Islamic studies for kids by age: what to teach, and when
By Zubair Sattar, founder of Online Quran Learnings · Updated · 5 min read
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The short answer
Teach what a child can live at their age. At 4 to 6: Allah is One, Bismillah, salaam, short duas and kind manners. At 6 to 8: wudu, the five prayers and honesty. At 8 to 10: the meaning of salah and Al-Fatihah, the prophets and the seerah. From about 11: aqeedah, deeper seerah and their own questions.
Islamic studies at each age
| Age | Focus | What they learn |
|---|---|---|
| 4 to 6 | Who Allah is, and good manners every day | Allah is One, Bismillah, the five pillars by name, salaam, duas for eating and sleeping, short surahs, kindness to parents |
| 6 to 7 | Prayer, honesty and the pillars | Cleanliness and wudu, the adhan, the five prayers and the tashahhud, telling the truth, zakah, fasting and Hajj |
| 7 to 8 | Worship in more detail, and the prophets | The iqamah, wudu done properly, no gossip or backbiting, Prophets Adam and Ibrahim, the life of the Prophet ﷺ |
| 8 to 10 | Understanding salah and the Quran | The conditions, pillars and sunnah acts of salah, Al-Fatihah and short surahs with meaning, Ramadan and the two Eids, halal and haram food |
| 11 and up | Belief, history and their own questions | Aqeedah, the seerah from Makkah to Madinah, manners with family and friends, and honest answers to hard questions |
Ages overlap. A 9-year-old who has never prayed starts with wudu and salah, not with the conditions of salah. The teacher starts where your child is.
How each stage looks at home
Step-by-step help: teaching salah to kids, the first duas to teach and the six kalimas.
Classes for each stage
Children can take Islamic studies on its own or with Quran in the same 30-minute class. For older children there are lessons on aqeedah, the seerah, salah and Islamic manners. See the full curriculum.
Quick questions
What should a 5-year-old learn in Islamic studies?
That Allah is One, Bismillah, salaam, short duas for eating and sleeping, a few short surahs and simple stories of the Prophet ﷺ. Little and often works best.
When should a child start praying?
Children are taught to pray from around 7, so start wudu and the actions of salah at 6 or 7, one prayer at a time.
Can Islamic studies and Quran be in the same class?
Yes. Your child can learn both in the same 30-minute class, or take just one subject. You choose, and the teacher shapes each lesson around your child.
