Purposeful Prayers for Littles

By Becky | January 23, 2025

Make time to pray with your littles. When purposeful prayer becomes a natural part of family life, children learn conversing with God matters. Quick “arrow prayers”, memorized prayers, requests for forgiveness, prayers of thanksgiving, and bedtime prayers to recap the day are ways to incorporate conversations with God into daily life.

Prayer Models for Young Children

• Scripture is a wonderful tool to use in prayers with littles. For example, Psalm 4:8 can be used at bedtime, “In peace Tommy will lie down and sleep, for you alone, LORD, make Tommy dwell in safety. Amen”

• Memorized prayers infuse prayer into a child’s day. Memorized prayers are an easy way for young children to talk to Jesus. Teach simple bedtime and mealtime prayers.

• Body prayers allow for a kinesthetic experience for children. Prayers for littles can be simple and powerful. Touch the mouth and pray for kind words to be spoken, the eyes to see those in need, the hands to help others, the ears to hear God’s voice, the heart to be open to Jesus.

• Alphabet Prayer. List God’s attributes in alphabetical order focuses on the goodness of God. Create an ABC book all about God for your child to illustrate.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

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Photo by David Beale on Unsplash

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