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UMMA Center

UMMA Friday Nights

Every Friday · 5:00 PM–9:00 PM · Free

A weekly space where youth and families can build friendships, connect with mentors, enjoy activities, pray together, and develop a lasting sense of belonging at UMMA Center.

Weekly since October 9, 2026

What it is

“UMMA is our place.”

UMMA Friday Nights is a weekly community gathering where young Muslims and their families can connect, build friendships, develop relationships with mentors, enjoy themselves, and pray together.

Friday Nights are not intended to feel like another class or a heavily scheduled youth program. The goal is to create an environment where young people begin to feel: “UMMA is our place.”

Each Friday includes a combination of open activities, age-appropriate games, creative experiences, friendly competition, food, conversation, and congregational prayer.

Activities may change from week to week, but the purpose remains the same: helping youth build meaningful relationships, discover their interests, contribute to their community, and develop a lasting sense of belonging at UMMA Center.

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The short answers

What you would otherwise have to ask.

Who it is for

Ages 4–18 and their families.

  • Early Learners · 4–6
  • Growing Minds · 7–10
  • Middle School · 11–13
  • High School · 14–18
When

Every Friday · 5:00 PM–9:00 PM

Weekly since October 9, 2026

Where

UMMA Center, 6 Arc Place, Staten Island, NY 10306

Get directions
What it costs

Free admission.

Food and drink are free, thanks to a sponsor.

What it asks of you

A parent or guardian RSVPs for each Friday, listing every child and adult coming.

Free UMMA Center account required

Space

60 people each Friday, including adults.

A waitlist opens when a date is full.

Activities and spaces may be organized differently based on age, attendance, available staff, and the week’s activities.

What to expect

The activities bring people together. The community is the program.

Friends are here. Mentors know you. Your artwork becomes part of the space, your talents are discovered, your team has a Jeopardy record, and salah is part of the evening.

Open Center

Families can arrive gradually beginning at 5:00 PM. Youth can explore the available activities, meet staff and mentors, and spend time with one another.

PlayStation and Gaming

A supervised social space primarily for older youth, with games such as EA FC/FIFA and NBA 2K. Gaming creates room for conversation, friendship, and mentorship.

Main Hall Games

Approved, supervised, age-appropriate activities may include tug of war, cornhole, foam axe-target throwing, small basketball challenges, team races, relay games, and group challenges.

Creative Area

A quieter space where younger children can draw, color, and create artwork. Selected artwork may later be displayed at UMMA Center so children can see their contributions become part of the space.

Mothers’ Coffee and Conversation

A comfortable area where mothers can have coffee or tea, meet one another, and connect with the UMMA community while their children participate.

Podcast Talent Exploration

Short sign-up sessions may offer podcasting, speaking, interviewing, hosting, storytelling, audio recording, recitation, and media production. Podcast-room access is limited, requires approved adult supervision, and may not be available every Friday.

Friday Night Jeopardy

Selected Fridays may feature Boys vs. Girls Jeopardy: Deen, Sports, Gaming, Around the World, Food, Guess the Picture, Finish the Phrase, UMMA, Random, and Wild Card.

The evening

A typical Friday.

  1. 1Arrive and explore
  2. 2Open games and activities
  3. 3Maghrib prayer
  4. 4Short community welcome
  5. 5Featured group activity
  6. 6Open activities, food, and conversation
  7. 7Isha prayer
  8. 8Closing and preview of the following Friday

This is a flexible weekly rhythm. The current program hours are shown above; salah times and the internal activity schedule vary seasonally.

Salah brings us together

When the adhan occurs, activities pause and the community comes together for Maghrib and Isha.

Boys vs Girls. One community goal.

Youth earn points for participation, teamwork, service, leadership, helping clean the Center, bringing a new friend, completing challenges, and good contributions. Every point counts for their team, Boys or Girls, and for the whole group.

When the whole group reaches a goal, we unlock something together, like a pizza night or a dessert night. The scoreboard on the TV shows team points only, never names.

Parents can see their own child’s points in their account. We never rank children.

For parents

Parent and safety information.

Parent presence or drop-off

Parents are welcome to stay, and many stay for the first half hour on a first Friday. Most families drop off and collect. Either is fine. Children under 18 who are dropped off stay inside, in their session room, until a parent or an authorized adult collects them.

Check-in requirements

Every child is checked in at the front desk on arrival, and checked out at the front desk when collected, so there is a record of who came and who took them home. Please RSVP first and count every child, including friends.

Emergency contacts

Give us an emergency contact who is not you when you RSVP. If a child is hurt or unwell, staff give first aid, call 911 if needed, and call you straight away, then your emergency contact. At least one person on site holds current pediatric first aid and CPR.

Authorized pickup

A child goes home only with a parent or an adult you have named as an authorized pickup. We may ask for ID. If you are late, a mentor stays with your child inside; at 15 minutes we call you, then your named pickups in order. There is no late fee.

Supervision

Staff and Stewards (mentors, ages 19–29) supervise every session. Every adult is background-checked before any unsupervised contact with a young person. We staff at least New York school-age ratios (one adult per fifteen for ages ten and over, tighter for younger children), and the two sessions are staffed separately.

Allergies and medical information

Tell us about allergies, medical needs and medicines when you RSVP or at the desk. Food is always halal, and food activities are checked against allergies before they run. Staff do not give medicine unless you have arranged it with us in writing.

Photo and media consent

We may take photos and video at Friday Nights. We use images of your child only if you give photo consent on the RSVP form, and you can change that choice at any time. Nobody films another person without asking first, including staff.

Code of conduct

Everyone treats each other with respect. Phones are allowed and go down for the circle and for prayer. Most behaviour is handled in the room by a mentor. You get a call the same day if your child was hurt, hurt someone, or was sent home. Being sent home is rare and is followed by a talk about coming back.

Podcast-room supervision

The podcast room is used only in short sign-up sessions, with an approved adult present the whole time. It may not be open every Friday. Recordings need their own release, signed before recording.

Questions families ask

Before your first Friday.

Who can come?

Youth ages 4–18 and their families. Activities may be grouped by age.

Is it the same every week?

No. Games, creative activities, food, and featured experiences vary. Friendship, mentorship, and salah remain at the heart of the evening.

Can I RSVP for several children?

Yes. A parent or guardian can list each child in one RSVP for a specific Friday. Include any adults attending so staff can plan capacity.

Can I change my RSVP?

Use the RSVP management link shown after your RSVP and included in your confirmation email to update or cancel it. Contact staff if you no longer have the link.

Is the podcast room always available?

No. Access is limited, requires approved adult supervision, and may not be available every Friday.