Everyday Duas for Kids: Arabic, Meaning and Sources

Short everyday duas are one of the loveliest ways to bring remembrance of Allah into a child's day. They are brief, they are tied to moments children already know (eating, sleeping, getting dressed, leaving the house), and they help a child feel that Allah is part of ordinary life.

Below are 13 duas that suit children well. Each one has:

• the Arabic with full vowel marks
• an easy transliteration to help you read it aloud
• a simple meaning your child can understand
• its source, linked to sunnah.com or quran.com so you can check it yourself

A note on pronunciation: transliteration is a helpful bridge, but it cannot capture every Arabic sound. Wherever you can, listen to someone who pronounces the dua correctly, such as your child's teacher, and copy them.

Mealtimes

1. Before eating

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ
Bismillāh
Meaning: In the name of Allah.

Source: The Prophet ﷺ told a young boy, "O boy! Mention the Name of Allah and eat with your right hand, and eat of the dish what is nearer to you." Sahih al-Bukhari 5376 (sunnah.com/bukhari:5376).

This is a beautiful hadith to share with children, because the Prophet ﷺ was teaching a child. Children often love hearing that.

2. If you forget to say Bismillah at the start

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ أَوَّلَهُ وَآخِرَهُ
Bismillāhi awwalahu wa ākhirah
Meaning: In the name of Allah, at its beginning and at its end.

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 3767, graded sahih by al-Albani (sunnah.com/abudawud:3767).

This is a reassuring one for children: forgetting is not the end of the story.

3. After eating

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَطْعَمَنِي هَذَا الطَّعَامَ وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
Al-ḥamdu lillāhil-ladhī aṭʿamanī hādhaṭ-ṭaʿāma wa razaqanīhi min ghayri ḥawlin minnī wa lā quwwah
Meaning: All praise is for Allah, who fed me this food and provided it for me, without any power or strength from me.

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 4023, graded hasan by al-Albani as noted on sunnah.com (sunnah.com/abudawud:4023).

For younger children, starting with a simple Al-ḥamdu lillāh after meals and building up to the full dua works well.

Getting dressed

4. When putting on clothes

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي كَسَانِي هَذَا الثَّوْبَ وَرَزَقَنِيهِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلَا قُوَّةٍ
Al-ḥamdu lillāhil-ladhī kasānī hādhath-thawba wa razaqanīhi min ghayri ḥawlin minnī wa lā quwwah
Meaning: All praise is for Allah, who clothed me with this garment and provided it for me, without any power or strength from me.

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 4023 (the same hadith as the after-eating dua) (sunnah.com/abudawud:4023).

Children often find this easy to learn after the eating dua, because the two are almost identical. Only the middle part changes.

Sleeping and waking

5. Before sleeping

بِاسْمِكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَمُوتُ وَأَحْيَا
Bismika Allāhumma amūtu wa aḥyā
Meaning: In Your name, O Allah, I die and I live.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6324 (sunnah.com/bukhari:6324).

You might explain to your child, gently, that sleep is a little like a rest from life, and waking up is a gift from Allah each morning.

6. When waking up

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
Al-ḥamdu lillāhil-ladhī aḥyānā baʿda mā amātanā wa ilayhin-nushūr
Meaning: All praise is for Allah, who gave us life after He caused us to die (sleep), and to Him is the return.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6324 (sunnah.com/bukhari:6324).

Home and going out

7. When leaving home

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللَّهِ لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
Bismillāh, tawakkaltu ʿalallāh, lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh
Meaning: In the name of Allah, I trust in Allah. There is no might and no power except with Allah.

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 5095, graded sahih by al-Albani (sunnah.com/abudawud:5095).

The school run is a perfect daily moment to practise this one together.

The bathroom

8. Before entering the bathroom

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْخُبُثِ وَالْخَبَائِثِ
Allāhumma innī aʿūdhu bika minal-khubuthi wal-khabāʾith
Meaning: O Allah, I seek refuge with You from evil and evil things.

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 142 (sunnah.com/bukhari:142).

Many families teach children to say this just before going in, rather than inside.

9. After leaving the bathroom

غُفْرَانَكَ
Ghufrānak
Meaning: (I ask for) Your forgiveness.

Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 30, graded sahih by al-Albani (sunnah.com/abudawud:30).

At just one word, this is often one of the first duas young children master.

Sneezing

10. When someone sneezes

This is a lovely "conversation" dua that children can practise with a sibling or parent:

• The person who sneezes says: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ Al-ḥamdu lillāh (All praise is for Allah).
• The person who hears replies: يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ Yarḥamukallāh (May Allah have mercy on you).
• The person who sneezed answers: يَهْدِيكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيُصْلِحُ بَالَكُمْ Yahdīkumullāhu wa yuṣliḥu bālakum (May Allah guide you and set your affairs right).

Source: Sahih al-Bukhari 6224 (sunnah.com/bukhari:6224).

Children often enjoy pretending to sneeze to practise this one!

Duas from the Quran

These three short duas come from the Quran. They are lovely for children to say at any time.

11. For knowledge

رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا
Rabbi zidnī ʿilmā
Meaning: My Lord, increase me in knowledge.

Source: Surah Ṭā Hā 20:114 (quran.com/20/114).

A natural one to say before lessons, homework or Quran practice.

12. For parents

رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Rabbir-ḥamhumā kamā rabbayānī ṣaghīrā
Meaning: My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small.

Source: Surah Al-Isrāʾ 17:24 (quran.com/17/24).

Children are often touched to learn that the Quran teaches them a dua for their parents.

13. For good in this life and the next

رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbanā ātinā fid-dunyā ḥasanatan wa fil-ākhirati ḥasanatan wa qinā ʿadhāban-nār
Meaning: Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.

Source: Surah Al-Baqarah 2:201 (quran.com/2/201).

The English meanings of the three Quranic duas above follow the Saheeh International translation shown on quran.com, slightly simplified for children.

How to teach duas gently at home

One dua at a time

Choose one dua and practise it for a week or two, or as long as your child needs. When it feels natural, add the next.

Teach it at the real moment

Say the eating dua at the table, the sleeping dua at the pillow, and the leaving-home dua at the door. The moment itself becomes the reminder.

Say it together

Children learn by copying. Say the dua aloud with your child every time, slowly. Over time, let them lead and you follow.

Explain the meaning simply

"We're saying thank you to Allah for our food." A short, clear meaning helps the dua feel personal rather than just sounds.

Make it visual

Stick a card near the place where each dua happens: the dining table, the front door, beside the bed. Our free printable daily dua chart has all nine everyday duas on one page.

Play with it

Our free Kids Corner has a dua matching game where children connect each dua with its moment. It is a lovely way to revise on a lighter day.

Keep it joyful

If your child forgets, a gentle reminder is enough: "What do we say before we eat?" Duas should feel like a warm part of the day, never a test.

For more on fitting duas and Quran into family life, see our guide to building a daily Quran routine. And when your child is ready to learn about prayer, our guide to teaching kids salah at home takes it step by step.

Frequently asked questions

Which dua should my child learn first?
Start with the shortest ones they will use most, such as Bismillah before eating and Alhamdulillah after sneezing. Then add the sleeping and waking duas, which happen every day.

How many duas should a child learn at once?
One at a time is plenty for most children. Practise it at its real moment every day until it feels natural, then add the next.

Should my child learn the meaning as well as the Arabic?
Yes, in simple words. Knowing what they are saying helps children connect with the dua and remember when to use it.

Is transliteration enough?
Transliteration is a helpful bridge, especially for parents, but it cannot show every Arabic sound exactly. Listening to and copying someone who pronounces the dua correctly is the best way to learn it.

Learn duas with a teacher

In our Islamic Studies & Duas for Kids course, children aged 5–12 learn everyday duas, wudu and salah, stories of the Prophets and good manners, one-to-one with a female teacher. It can be your child's main plan, or a 30-minute weekly add-on to a one-to-one Quran plan. Plans start at $35 a month (see pricing).

You can also read how one-to-one lessons work on our kids' classes page. Book 2 free trial lessons to see whether it suits your child, or ask us anything at admissions@herquranacademy.com or on WhatsApp at +1-214-891-5650.