Sunnahs of the Prophet ﷺ for Children: 12 Easy Daily Sunnahs to Teach Your Kids

The Sunnah is the way of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ: what he said, what he did and what he approved of. Allah says: "There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example" (33:21). For children, following the Sunnah does not need to start with anything difficult. It can begin with small actions repeated every day, which slowly become part of who they are.

Here are twelve easy Sunnahs for children, arranged through the day from waking up to going to sleep. Each one comes with its source, so you can share it with confidence.

In the morning

1. Clean your teeth with the miswak

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Were it not that it would be difficult for my ummah, I would have commanded them to use the siwak before every prayer" (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). A miswak is a natural tooth-cleaning stick. Children often love using one, and it turns brushing teeth into an act of worship. A toothbrush keeps teeth clean too, but the miswak itself is the Sunnah.

2. Start with the right

Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said the Prophet ﷺ liked to start with the right side in putting on his shoes, combing his hair, purifying himself and in all his affairs (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). Teach children to put their right arm into a sleeve first and their right foot into a shoe first.

3. Take shoes off with the left

The other half of the same Sunnah: the Prophet ﷺ taught that when putting on shoes, start with the right, and when taking them off, start with the left (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). "Right on, left off" is an easy rhyme for young children.

During the day

4. Drink sitting down, in three breaths

The Prophet ﷺ usually drank while sitting, took three breaths while drinking, and did not breathe into the cup (Sahih Muslim, Sahih al-Bukhari). Teach children to sit, say Bismillah, take a few sips, pause to breathe away from the cup, and finish with Alhamdulillah.

5. Cover your mouth when you yawn

"When one of you yawns, let him hold his hand over his mouth" (Sahih Muslim). It is simple, polite and easy to praise every time you see it.

6. Help at home

When Aisha was asked what the Prophet ﷺ did at home, she said he used to help his family, and when it was time for prayer he went out to pray (Sahih al-Bukhari). Children are often surprised that the Prophet ﷺ helped with housework. It makes tidying up, setting the table or helping a younger sibling feel like following his example.

7. Remove harm from the path

The Prophet ﷺ described removing something harmful from the road as a branch of faith (Sahih Muslim). Picking up a stone, a piece of glass or litter so that no one trips or gets hurt is a Sunnah even a small child can do.

8. Stay calm instead of getting angry

A man asked the Prophet ﷺ for advice, and he said: "Do not become angry," repeating it several times (Sahih al-Bukhari). Teach children practical steps when they feel angry: stop, say Aʿūdhu billāhi minash-shayṭānir-rajīm, sit down and take a breath.

With other people

9. Give gifts

The Prophet ﷺ said: "Give gifts to one another, and you will love one another" (Al-Adab al-Mufrad). A drawing for a grandparent or a sweet shared with a friend counts. Children learn that giving makes hearts closer.

10. Visit people who are ill

The Prophet ﷺ said that a Muslim who visits a sick brother remains in the harvest of Paradise until he returns (Sahih Muslim). Taking a child with you to visit a sick relative, or making a get-well card together, teaches compassion early.

11. Keep your nails short and your body clean

Clipping the nails is one of the acts of fitrah, the natural cleanliness the Prophet ﷺ taught (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim). A weekly "Sunnah grooming" routine, such as on Fridays, makes it a habit. Our post on how to perform wudu builds on this love of cleanliness.

At bedtime

12. Follow the Prophet's bedtime routine

The Prophet ﷺ had a beautiful routine before sleeping that children can learn step by step:

• Make wudu before going to bed, as he advised (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• Lie on the right side, as he did (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim).
• Recite the last three surahs. Every night he would cup his hands, recite Surah Al-Ikhlas, Al-Falaq and An-Nas, blow lightly into his hands and wipe over as much of his body as he could, three times (Sahih al-Bukhari).
• Say the sleeping dua, found in our list of daily duas for kids.

Older children can also add Ayatul Kursi, which the Prophet ﷺ confirmed brings protection through the night.

How to teach Sunnahs to children

• A "Sunnah of the week". Choose one, write it on a card on the fridge and practise it all week before adding another.
• Tell the story behind it. "The Prophet ﷺ helped at home too" is more motivating than "Go and tidy up".
• Do it with them. Children copy what they see. Use your miswak together, put shoes on right first together.
• Praise the intention. Remind them that doing something because the Prophet ﷺ did it earns reward, even a small thing.
• Never make the Sunnah a punishment. Gentle reminders keep these habits connected to love, not pressure.
• Explain where it comes from. As children grow, show them that each Sunnah comes from a hadith. Our guide What is Hadith? explains this in simple terms.

Sunnahs and good manners together

Many Sunnahs are also good manners, such as greeting with salam, smiling and eating with the right hand. We cover those in a separate guide to Islamic manners for kids, so the two lists work well side by side.

Learn the Sunnah with a teacher

The life and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ are a core part of our Islamic Studies course, where children learn through stories, examples and simple weekly goals. Two free trial classes let your child try a lesson first.