According to the Code of Canon Law, Catholics who have completed their 18th year and have not yet reached their 60th year must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. For Catholics between the ages of 14 and 18, the Church recommends that they also observe the fast, but it is not mandatory.
For children under the age of 14, the Church does not expect them to fast. However, the Church does encourage children to participate in the spiritual practices of the Church to the extent that they are able, and some children may choose to fast or abstain from certain foods as a way of participating in the Lenten season.
In general, the Church recommends that children be gradually introduced to the practices of fasting and abstinence as they grow and mature to help them develop a deeper understanding of these spiritual disciplines.
