Ruling on wearing gold and silk for children
Question

                Is it permissible for a boy to wear gold until he reaches the age of seven, or is that haraam for males from birth?
Praise be to Allah.
    The majority of scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) are 
    of the view that it is forbidden for boys to wear gold, because of the words 
    of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning gold 
    and silk: “These two things are forbidden to the males of my ummah.” 
    Narrated by Abu Dawood (3535) and an-Nasaa’i (5054); classed as saheeh by 
    Shaykh al-Albaani (may Allah have mercy on him). 

    The text speaks of the prohibition of gold and silk for 
    males, and boys are included in this word. Moreover there is the fear that 
    dressing a boy in gold and silk when he is small will lead to him getting 
    used to it, and after that it will be difficult for him to give it up when 
    he grows up. 

    It says in al-Mawsoo‘ah al-Fiqhiyyah (21/284): The 
    Hanafis and Hanbalis, and some of the Shaafa‘is, are of the view that it is 
    haraam for males to wear gold, whether they are young or old, except in 
    cases of necessity. 

    The Maalikis are of the view that it is permissible for a boy 
    to wear gold, although it is makrooh (disliked). 

    The Shaafa‘is – according to the more correct opinion – are 
    of the view that it is permissible in general. According to another view, it 
    is permissible before the age of two years and it is prohibited after that. 
    Al-Baghawi was certain of the soundness of this view. End quote. 

    Shaykh Mansoor al-Bahooti (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 
    It is haraam for a boy to wear that which is forbidden for men, such as 
    clothes made of silk, or interwoven with gold or silver, or anything plated 
    with either of them, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be 
    upon him) said: “… and they are haraam for the males (of my ummah).” It was 
    narrated that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to take 
    it off boys and leave it for girls. Narrated by Abu Dawood.

    End quote from Kashshaaf al-Qinaa‘ (1/283). 

    The view we favour is the view of those who disallow the 
    wearing of gold and silk, and other things that are forbidden for males, 
    lest they get used to something that is haraam and continue wearing it when 
    they grow up; and also because of the general meaning of this prohibition 
    for males. 

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) 
    was asked about dressing boys in silk on Eids and other occasions; is it 
    permissible for the guardian of an orphan to dress him in silk or not? If he 
    does that, is he sinning or not? Likewise, is adorning their hats with gold 
    permissible or not? 

    He replied: Praise be to Allah. The guardian of an orphan is 
    not allowed to dress him in silk, according to the more correct of the two 
    scholarly opinions, just as he is not allowed to give him wine to drink or 
    give him dead meat (meat that was not slaughtered in the prescribed manner) 
    to eat. With regard to that which is forbidden to adult men, guardians 
    should also keep it away from boys. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab tore off a silk 
    garment that he saw on the son of az-Zubayr and said: Do not dress them in 
    silk. The same applies to that which is forbidden to men of gold. 

    With regard to the guardian being accused of miserliness, 
    that may be warded off by dressing the child in permissible clothing that 
    will serve as adornment on Eid and other occasions, such as Alexandrian 
    suits and other things that can serve the purpose of adornment, and will 
    ward off accusations of miserliness, and on which there is no prohibition.

    End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 30/19 

    Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked: Is 
    it permissible for little boys to wear gold or not, if they are younger than 
    two years? 

    He replied: It is not permissible for males to wear gold at 
    all, even if they are younger than two years. Gold is permissible for 
    females and is prohibited for males, whether it is rings, watches or 
    anything else. It is not permissible to put gold on a little boy, just as it 
    is not permissible for a grown man to wear it. Rather gold is for women 
    only.

    End quote from Fataawa Noor ‘ala ad-Darb


    http://binbaz.org.sa/mat/18438

    But if a boy wears gold or silk, the sin thereof is borne by 
    the one who put it on him, because a little boy is not accountable. 

    Abu Bakr al-Kaasaani (may Allah have mercy on him) said: If 
    the one who is wearing it is small, then the sin is on the one who put it on 
    him, not on him, because he is not the one to whom the prohibition is 
    addressed. By the same token, if he is given wine and he drinks it, the sin 
    is on the one who gave it to him and is not on him.

    End quote from Badaa’i‘ as-Sanaa’i‘, 5/132 

    And Allah knows best.