Can Kids Practice Fasting on Mondays and Thursdays Before Ramadan 2027?

Short answer: Yes — children may practise fasting on Mondays and Thursdays before Ramadan, as long as it stays voluntary, gentle and suited to their health. Fasting becomes an obligation at puberty. Before that, many families use these two sunnah days for short, happy practice: start smaller than a full day, choose a calm Monday or Thursday, and stop at once if your child feels unwell. This is general guidance, not a fatwa or medical advice.

Ramadan 1448 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February 2027, with the first taraweeh on the evening of Sunday 7 February, based on the Umm al-Qura calendar (your community may start a day earlier or later after the moon is sighted). From Sunday 8 November 2026 that is about 92 days away. The next Monday is 9 November 2026 — a natural first try only if your child is ready and keen.

Our earlier guide, how to prepare your child for Ramadan 2027, suggests saving fuller practice fasts for later if needed. This article answers the closer question parents ask as each Monday and Thursday arrives: can those two days be used for gentle practice now, without pressure?

Why do Muslims fast on Mondays and Thursdays?

Monday and Thursday are well-known days of voluntary fasting. Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: تُعْرَضُ الأَعْمَالُ يَوْمَ الاِثْنَيْنِ وَالْخَمِيسِ فَأُحِبُّ أَنْ يُعْرَضَ عَمَلِي وَأَنَا صَائِمٌ. In our own words: deeds are presented on Monday and Thursday, and I love that my deeds be presented while I am fasting (Jami at-Tirmidhi 747, graded Hasan by Darussalam; sunnah.com/tirmidhi:747).

He was also asked about fasting on Monday, and he said: ذَاكَ يَوْمٌ وُلِدْتُ فِيهِ وَيَوْمٌ بُعِثْتُ أَوْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَىَّ فِيهِ. In our own words: that is a day on which I was born, and a day on which I was sent as a prophet, or revelation was sent down to me (Sahih Muslim 1162b; sunnah.com/muslim:1162b).

Those reports are about voluntary fasting for those who are already required to fast, or who choose to fast extra days. They are not a command for every child to keep a full fast twice a week. Used gently, though, Monday and Thursday give a child a clear, meaningful reason for a practice day — not a random “no snack” rule.

Are children required to fast before puberty?

No. Ali ibn Abi Talib رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: رُفِعَ الْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ عَنِ النَّائِمِ حَتَّى يَسْتَيْقِظَ وَعَنِ الصَّبِيِّ حَتَّى يَحْتَلِمَ وَعَنِ الْمَجْنُونِ حَتَّى يَعْقِلَ. In our own words: the pen has been lifted from three: from the sleeper until he wakes, from the child until he reaches puberty, and from the one who has lost his reason until he comes back to it (Sunan Abi Dawud 4403, graded Sahih by al-Albani; sunnah.com/abudawud:4403).

So a child is not sinful for not fasting. Practice is training and encouragement, never an obligation and never something to force. If fasting would harm a child who is unwell, very young or exhausted, stop. Please ask a qualified scholar about any ruling that worries you, and ask your doctor first if your child has a health condition.

Allah says: يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ ٱلصِّيَامُ كَمَا كُتِبَ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ (Al-Baqarah 2:183; Arabic: quran.com/2/183). In our own words: O you who believe, fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, so that you may become mindful of Allah. The aim is taqwa — a soft, aware heart — not a contest between children.

Why use Mondays and Thursdays as practice days before Ramadan?

Monday and Thursday help as practice days because:

• They already have a sunnah reason. You can tell your child, in simple words, that these are days the Prophet ﷺ loved to fast, and that deeds are presented then.
• They come only twice a week. That is far gentler than asking a child to practise every day in November.
• They are usually school days, but not a whole week. You will soon see whether a short practice sits well beside homework.
• In the northern winter the days are shorter. Families in the USA, Canada, the UK and the UAE often find a November try easier than a long summer day. In Australia, November days are longer, so keep any practice even shorter.

Use the next Monday or Thursday only if the day is calm. A sports fixture, a long trip or an exam is not the day to experiment. For sehri and iftar times later in the year, our free Ramadan 2027 calendar can help you plan — and always confirm prayer times with your local mosque.

How should a child start practising, if they are ready?

There is no single age that fits every child. Ability, health and willingness matter more than a birthday. A kind ladder many families use looks like this:

1. A tiny step. Skip a snack, or wait a little longer before breakfast, on a calm Monday or Thursday.
2. Until the middle of the day. If that felt easy and happy, try waiting until around midday or Dhuhr next time.
3. Until later afternoon. Only if the previous step went well and your child asks to try again.
4. A full day, once. Choose one Monday or one Thursday, not both in the same week at first.
5. Both days, later. Only if your child is clearly enjoying it and staying well.

