A story
Ruby, Aisha and Zaatar's Wiggly Head-to-Toes Song
Ruby had a cold, so she stayed home. Atchoo! She was bored, bored, BORED.
Her babysitter Aisha smiled. "I know a cure for boredom." Flap-flap! Zaatar the green parrot landed on the sofa.
"Squawk! It's a moving song! When I say a word in Arabic, you touch that part of your body. Ready? Wiggle your fingers!"
"رأس, ra's, head!" Pat-pat. Ruby patted her head.
Can you do it too? Pat your ra's!
"عين, ayn, eye! Two eyes are عيون, uyun!" Blink-blink.
"أنف, anf, nose!" Tap-tap. Ruby tapped her nose... and sneezed. ATCHOO!
"Bless you," laughed Aisha. "Your anf is working hard today."
"فم, fam, mouth!" Ruby opened her mouth wide like a lion. Roar!
"أذن, udhun, ear!" Wiggle-wiggle. Ruby tried to wiggle her ears. Zaatar wiggled his whole head, because parrots don't have floppy ears.
"يد, yad, hand!" Wave-wave.
"رجل, rijl, leg!" Stamp-stamp.
"قلب, qalb, heart!" Hand on chest. Thump-thump.
Now sing it faster with Zaatar!
Ra's on top and rijl below,
Ayn to blink and anf to blow,
Fam to sing and udhun to hear,
Yad to wave, my qalb is here!
They sang it faster, and faster, and FASTER, until Ruby got muddled and touched her nose when she meant her ear. She giggled so hard she flopped onto the cushions.
That evening, Ruby's mum came home tired from work. "How are you, sweetheart?"
"Better," said Ruby. "Want to learn my song?"
Mum got muddled too and touched her ear instead of her mouth. They laughed until Mum didn't look tired any more.
"Shukran, Ruby," said Mum. "You made me feel better."
Ruby thought about it. "My uyun see, my udhun hear, my yad help," she said. "But I think my qalb is the best part. That's where kindness lives."
"Squawk! Correct answer!" said Zaatar.
Words we learned:
رأس — ra's — head
عين — ayn — eye (عيون — uyun — eyes)
أنف — anf — nose
فم — fam — mouth
أذن — udhun — ear
يد — yad — hand
رجل — rijl — leg
قلب — qalb — heart
Let's practice:
1. Match the word to its meaning: أنف / يد / أذن → hand / ear / nose
2. Fill in the missing word: We see with our _____ (uyun).
3. Say it aloud and touch it: ra's, anf, fam, yad!
4. Find and circle the word قلب: رأس — قلب — رجل — قلب
Answers: 1) أنف = nose, يد = hand, أذن = ear. 2) عيون (eyes). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
Her babysitter Aisha smiled. "I know a cure for boredom." Flap-flap! Zaatar the green parrot landed on the sofa.
"Squawk! It's a moving song! When I say a word in Arabic, you touch that part of your body. Ready? Wiggle your fingers!"
"رأس, ra's, head!" Pat-pat. Ruby patted her head.
Can you do it too? Pat your ra's!
"عين, ayn, eye! Two eyes are عيون, uyun!" Blink-blink.
"أنف, anf, nose!" Tap-tap. Ruby tapped her nose... and sneezed. ATCHOO!
"Bless you," laughed Aisha. "Your anf is working hard today."
"فم, fam, mouth!" Ruby opened her mouth wide like a lion. Roar!
"أذن, udhun, ear!" Wiggle-wiggle. Ruby tried to wiggle her ears. Zaatar wiggled his whole head, because parrots don't have floppy ears.
"يد, yad, hand!" Wave-wave.
"رجل, rijl, leg!" Stamp-stamp.
"قلب, qalb, heart!" Hand on chest. Thump-thump.
Now sing it faster with Zaatar!
Ra's on top and rijl below,
Ayn to blink and anf to blow,
Fam to sing and udhun to hear,
Yad to wave, my qalb is here!
They sang it faster, and faster, and FASTER, until Ruby got muddled and touched her nose when she meant her ear. She giggled so hard she flopped onto the cushions.
That evening, Ruby's mum came home tired from work. "How are you, sweetheart?"
"Better," said Ruby. "Want to learn my song?"
Mum got muddled too and touched her ear instead of her mouth. They laughed until Mum didn't look tired any more.
"Shukran, Ruby," said Mum. "You made me feel better."
Ruby thought about it. "My uyun see, my udhun hear, my yad help," she said. "But I think my qalb is the best part. That's where kindness lives."
"Squawk! Correct answer!" said Zaatar.
Words we learned:
رأس — ra's — head
عين — ayn — eye (عيون — uyun — eyes)
أنف — anf — nose
فم — fam — mouth
أذن — udhun — ear
يد — yad — hand
رجل — rijl — leg
قلب — qalb — heart
Let's practice:
1. Match the word to its meaning: أنف / يد / أذن → hand / ear / nose
2. Fill in the missing word: We see with our _____ (uyun).
3. Say it aloud and touch it: ra's, anf, fam, yad!
4. Find and circle the word قلب: رأس — قلب — رجل — قلب
Answers: 1) أنف = nose, يد = hand, أذن = ear. 2) عيون (eyes). 4) The 2nd and 4th words.
