Our 7-year-old used to literally hide under the table when we announced "prayer time." Our 4-year-old would suddenly need to pee. Every. Single. Time. Now they remind US when we forget. Here's what changed.
What Wasn't Working
For years, our family prayer time looked like this: forced sitting, fidgeting kids, me reading from a devotional while they stared at the ceiling, rushed prayers about "bless everyone," done. It was painful for everyone.
The breaking point? My daughter said, "Mom, why does talking to God have to be so boring?" Ouch. But she was right.
The Game-Changers
1. The Prayer Dice
We made a simple dice with colored paper. Each side has a category:
• Thank You (something good from today)
• Please Help (something we need)
• Sorry (something we did wrong)
• Wow God! (something amazing about God)
• Bless Someone (pray for others)
• Wild Card (pray for anything)
Everyone rolls and prays based on what they get. Even the 4-year-old can do it!
2. The "Popcorn Prayer"
Instead of one person praying a long prayer, we do "popcorn" style – everyone says one sentence whenever they want, like popcorn popping. No pressure, no order. Sometimes it's chaos. Often it's beautiful.
Dad: "Thank you for pizza."
7yo: "Help me with my spelling test."
4yo: "I love you God!"
Mom: "Thank you for our family."
7yo: "And help Tommy's hamster feel better."
4yo: "AMEN!" (very loudly)
Total time: 30 seconds. Everyone participated. Victory.
3. Prayer Walks
Can't sit still? Don't. We walk around the neighborhood and pray for what we see. The neighbor's house = pray for the neighbors. The stop sign = pray for safety. The flowers = thank God for beauty. Movement helps active kids focus.
4. The "High, Low, Hero" Method
• High: Best part of your day (becomes a thank you prayer)
• Low: Hard part of your day (becomes a "help us" prayer)
• Hero: Someone who helped you (becomes a blessing prayer)
It's conversation AND prayer rolled into one. Sneaky parenting win.
Age-Specific Ideas That Work
- Sing prayers (to the tune of "Twinkle Twinkle")
- Thank God for body parts (nose, toes, etc.)
- Picture prayers (point to photos and pray)
- One-word prayers they repeat after you
- Prayer journals with drawings
- Acting out Bible stories then praying
- Prayer jar (write requests, pull one to pray)
- "Secret mission" prayers for others
- Text prayers to each other
- Prayer playlist (songs that are prayers)
- News prayers (pray about current events)
- Personal prayer notebooks
When Kids Ask Hard Questions
"Why didn't God answer my prayer for a puppy?"
"Is God mad when I forget to pray?"
"Can God hear me if I pray in my head?"
Our approach: We're honest. "I don't know" is an acceptable answer. We explore together. We remind them that God loves questions and questioners.
Making It Stick (Without Being Legalistic)
What We Do:
- Same time each day (bedtime works for us)
- Keep it SHORT (5 minutes max for young kids)
- Let kids lead sometimes
- Celebrate when they pray on their own
- Model praying throughout the day
What We Don't Do:
- Force long prayers
- Shame for not participating
- Make it a punishment
- Expect perfection
- Compare kids to each other
Real Prayers from Real Kids
• "God, help Mom not be grumpy tomorrow." (Thanks, kid)
• "Thank you for chicken nuggets and also regular chickens."
• "Please help me not hit my sister even when she's annoying."
• "God, are you friends with Santa?"
• "Help Daddy's meeting not be boring."
• "I'm sorry I lied about brushing my teeth."
Are these theologically perfect? No. Are they honest conversations with God? Absolutely.
When It's Not Working
Some nights, it's a disaster. Someone's crying. Someone's throwing goldfish crackers. The prayer is "God help us all, Amen." That's okay. God's not keeping score.
You're allowed to skip a night. You're allowed to pray while they're in the bath. You're allowed to count the blessing at meals as "family prayer time." Grace, friend. Grace.
The Unexpected Benefits
Six months into our new approach:
- Kids pray on their own when they're scared or sad
- They remind us to pray before meals (even at restaurants 😅)
- Bedtime is calmer
- They're asking deeper questions about faith
- Prayer feels like conversation, not performance
Start Small Ideas
Monday: Pray your meals to the tune of a song
Tuesday: Everyone says one thank you to God
Wednesday: Pray for your pets (or stuffed animals)
Thursday: Draw prayers instead of saying them
Friday: Prayer dance party (yes, really)
Weekend: Let kids choose how to pray
The Bottom Line
Your kids don't need perfect prayers. They need to see that God is approachable, that He cares about their goldfish and their spelling tests, that talking to Him can be as natural as talking to you.
Start messy. Start silly. Start somewhere. The goal isn't to raise kids who can recite beautiful prayers. It's to raise kids who know they can talk to God about anything, anytime, anywhere – even under the kitchen table.
Help Your Kids Connect with Scripture
The God Said app can help find age-appropriate Bible verses for whatever your family is going through. Perfect for teaching moments.
Try It FreeP.S. Last night my 4-year-old prayed: "God, thank you for mommy even when she says no cookies." That's theology right there. They're getting it, even when it doesn't seem like it. Keep going.