For Children
Ashura Activities for Kids: Gentle Ways to Remember Imam Hussain (A.S)
Ashura is a day of grief, and it is also a day of love. For children, the question is not only what do we do? but how do we do it without frightening them?
Here is a gentle set of activities for Ashura and the days around it, built for children from about four to twelve.
One principle first
Children remember Ashura by what they do with their hands and hearts more than by what they are told. Choose activities that connect love for Imam Hussain (A.S) to kindness today, and keep the mood calm and warm.
1. A water gift for others
Water is at the centre of the story of Karbala. A simple family act is to prepare water for others: a jug at your door, bottles for neighbours, a little “sabeel” in your community. Giving water is a beloved way of remembering Imam Hussain (A.S). For a child it is simple: “This is for Imam Hussain’s (A.S) sake.”
2. Feed someone
Cook or buy a meal with your child and give it to someone in need, or to a neighbour. Let the child carry the bag and say the words. Children learn mourning and charity together this way.
3. Listen to the story at their level
Choose a story-time at home before or after the day. Use a book written for children, and keep it short. See our guide to Muharram and Ashura books, or begin with the free Story of Karbala for Kids.
4. A child-friendly majlis visit
- Tell your child beforehand what they will see and hear.
- Bring a small bag: water, tissues, a colouring page.
- Sit near the exit and stay for part, not all.
- Explain what mourning means: “We are sad together because we love him.”
5. Colour, write, draw
Ask your child to draw a hero of Karbala and write one word about them: loyal, brave, kind, thirsty, faithful. Our free Muharram reflection PDFs have five values to colour and think about.
6. A quiet family minute
Light a candle or sit in a dim room. Say salawat together. Say one sentence about why you love Imam Hussain (A.S). Keep it to a minute.
What adults may do on Ashura
Many families observe Ashura as a day of reduced worldly activity. Reports from Imam Ali al-Rida, in Nafasul Mahmum, advise avoiding worldly business and idle talk on this day. It is also recommended to say salawat often, to recite Ziyarat Ashura, and to join gatherings recounting the tragedy. Imam al-Baqir is reported, in Kamil al-Ziyarat, to have recommended lamenting and consoling one another. Children can join in what suits them.
The Dua of Imam Hussain (A.S) on the morning of Ashura, reported by Shaykh al-Mufid in Al-Irshad, is a powerful dua for older children and adults to read in translation.
What not to do
- Do not force a child to cry or to attend.
- Do not show graphic images or videos.
- Do not use fear to make a child “behave.”
My First Muharram Colouring BookA Gentle Journey Through Ashura for Little Hearts · a calm colouring book for ages 4 to 8 · Ages 4–8
Hazrat Abbas (A.S)The Lion Who Never Let Go · a story of loyalty, for ages 7 to 14 · Ages 7–14
For more ideas, see Muharram for Children at Home.
Common questions
Should young children attend Ashura majalis?
It depends on the child and the gathering. Many families bring children for part of the majlis, sit near the exit, and leave when the child is tired. Prepare them beforehand, and never force them to stay.
Do children fast on Ashura?
No. Children are not expected to fast. Reports from Imam Ali al-Rida describe avoiding worldly affairs on this day, and some adults observe a pause from food and drink until late afternoon without intending a fast. This is not asked of young children.
What can children do to remember Imam Hussain (A.S)?
Give water or food to someone, say salawat, read or listen to a story, colour a page about a hero of Karbala, or perform a small act of kindness and tell Imam Hussain (A.S) it is for him.
Is it all right for my child to cry?
Yes. Weeping for Imam Hussain (A.S) is part of our tradition, and reports from Imam al-Baqir encourage gatherings that recount the tragedy and console one another. But do not push a child to cry. Let their feelings arrive naturally.
What if my child is scared?
Hold them, simplify the story, and switch to something calming: a drink of water, a hug, a short colouring page. See our guide to explaining Karbala at each age.
