There’s nothing quite as sweet and beautiful as a child in prayer. Listening to a preschooler recite the Lord’s Prayer can bring you to tears and laughter, often at the same time.
Teaching a very young child how to pray is easy. Children naturally feel close to God and are often more comfortable praying than adults are.
Here are some prayers you can teach young children at home or in a classroom.
The Sign of the Cross
Perhaps the first prayer a child will learn, the sign of the cross can be explained by the image of the cross. Tell a child that they are drawing a cross on themselves.
Give instructions while facing them, but don’t make the sign of the cross yourself; the mirror image will confuse them.
Tell them starting with their right hand, fingers together, touch their forehead; chest; cross the hand over to the left shoulder and then back “home” again to the right shoulder; and end with both hands together.
My Finger Prayer
Here is a prayer that uses the child’s hand as a reminder of what to pray for.
My thumb is closest to my heart – pray for my family.
My index finger points out things we don’t always see; it instructs me – pray for teachers.
My middle finger stands taller than the rest – remember to pray for the president and leaders around the world.
My ring finger is weak and cannot stand alone well – pray for the weak and the sick.
My pinkie finger is the smallest – remember to pray for myself.
The Lord’s Prayer with Motions
Hand motions and actions are helpful for remembering words to a prayer. Here are suggested motions for the Our Father.
Our Father (reach your right hand up as if you’re grasping an adult’s hand high up)
Who art in heaven (raise both hands up high)
Hallowed by thy name (bring hands together palm-to-palm in front of chest, as if in prayer)
Thy Kingdom come (raise outstretched hands above head in a V shape and spin all the way around)
Thy will be done (cross arms in front of chest and bow head)
On earth (point open hands down toward the earth)
As it is in heaven (swoop hands both up over head)
Give us this day our daily bread (pretend to eat a piece of bread)
And forgive us our trespasses (pretend to wash hands)
As we forgive those who trespass against us (pretend to wash hands of person beside you)
And lead us not into temptation (hold flat palm out in front of body in a “stop” gesture)
But deliver us from evil (hug yourself)
Songs of Praise for Children
Singing is a great way to pray with little children. They can easily learn words put to simple tunes.
Singing to God is a way of praying to Him. Simple songs such as "Jesus Loves Me," "God is Love," "He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands," "When the Saints Go Marching In" and "Go Tell it on the Mountain" are easy for a child to learn. And is there anything cuter than a child singing about Jesus?
For more ways to teach prayer, see Teaching Prayer: How to Introduce Types of Prayer to Children and Teens.
For ideas for prayer tables in your classroom, see Prayer Tables: Setting Aside a Place to Pray.
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