Visiting mosques with children in Istanbul: 8 simple rules

Visiting mosques with children in Istanbul is easier than many parents expect. Mosques are family places; local children come with their parents and grandparents, and nobody expects a toddler to be silent. A few simple rules help you feel comfortable and show respect.

Visiting mosques with children: 8 rules

1. Avoid prayer times

Mosques close to visitors for about half an hour around each of the five daily prayers, and for longer around Friday midday prayers. Prayer times change through the year; the official schedule is published by the Presidency of Religious Affairs. Mid-morning is usually the easiest time.

2. Dress modestly

Adults cover knees and shoulders; women cover their hair with a scarf. Young children don't need to cover up, though older girls often wear a scarf too. Large mosques lend scarves and wraps at the entrance.

3. Shoes off

Everyone takes off their shoes before stepping onto the carpet, including children. Bring socks for little feet and a bag for shoes; slip-on shoes save time.

4. Leave the stroller at the door

Strollers don't go on the carpets. Leave it folded at the entrance or in the courtyard, and carry the baby in your arms or a baby carrier.

5. Keep it short

Twenty minutes is plenty with a toddler. Look up at the domes together, count the lamps and leave before they get restless.

6. Quiet voices, no running

Babies cry and that's fine. If a toddler starts running or shouting, step outside to the courtyard for a minute.

7. Don't walk in front of people praying

Even outside prayer times some people pray on their own. Walk around them, not in front of them.

8. Feeding and changing

Feed in the courtyard rather than inside. Change nappies outside the mosque; toilets and washrooms are near the entrance.

Which mosques to visit with kids

• Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Mosque): the classic; a big courtyard to play in afterwards.
• Hagia Sophia: busy with queues; go early and use a carrier.
• Süleymaniye: calmer, with gardens and a view over the Golden Horn.
• Rüstem Paşa: small and full of blue tiles, but up a steep staircase; carrier only.

Combine a mosque visit with a break in Gülhane Park; our Sultanahmet with a toddler route shows how. A compact travel stroller that folds fast is the easiest to leave at the door.

Visiting mosques with children: what to tell them before

Children cope better when they know what's coming. Before visiting mosques with children, explain that it's a special place where people pray, that we take off our shoes and use quiet voices, and that they can look up at the big domes and the coloured windows. Give older toddlers a small job, like carrying the shoe bag or counting the lamps hanging from the ceiling. Let them sit on the soft carpet for a moment; local children do it too. If they need to let off steam, the courtyards of the Blue Mosque and Süleymaniye are big and safe, and pigeons are always popular. Afterwards, reward everyone with a simit or an ice cream from a nearby cart.

Questions parents ask

Can I take a stroller into a mosque?

No. Leave it at the entrance or in the courtyard and carry your child inside.

Do children need to cover their heads in mosques?

Young children don't. Adults dress modestly, and women cover their hair.

Can I breastfeed in a mosque?

It's better to feed in the courtyard or a quiet corner outside. Large mosques have benches and shade nearby.