have a creative opportunity to explore their own unique culture, designing art or crafts that reflect their personal heritage and traditions.
Week 12: 15/02/25 - Ibn Khaldun- In this final week, children will learn about Ibn Khaldun, the great historian and philosopher who contributed to the study of sociology and history. His work reflected a deep understanding of societies and their development. After the story, kids will create their own book, reflecting their own journey through the learning process, inspired by Ibn Khaldun's ideas on the importance of recording history and personal stories.
As part of the experience, each child will receive a storytime passport to collect custom stickers for every session they attend, enhancing their educational adventure.
Tickets
We would like to make this workshop as accessible as possible and so have subsidised the price of the tickets. However, we still need to make a small charge for entry to help cover our costs. To guarantee your place, please book your tickets in advance using the link.
Tickets are £8 for one adult and one child, with entry to the exhibition included. Additional child tickets are available for £6 each, but must be purchased alongside a main ticket. There is also an option to be book 10 tickets for the price of 9 at £72 for one child and an adult, or £126 for 2 children and an adult.
We recommend you book early in advance as we can only accommodate small groups. We will only allow tickets to be purchased at the door if there is availability left.
Please note: This event is suitable for ages 5 to 7 years, and all children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
We can't wait to see you there!
PLEASE NOTE: Please check your availability before booking as we are unable to offer any refunds for this series of events.
Header illustration by Author Rahman As-Sudais, Illustrator Nano in Ibn Al Haithum, The father of optics (al-Mu'alim Books).