Undertaking Umrah is an exciting prospect you might be rightfully nervous to do it with a child in tow. Whether it is your first time making the journey to Mecca or if you are making a return, you will understand the implications it will have to take a child along. Here are some tips on undertaking Umrah with children in order to have the most fulfilling experience possible.
Visa Requirements
Children traveling to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must be accompanied by a Mahram. The father or family member accompanying the minor must also carry the birth certificate of the child.
It is also important that the Mahram must travel on the same flight as the child
Make sure whether or not you and your family need the Umrah eVisa for Saudi Arabia and apply well in advance.
Accommodation and Flights
There are many accommodation options available close to the Harambut they book quickly. Try to book well in advance to get a family room close to the mosque as it can be difficult to move around with small children
It is always a safe option to book with international hotel chains like the Hilton or the Mariot to be ensured of a quality place to stay
Also, look for flights that coincide with the baby’s sleep schedule to make the whole trip less strenuous. The same goes for road journeys
Vaccinations
Make sure kids are up to date with their vaccinations well before you go on the journey. Vaccinations might give some children a fever, certainly not the kind of headache you want to deal with during this journey.
Children over 7 years old must also be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter Saudi Arabia.
Mind-set
It is important to adjust your mindset towards Umrah when traveling with children. Your experience will vary vastly from those traveling alone or in small groups.
The journey is one where you seek calmness and time for reflection but this takes on a new form when tending to children as you might have less time to read the Quran or visit the mosque fewer times.
It’s not all bad though. This magnificent undertaking will reward you in other ways when sharing this time with the family and children.
Prepare the Children
Spend time before the journey to introduce kids to the concept of Umrah. Find books to read with them like “We’re Off to Make Umrah” to get them interested in the matter.
This journey is a time for the family to strengthen their faith together and it is important to involve children in the process. Practice sa’i and tawaf with them to enlighten them more about this significant journey.
Teach them the duas for Umrah and memorize them along with them. Time seems to stand still for little ones if they don’t know what’s next but having a grasp of the order of events will help them feel more involved throughout.
Practical Advice
You are not allowed to take a stroller into Masjid Nabawi and Masjid al-Haram but parents are allowed to use them when they are in the compound area. It is thus a good idea to take a carrier or sling if you are traveling with an infant.
You can also use a leach or wrist strap for children who are old enough to walk. Many places can get crowded so you will want to keep your kids close by.
There is quite some distance between the prayer area and the bathrooms so try to change diapers right before you leave to perform Umrah. The lady’s bathroom and entrance are always further to walk to so keep this in mind.
Pack a Bag
There are a few essentials you should try and have on you during this time. With kids, you never know what kind of emergency might creep up!
Add basic medicine to your bag, especially for pain relief and fever. Also, add some basic snacks because a hungry child is a grumpy child.
Also have enough water with you, especially if you perform Umrah during the day. There is cool zam zam water available at the mosque so have a bottle handy that you can refill.
Where to Go
Make sure to get a good lay of the land around your hotel and find the nearest points of interest like shops and pharmacies.
Inside the mosque, there are also various family-friendly areas where women and children gather together.
Children also love going up to the roof to get an excellent view of the Ka’bah.
You can go the extra mile and create a treasure hunt for the kids and let them learn the names of a few significant spaces in the Haram. This is a fun way to keep them occupied and interested in their surroundings.