One is required to hear the Megillah twice during Purim: once at night and a second time during the day. The Megillah may be read at night anytime from tzeit hakochavim––when the stars come out––until alot hashachar, the break of dawn, and on the day of Purim anytime from sunrise until sunset.
Children should be encouraged and trained to listen to the Megillah. It is customary to bring even small children to shul to hear the Megillah, if they won’t disturb others who need to hear the Megillah. Children should be taught that the main purpose of going to shul is to listen to the Megillah, and should be supervised so they pay attention to the Megillah and not disturb.
One should make every attempt to hear the Megillah in shul, rather than having it read in one’s home. It is preferable that the Megillah be heard in a shul where there are many people. If one prays on a regular basis in a shul which does not have many people, it is not necessary for him to go to a larger shul. There should be at least a minyan, but it is permissible to read the Megillah even in the event that there is no minyan.
HaRav Yosef Yeshaya Braun, shlita, member of Bet Din of Crown Heights, Day-by-Day Halachic Guide, reprinted from crownheightsconnect.com
