Good manners for kids · With friends

Sharing and taking turns

Islam teaches children to share and take turns because we should love for others what we love for ourselves. Practise with a turn-taking timer and celebrate every handover.

Ages 2–8SongTalk promptsFamily activity

Teacher review under way.

Read it together

What it means for little ones

Sharing means letting others enjoy things too. Taking turns means everyone gets a go: me, then you, then me again. When we wait nicely and share, playtime is fair and everyone is happy.

From the Sunnah

Where it comes from

Our Prophet (peace be upon him) taught that none of us truly believes until we love for our brother or sister what we love for ourselves.

Sahih al-Bukhari 13

Sing itMy Turn, Your TurnSing it first — the song gives your child the words and the moves.Watch on YouTube ↗

Little habits

What it looks like

Wait for my turn and count while I wait
Ask: “Can I have a turn when you're done?”
Offer: “Do you want a go?”
Invite the new child to join in

Talk about it

Questions to ask

How did you feel when a friend gave you a turn?
What's something you love that you could share today?
What can we say if someone won't share with us?
How can we make sure everyone gets a turn?

Family activity · 10 minutes

Turn-taking timer

Step 1: Pick one favourite toy and a timer (or count to 20 together).
Step 2: Take turns: when the timer ends, hand the toy over and say “Your turn!”
Step 3: Cheer for each handover — waiting is the hard part.
Step 4: Finish by asking: “What did it feel like to wait? To share?”

For parents: It's fine for a child to have one or two special things that are just theirs. Sharing grows with age — celebrate small steps.

Habit chartMake a chart for the fridgeTry lines like “I took turns”, “I shared”, “I waited for my turn” — stars and moons, never crosses.Open Chart Studio →PlayGood Deeds GardenSort good deeds from not-so-good ones. Every good deed grows a flower until your garden is in full bloom.Play free →Free printableSharing and Taking Turns Poster for KidsA friendly manners poster that shows young children how to play fair in six picture steps: wait, ask nicely, take turns, share, say thank you and play again.Download →

Questions parents ask

My toddler won't share. Is that normal?

Very normal — sharing is a skill that grows with age. Model it, use a timer, and praise every small try.

Should I force my child to share?

Gentle guidance works better than forcing. Turn-taking (“you can have it when the timer ends”) feels fairer to children.

Sources: Sahih al-Bukhari 13

Qur'an references are checked on quran.com and hadith on sunnah.com; a teacher review is under way. Families and madhhabs differ on some details — ask your teacher.

Game

Good Deeds Garden

Grow a garden of kindness!

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Printable

Weekly Good Deeds Chart for Kids

A weekly good deeds chart in two levels: Little (ages 3–5) has six picture deeds and big stars; Big (ages 6–8) has eight deeds such as speaking kindly and keeping promises.

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Parent tool