Design a Dome
Decorate the dome of a mosque piece by piece and try different colours, in a music-free Islamic design game for children aged 7 to 12.
Start with a 7-day free trial.
What is Design a Dome about?
Design a Dome is an Islamic design game for children aged 7 to 12 in which they decorate the dome of a mosque, piece by piece, in the colours they choose.
Most mosques have domes. Some are small and some are large, and many are decorated inside with patterns of stars, flowers and curling shapes, like the one on the game's cover. Children decorate their own dome one piece at a time and try out different colours to see which they like most, until the whole design is their own.
The game gives older children room to be creative and to plan: which colours sit well together, and how the pattern repeats around the dome. It also shows them the style of decoration found in many mosques, where art is made from patterns and shapes rather than pictures of people or animals.
A dome has no special meaning in Islam; builders use it because it is strong and beautiful and carries the imam's voice. After the game, parents can look at pictures of famous domes with their child, or look up at the dome of their own mosque on their next visit, and talk about why the people who built it made it so beautiful.
Design a Dome is music-free and a Miraj original. Children who enjoy it can also try the Kaleidoscope Puzzle.
What your child will learn
- Many mosques have a dome, some small and some large.
- Mosques are often decorated with patterns and shapes, not pictures of people or animals.
- Trying different ideas helps us find the one we like most.
How to play
- Look at the dome and its pattern.
- Choose a piece of the dome to decorate.
- Pick a colour for it.
- Decorate the dome piece by piece, trying different colours to see which you like most.
Skills practised
- Creativity
- Colours
- Pattern and symmetry
- Planning a design
Talk about it afterwards
- Which colours did you choose for your dome, and why?
- Where have you seen a dome?
- Why do you think mosques are decorated with patterns?
Frequently asked questions
What age is Design a Dome suitable for?
Children aged 7 to 12, who can plan a pattern and choose colours that go well together.
What does Design a Dome teach children?
It practises creativity and design, and it is a starting point for talking about mosques and the patterns used to decorate them.
Does Design a Dome have music?
No. It is music-free.