Make breakfast filling, keep water before and after, and praise effort rather than the hours they lasted. Never compare brothers, sisters or friends. If your child feels dizzy, unwell, very tired or upset, they should eat and drink at once, and you should thank them for trying.

What could a gentle Monday and Thursday plan look like before Ramadan 2027?

Adapt this to your child. It is a starting map, not a target you must hit.

When	Focus	A gentle try
November (now)	Talk and taste the idea	One tiny step on a calm Monday or Thursday, only if they are keen
December / Rajab (from ~10 Dec)	A slightly longer try	Until midday on one of those days, if November felt easy
January / Shaʿban (from ~9 Jan)	Build confidence	A longer practice on one Monday or Thursday, never on a hard school day
Last two weeks before Ramadan	Keep it light	Do not suddenly jump to both days every week if they have not built up

Our free Kids Ramadan tracker has a practice-fast tick as well as Quran and good-deed boxes, so your child can colour in what they managed without anyone turning it into a scoreboard. If you want a wider 14-week view, go back to the Ramadan 2027 preparation plan. To pair the plan with a checked Quran goal, book 2 free trial lessons.

How do Quran and duas fit around a practice-fast day?

A practice-fast day should feel like worship, not only like waiting for food. Keep the extras small:

• A few minutes of Quran at the usual time, using the same short habit described in helping your child build a daily Quran routine.
• One mealtime dua they will actually use at iftar or when they eat again. Our everyday duas for kids lists short, sourced phrases you can practise at the real moment.
• Salah, if they are learning to pray, with the gentle steps in teaching kids salah at home.
• A short surah goal if they are memorising, sized to their age — see our Juz Amma plan for kids.

Parents keep the warmth at home. A live teacher keeps the Quran path clear, so the child is not trying to invent both a fasting habit and a reading habit alone. If you would like that support, book 2 free trial lessons. No card is needed.

When should parents stop a practice fast straight away?

Stop immediately, with kindness and no lecture, if your child:

• feels dizzy, faint, sick or has a headache they cannot shake;
• is unusually exhausted, tearful or unable to focus at school;
• did not want to try today and is only doing it to please you or to keep up with someone else;
• has a health condition you have not yet discussed with a doctor.

Ending a practice fast is not failure. It is part of teaching your child to listen to their body while they learn to love an act of worship. Offer water and food, praise the effort, and try a smaller step another week if they still want to.

How can a female Quran teacher help before Ramadan?

Food is only one part of Ramadan. Children who already have a short, happy Quran time find the month much less overwhelming. A teacher checks your child’s level, chooses a realistic Quran goal, and gives you a small home task so you know exactly what to revise on a practice-fast day.

Her Quran Academy offers 1:1 live online classes with 100% female teachers, and has taught children, teens and women since 2019. Fees start from $35 a month. You can read more about our Quran classes for kids, then try 2 free lessons. No card is needed.

If you would like to learn alongside your child, a mother who enrolls together with her son or daughter gets 15% off.

Frequently asked questions

Can my child fast on Mondays and Thursdays before puberty?
Yes, as gentle, voluntary practice if they are healthy, able and keen. Fasting is not obligatory for a child until puberty. Keep it optional, start small, and stop at once if they feel unwell, dizzy, very tired or upset. Ask a qualified scholar about rulings and your doctor about your child's health.

At what age should a child start practising fasting?
There is no single birthday that fits every child. Ability, health and willingness matter more than age. Some families begin with a skipped snack or a few hours once a child can manage that comfortably. Never compare siblings.

Should we practise every Monday and Thursday from now until Ramadan?
No. One calm Monday or Thursday, when your child wants to try, is enough at first. Build up only if they enjoy it. Skip sports days, exam days and days they are already tired.

What if my child gets tired or upset during a practice fast?
Stop straight away, give them something to eat and drink, and praise them for trying. A short, happy attempt teaches more than a difficult full day. Practice fasting should never feel like a punishment.

How does this fit with preparing for Ramadan 2027?
Ramadan 1448 is expected around Monday 8 February 2027, subject to moon sighting — about 92 days from 8 November 2026. Monday and Thursday are useful practice days because they are a known sunnah and they come only twice a week. Pair any practice with a few minutes of Quran and a short dua, not only with food rules.

Can a female Quran teacher help around practice-fast days?
Yes. A teacher can help your child learn the short duas used at meal times and keep a calm Quran habit so Ramadan is not only about fasting. Her Quran Academy teaches 1:1 live online classes with 100% female teachers, and has done since 2019. Classes start from $35 a month, and you can begin with 2 free trial lessons with no card needed.

Start with one calm Monday, if they are keen

You do not need a perfect fasting plan in November. You need one kind conversation, and — only if your child wants it — one tiny step on a Monday or Thursday that is already looking peaceful. Keep Quran and duas in the picture, and let the habit grow slowly toward Ramadan 2027.

If you would like a patient female teacher to help your child build that Quran habit before the month arrives, book your 2 free trial lessons today.