Ask a six-year-old what the five pillars of Islam are and you will usually get two answers, prayer and Ramadan, followed by a long pause. That is normal. The five pillars are easier to learn when children can touch them: color a pillar, cut one out, jump along a game board, trace the Shahada with a pencil. This page explains each pillar at a child’s level and gives you a 15-page printable pack to go with it, plus a plan for one week.
Contents
Free download: Five Pillars of Islam activity pack
The pack is 15 pages on US Letter paper. It has a cover, a poster, coloring pages, a “Build the house of Islam” cut-and-paste page, “My pillar hand,” a fold-up mini-book, “Which pillar is it?”, a three-column match, a path board game, a Shahada trace-and-write page, a 10-question quiz, an answer key and a certificate. The same boy in a white kufi, the girl in a pink hijab and the five balloons from our other pages guide children through it.
Print it in black and white if you like. Only the poster and the game board lose something without color. A plain printer and a pair of scissors are all you need.
The five pillars of Islam for kids, at a glance
The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that Islam is built on five (Sahih al-Bukhari 8, Sahih Muslim 16). Here is the child-sized version we use in the pack.
| Pillar | In Arabic | What it means for a child | A child can… |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Shahada | الشَّهَادَة | Saying that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger | Say it, understand it, trace it |
| 2. Salah | الصَّلَاة | Praying five times a day | Learn the names of the five prayers and start praying with family |
| 3. Zakat | الزَّكَاة | Grown-ups giving a yearly share of their savings to people in need | Learn why we give and practice kindness |
| 4. Sawm | الصَّوْم | Fasting in Ramadan from dawn to sunset | Learn about it and try a short, easy practice fast if parents agree |
| 5. Hajj | الحَجّ | Pilgrimage to Makkah, once in a lifetime for those who are able | Learn the story and the Kaaba |
Some narrations list fasting before Hajj and some the other way round. We use the order most children’s books teach.
How to explain each pillar to a child
Shahada: the first pillar
Start with the words. Ash-hadu an la ilaha illa-Allah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasulu-Allah: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” Break it into small pieces. La means no, ilaha means god, illa means except. Children love finding the “except” in the middle. Say “peace be upon him” after the Prophet’s name so they hear the habit.
Salah: the second pillar
Count the day on your fingers: Fajr at dawn, Dhuhr at midday, Asr in the afternoon, Maghrib at sunset, Isha at night. Link each one to something they already know. “Fajr is before breakfast. Maghrib is when we smell dinner.” If you want the full steps, see our guide on how to pray in Islam and the page on wudu steps with pictures.
Zakat: the third pillar
Zakat is a yearly share of savings, given by grown-ups to people in need. It is commonly taught as a small percentage of savings above a minimum amount, and the details belong to adults and scholars. Children do not pay zakat. What they can do is notice. Ask, “If you had more than you needed, who could use some?” Then let them choose a toy or a book to give away.
Sawm: the fourth pillar
Fasting in Ramadan means no food or drink from dawn to sunset. Children are not required to fast, and the pack says so on the page. Talk about what they see: the early meal before dawn (suhoor), and dates and water at sunset. Our Ramadan for kids page and the Eid al-Fitr page show what comes next.
Hajj: the fifth pillar
Hajj is a pilgrimage to Makkah, once in a lifetime for those who are able (Quran 3:97). Show a picture of the Kaaba and say, “Millions of Muslims walk around it.” Children understand a place they can picture. For more, our Hajj coloring pages cover the journey step by step.
How to use each activity in the pack
Ages are a guide. A confident five-year-old can do more than a shy eight-year-old, so choose by mood.
- Poster (page 2). Ages 4 and up, 5 minutes. Hang it at child height and read it together once a day.
- Coloring pages (pages 3, 11, 12). Ages 4 to 7, 15 minutes each. Good for the end of the day. Ask a child to tell you about the pillar while coloring. For more coloring, see our Islamic coloring pages.
- Build the house of Islam (page 4). Ages 5 to 8, 20 minutes. Cut five pillars and glue them under the roof. Children who struggle with scissors can tear paper instead.
- My pillar hand (page 5). Ages 5 to 9, 15 minutes. One pillar on each finger. Kids use it as a memory trick.
- Fold-up mini-book (page 6). Ages 6 to 9, 25 minutes. Folding takes some patience, so demonstrate once. It includes the phrases “Pillars of Islam” and “I am a Muslim” in Arabic.
- Which pillar is it? (page 7). Ages 6 to 9, 10 minutes. Everyday situations, such as breaking fast with dates or standing in line to pray Dhuhr. Children name the pillar.
- Match it up (page 8). Ages 6 to 9, 10 minutes. Draw lines from name to picture to meaning. Ask the child to read each meaning aloud before drawing the second line.
- Path board game (page 9). Ages 5 to 10, 15 to 20 minutes, 2 to 4 players. Cut out tokens and the die net. On a pillar space say what it means. On a kind deed space name one kind thing. These rules are game rules we made up, not religious rules.
- Shahada trace-and-write (page 10). Ages 6 and up, 15 minutes. Trace the Arabic, then read the transliteration and the word-by-word meaning.
- Quiz, answer key and certificate (pages 13 to 15). Ages 6 to 10, 10 minutes. Ten questions, then a certificate for finishing.
Class variant: with a group of 12 to 20, make five stations, one per pillar, and rotate every 8 minutes. Pair older and younger children for the board game. Run the quiz in teams, and keep the key for yourself.
A one-week plan
- Day 1: read the poster and the “house of Islam” page. Cut and glue the house.
- Day 2: Shahada. Trace and say it three times.
- Day 3: Salah. Color the prayer page and name the five prayers. Pray one of them together.
- Day 4: Zakat. Pick something to give away. Make “My pillar hand.”
- Day 5: Sawm and Hajj. Do “Which pillar is it?” and the match page.
- Day 6: play the board game and fold the mini-book.
- Day 7: take the quiz and award the certificate.
Short on time? Do the hand and the game on a weekend and skip the rest.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five pillars of Islam?
The five pillars are Shahada, the declaration of faith, Salah, praying five times a day, Zakat, giving to those in need, Sawm, fasting in Ramadan, and Hajj, the pilgrimage to Makkah for those who are able. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said Islam is built on these five.
What age can children start learning the five pillars?
Most children can start learning the names and the stories around age four or five, with pictures and simple words. Reading, writing and quizzes fit ages six to ten better. Go slowly. A five-year-old who can name the five prayers and say the Shahada is doing very well.
Do children have to fast or pay zakat?
No. Children are not required to fast or pay zakat. They are learning. Many families let children try a short, easy fast, but that is a family decision. Children can give small gifts or help others, which builds the habit before they are grown-ups.
Can I use this activity pack in an Islamic school class?
Yes. Print one set per child, or one set of the poster and game for each group. Use the class variant above: five stations, eight minutes each, then team quiz. Always check the religious content against your school’s curriculum and teacher.
Want the next step? Our prayer etiquette flashcards and the Islamic printable worksheets page pair well with this pack.
