10 Arabic Valentine's Day Essentials
BY: Nadine Ismail/Ambassador Blogger
Here is my list of the 10 essential ways to discover love in Arabic for the entire family. You can find books for kids, fun recipes and projects, and notorious love songs and movies that are guaranteed to put you in a romantic mood.
1. Mike Massy and Rania Zaghir Brave Heart Song
This song is about love in every shape and form. I especially love this song for children because it teaches them the shapes in Arabic with funny and unusual references. Brave Heart Song is one that you enjoy playing over and over in the car without the usual headache from kid’s music.
2. The Sweetest Kiss from Asala Publishing
This book is great for toddlers and early elementary levels. It is about how every person in the family shows their love in a different way. It teaches the children new vocabulary words about texture.
3. My Mom’s Heart from Asala Publishing
This book is great for teaching kids that a mother’s love has no end. It builds new vocabulary words in simple sentences that your child will soon be able to read on every page.
4. How Much Do You Love Me? By Fatima Sharafeddine
This book is perfect for toddlers and early elementary level readers. How Much Do you Love Me? is about how to describe the love we feel to others. It offers wonderful analogies common in the Arab world. I especially love the illustrations in this book, which is something that Kalimat Group is well-known for doing.
5. Me and My Family Love Soccer From Asala Publishing
This book is great for toddlers, early elementary level readers, and anyone who loves soccer. It is about cheering for different soccer teams and love for the sport.
6. Friends or Enemies
This book is about the love of friends and how sometimes friendships go into different phases. Friends or Enemies is suitable for elementary age kids and older, but can easily be read to a younger crowd in parts over days.
7. Decorated Heart Cookies
This activity is something the entire family can do together over the weekend. I show on my blog how to make, bake, and decorate sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day. They can be as simple as these sugar cookies or more advanced as these love letters cookies.
8. The Loving Hands
This project can be made easily with your family. In Arabic, write “love” or the name of your child to practice the letters, while having fun. My tutorial will show you in detail how to make this perfect present with your child.
9. Classical Romantic Arabic Movies and Plays
This playlist I compiled is a great way to learn Arabic in different dialects, appreciate wonderful fashion, and enjoy some romantic, classical love stories. Get some popcorn ready!
10. Classical Romantic Love Songs
This playlist I compiled features songs by Fairuz, Abdel Halim, Sabah, Um Kolhoom and other classic Arab singers. It is my favorite playlist to listen to when I am driving or doing chores. Classical Love Songs is guaranteed to put you in a romantic mood.
Nadine Ismail of Reinventing Nadine is a blogger living in the Bay Area in California. Nadine shares on her blog and Instagram account her recipes, crafts and embroidery tutorials, and parental advice, especially raising a bilingual child.
