Prayer is much more than a chance to petition

God for the things we want. It is an opportu-

Fun prayers for children. nity to have a conversation with a dear friend

The five finger prayer. I have attached an out-

who loves us very much. It is a time to be with
our heavenly Father and let Him speak to us.
Teaching
line of what each finger represents.
When we think of prayer as a chance to share
our hopes, dreams, thoughts and fears with
Children
Echo prayers. Say a short line and let children
repeat it back to you. This is a great way to teach
some one who cares about us more than we can
imagine, it can totally change how we view our
to
The Lord’s Prayer or Apostle’s Creed.
prayer time.
Pray
Finish it prayer. Start a sentence and let your
child finish it. Encourage your children to share with God
“Dear God, you are __________________.” what is going on in their lives. Remind them to
celebrate with God when things are good, giv-
“Lord, forgive me for ________________.”
ing thanks to Him. When your children are
“God, please help me _________________.”
struggling, encourage them to pour their heart
“Father, thank you for ________________.”
out to God. It’s great to show emotion, after
“Dear God, I need ___________________.” all we are talking to our very close friend!

I spy prayer. Sit with your child, eyes closed ei-

Just as it’s ok to show emotion when we pray,
ther in or outdoors. Take turns opening your eyes
it’s also great for kids to have fun in their
and “spying” something that you can pray for.
time with God. If children are allowed to “be
themselves” they will find their friendship
Prayer though art. Do a collage of all the things
you want to give thanks for. Put the pictures on a
with God will grow and develop into an amazing
poster board and hang it in your house. You can also relationship that will last their entire life!
Don’t worry
draw a picture of what you are praying for.
about anything.
Calendar prayer. Check your calendar each week We always thank God, the Father of Instead,
for birthdays, anniversaries or any special occasion. tell God about
our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray
Pray every day that week for the people whose everything.
names came up. for you. Colossians 1:3 Ask and pray.
Give thanks to Him.
Lucky draw prayer. Put names of friends and
family, special events and activities, etc, in a con-
Contact Denise Mersmann at denise.mersmann@cor.org Philippians 4:6
tainer. Pull one thing from the container each day
to be the prayer focus of the day.
 Places to Pray Prayer Triggers Lead by Example
Help your child understand that they can Children react to many different stimuli in life. Share your prayer life with your child. Make
truly pray anywhere, anytime. You can also There are sights, sounds, smells , tastes and sure your children see your “faith in action”.
set aside some special “prayer spots”. textures that can remind our children to pray. Keep a prayer journal that has space for an-
Depending upon your child’s style of learning or swered prayers. When God answers one of
Place a rug or “prayer mat” in your child’s what triggers they respond to, your children can your prayers, make sure you share that with
room. That can be their special place to go be reminded to pray without you saying a word. your child. It’s important to let your child
meet God. Sounds: know that God doesn’t always answer the
Siren—pray for the people who might be hurt and exact way we think He should, but He knows
Take a prayer walk. Walk through your those going to care for them, pray for the families what is best for us and has a plan for our
neighborhood and pray for the people who live that are impacted lives.
near you. Or walk through a park and pray Crying—pray for those who need God’s presence in
for our earth and how people care for it. their life
When you are facing a decision, tell your
Sights: child that you must pray about it before you
Show children that they can talk to God with- Schools / Churches—pray for people to attend there can decide.
out making a big fuss. Teach children to sim- and the teachers / pastors
ply lower their head, close their eyes and
Nature-thankfulness for God’s creation, guidance on
have a quick minute of prayer. Works great Offer to pray on the behalf of others and
caring for it.
at school! then include your child when you do that.
Sports facilities-pray that the celebrities will be a
strong positive example
When they get buckled into the car, pray for Make sure your life has some “quiet time”
Smells:
safety in travel. built in. Invite your child to be still with you
Pine trees, cedar, flowers—give thanks for God’s
and God for a few minutes. Explain that in
creation
At sporting events they can pray that their this time, you are listening for God to talk to
actions are positive, that players on both Taste:
you.
teams do their best, that the officials care Favorite foods—pray for the people who prepared
about fairness and that no one gets hurt. and grew the food, pray for those who don’t have
food Pray out loud and allow your child to listen.
Share any inhibitions you might have about
In their bed. This is most often when kids Touch:
praying out loud with your child and how you
have quiet and when they may face fears and Fur / fuzzy / soft things—pray for our pets and the
overcome that.
concerns. animals God created