Short answer
In the Hanafi school a very young child, about four or under, has no awrah. After that the private parts must be covered, and the area grows as the child gets older, until around ten when the child is treated close to an adult. At puberty the full adult awrah applies. Building modest habits early makes this easy.
A very small child has no awrah. Then, while the child is not yet of an age to attract desire, the awrah is the front and back private parts; it then widens until about ten, after which the child is treated like an adult in covering. At bulugh the adult awrah applies in full.
The four schools agree on this.
Explanation
The Quran mentions children "who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women" among those before whom a woman need not cover, and it tells children to ask permission before entering at times of privacy. Both show that awareness grows with age, and so do the rules. The Hanafi texts set out stages.
Stages in the Hanafi school:
- Babies and toddlers (about four and under): no awrah. Nappy changes, bathing and swimming in a nappy are fine.
- Young children: the private parts, front and back, must be covered in front of others.
- Approaching ten: the covered area widens, and by about ten the child is treated much like an adult in covering.
- Puberty: the full adult awrah. See awrah for men and women.
For prayer: a child's prayer is still valid while learning, but teach girls to wear a scarf and loose clothes for salah from around seven, and boys to cover from navel to knee, so it is natural by puberty.
Practical points:
- Dress little girls in modest, comfortable clothes rather than very short or tight outfits, and avoid sharing such photos online.
- Teach children to change privately and to use the toilet with the door closed from an early age.
- Teach them the names of their private parts and that no one may look at or touch them, apart from a parent or doctor for care.
See when a girl should wear hijab and separate beds.
The evidence
Quran, Surah An-Noor 24:31
وَقُل لِّلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ يَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ أَبْصَٰرِهِنَّ وَيَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوجَهُنَّ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا ۖ وَلْيَضْرِبْنَ بِخُمُرِهِنَّ عَلَىٰ جُيُوبِهِنَّ ۖ وَلَا يُبْدِينَ زِينَتَهُنَّ إِلَّا لِبُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ ءَابَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ أَبْنَآءِ بُعُولَتِهِنَّ أَوْ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ إِخْوَٰنِهِنَّ أَوْ بَنِىٓ أَخَوَٰتِهِنَّ أَوْ نِسَآئِهِنَّ أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُهُنَّ أَوِ ٱلتَّٰبِعِينَ غَيْرِ أُو۟لِى ٱلْإِرْبَةِ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ أَوِ ٱلطِّفْلِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يَظْهَرُوا۟ عَلَىٰ عَوْرَٰتِ ٱلنِّسَآءِ ۖ وَلَا يَضْرِبْنَ بِأَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِيُعْلَمَ مَا يُخْفِينَ مِن زِينَتِهِنَّ ۚ وَتُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ جَمِيعًا أَيُّهَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ ﴿٣١﴾
And tell the believing women to reduce [some] of their vision and guard their private parts and not expose their adornment except that which [necessarily] appears thereof and to wrap [a portion of] their headcovers over their chests and not expose their adornment except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands' fathers, their sons, their husbands' sons, their brothers, their brothers' sons, their sisters' sons, their women, that which their right hands possess, or those male attendants having no physical desire, or children who are not yet aware of the private aspects of women. And let them not stamp their feet to make known what they conceal of their adornment. And turn to Allah in repentance, all of you, O believers, that you might succeed.
The rules of covering are linked to a child's awareness.
Sunan Abi Dawud 495
Graded hasan sahih... مروا أولادكم بالصلاة وهم أبناء سبع سنين ...
"Command your children to pray when they are seven."
From seven, children are trained in prayer, including covering properly for it.
Where the ruling is recorded
- al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the conditions of prayer, covering the awrah. A very small child has no awrah; then the private parts; then it widens until ten; then like an adult.
- Radd al-Muhtar (Ibn Abidin), Kitab al-Salah, chapter on the conditions of prayer. Explains the very small child as four years or under.
Checked by our team. For a more accurate answer to your own situation, consult a scholar. Quran translation by Sahih International. Hadith Arabic from the standard editions of the six books and the Muwatta, with gradings as recorded there; the English is our own rendering. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.