Juz Amma, the 30th part of the Quran, is where most children begin memorizing. It starts at Surah An-Naba (78) and ends at Surah An-Nas (114), which makes 37 surahs. Most of them are short, many are recited daily in salah, and children hear them often at home and in the masjid. This plan breaks Juz Amma into small steps that a child in school can manage.

Why start from the end

Most teachers start with the last surahs (An-Nas, Al-Falaq, Al-Ikhlas) and move backwards towards An-Naba. The surahs get gradually longer in that direction, so the child builds confidence on three- to six-verse surahs before reaching surahs of 30 to 46 verses. Many children already know Al-Fatiha and the last few surahs, which gives a quick first win.

Before you begin

  • Reading level: a child who can read the mushaf with harakat will memorize faster and more accurately. Younger children can still memorize by listening and repeating, but a teacher should correct pronunciation from the start.
  • One recitation: choose one clear, slow reciter for listening at home.
  • One mushaf: use the same printed edition every day.
  • A fixed time: after Fajr, after school or before bed – the same slot every day.

The plan in four stages

Stage 1: the shortest surahs (Al-Asr to An-Nas)

Surahs 103 to 114 are between three and nine verses long. A young child can usually memorize one surah every two to four days. Focus on clear makharij (letter sounds) and stopping at the end of each verse.

Stage 2: At-Takathur to Ad-Duha

Surahs 93 to 102 are a little longer. Split any surah over five verses into two parts. Learn part one, then part two, then join them before moving on.

Stage 3: Al-Fajr to Al-Lail

Surahs 89 to 92 have between 15 and 30 verses. Expect about a week per surah. Daily revision of everything learned so far becomes more important here.

Stage 4: An-Naba to Al-Ghashiyah

The opening surahs of the juz (78 to 88) are the longest, with up to 46 verses (An-Nazi'at). Memorize three to five verses a day, and recite the whole surah to a teacher before marking it done.

A daily routine that works

  1. Listen to the new verses three to five times while following in the mushaf.
  2. Read them aloud from the mushaf five times, slowly.
  3. Recite without looking, verse by verse, then join the verses.
  4. Revise the previous two or three surahs.
  5. Recite the new lesson to a parent or teacher.

For most children this takes 15–25 minutes. Short, regular sessions work better than long weekend sessions.

Revision: the step most plans miss

Children forget quickly if a surah is learned and then left. Keep a simple cycle:

  • Every day: revise the surahs learned in the last week.
  • Every week: recite all memorized surahs once, split across the days.
  • In salah: encourage your child to recite the surahs they have learned in their own prayers.

A simple tracker for parents

Write the 37 surahs on a sheet with three columns: learning, memorized and tested. Tick "tested" only when the child recites the whole surah without help a week after memorizing it. Children enjoy seeing the sheet fill up, and parents can see which surahs need revision.

How long does Juz Amma take?

A child memorizing a few verses a day, five days a week, usually completes Juz Amma in about six to twelve months. Younger children, or children still learning to read, may take longer, and that is fine. Accuracy and retention matter more than speed.

Understanding what they memorize

Children remember surahs better when they know what the surah is about. Before starting a new surah, tell your child its story or main idea in one or two sentences: Al-Fil is about the army with elephants that came to destroy the Kaaba; Al-Kawthar is a gift given to the Prophet ﷺ; Al-Ikhlas describes the oneness of Allah. Simple English meanings, read from a reliable translation, turn sounds into meaning and help the child put the verses in the right order.

Keeping children motivated

  • Small milestones: celebrate every ten surahs, not only the full juz.
  • Recite for family: let the child lead a family member in salah using a new surah, or recite it to grandparents on a call.
  • Avoid comparison: siblings and cousins memorize at different speeds.
  • Keep it positive: a mistake is a chance to revise, not a reason to scold.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistakes are moving on before a surah is solid, revising only the newest surah, and memorizing from different reciters or mushafs. Another is skipping the teacher check: a child who memorizes a wrong vowel at home will repeat it for years. Five minutes of listening from a qualified teacher each lesson prevents this.

Getting help

Our Surah Memorization Classes cover Juz Amma one-on-one on Zoom with a teacher who listens to every lesson, corrects pronunciation and keeps the revision cycle going. Weekly tests and a monthly progress report show parents exactly which surahs are memorized. Book a free 3-day trial to see how your child gets on.