Prayer is powerful and effective (James 5:16 NIV), as Christian parents, it’s important to teach kids how to pray as they grow, making it a natural part of their lives.
James 4:8 NIV says “Come near to God and He will come near to you”
Prayer is beautiful. The ability to go before God anytime and anywhere for any reason is such a blessing. A blessing I want to pass on to my kids knowing how greatly it will impact their lives.
I want my kids to know that they have a loving Father in heaven who wants them to come to Him for everything and anything and that He cares about every aspect of their lives. I desire for them to want to turn to God even when things are going great and to know when things aren’t so great that God is right beside them and hears their cries.
It’s important to meet kids where they are, you can teach them how to pray in a child-like way and make it something they gain confidence in doing as they grow.
The reality is that we live in a world where prayer is needed immensely. We have an enemy, and prayer is a powerful weapon against evil, it helps equip us to stand strong against the enemy with Jesus by our side.
Teaching kids to pray while they are young is important because it will help them grow up learning the value, power, and need for prayer and making it a natural part of their lives.
Do you want to teach your kids how to pray? Here’s a list of 30 child-friendly prayers that kids can pray. These will help them learn about praying and see that prayer can be anything on their heart that they bring before God.
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Ways To Teach Children How To Pray
1) Pray With A Heart Of Thanksgiving
Philippians 4:6 NIV says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”
Teaching kids to pray with a heart of thanksgiving is a beautiful thing!
Helping them learn to thank God for everything they have, acknowledging that it all comes from Him. Coming before God with a thankful heart is pleasing to God, it’s the right attitude to have and it’s a beautiful part of prayer.
2) Praise The Lord In Prayer
Psalm 34:1 NIV says “I will extol the Lord at all times, His praise will always be on my lips.”
Another way to teach kids to pray is by praising God in prayer. God is worthy of our praise!
As Christian parents, we can teach our kids to praise God, to spend quality time before the Lord and sing praises, say words of praise, and give Him the adoration He is worthy of! Psalm 150:6 NIV says “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.”
We were created by an amazing Creator, and He is worthy of our praise!
3) Pray Continually
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV says “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
God’s will is for us to continually talk to Him in prayer, and constantly come before Him. He wants a relationship with us and kids can learn that prayer never has to end, they can continually pick up where they left off and talk to God!
Praying continually is important because we won’t always see the answers right away, but God is still working through those prayers!
4) Pray With A Heart Of Faith
Hebrews 11:6 NIV says “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
Teaching kids that in prayer they must have faith, and trust that God is who He says He is. Matthew 17:20 NIV says “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.”
Faith even the size of a tiny mustard seed can move mountains!
5) Pray For Others
James 5:16 NIV says “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
Kids can learn the blessing of praying for others!
An important part of living a prayerful life is praying for those around you, they can learn to pray for other people and they can see the beauty of being a part of the body of Christ, helping one another, and praying for each other!
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6) Pray Everyday, Anytime, Anywhere
An important thing for kids to learn about prayer is that they can pray every day, anytime, and anywhere.
When they understand that prayer is constantly available, Psalm 121:4 NIV says “Indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” God is there to talk to any time, He never sleeps and He never gets weary or tired, He is constantly available!
Prayer is available to them no matter what, God is a constant listening ear to their prayers!
7) Pray With A Pure Heart
John 4:24 NIV says “God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and truth.”
Kids can learn that God wants them to come to Him in prayer with a pure and truthful heart.
He wants sincere prayers directly from their hearts, He wants them to be themselves and come as they are, and share with Him what’s on their hearts, He can handle any feelings they have. God just wants them to pour their hearts out before Him, because He truly cares!
8) Pray For The World
1 John 5:19 NIV says “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”
Kids can learn that they can pray for the world when they see bad things happening and when they see people hurting, when they see homeless people or those who are sick, they can turn to prayer and pray for those people.
Because God loves everyone in this world, and God wants them all to come to know His saving grace.
9) Pray For Those Who Don’t Know Jesus
John 3:16 NIV says “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Kids can learn God’s love for the world, and how He created everyone and wants each person to know Him and the salvation He offers.
They can learn the power of prayer and how they can pray for the lost people in this world. Because prayer changes hearts and draws people unto God.
10) Pray For Leaders, Teachers, And Those In Positions Of Authority
1 Timothy 2:1-4 NIV says “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made for all people. For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”
Kids can learn that the Bible tells us to pray for those in authority positions, and they can know their prayers are never in vain, God hears every word and moves on behalf of those they pray for.
11) Pray For Those Who Are Sick
Psalm 103:2-4 NIV says “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.”
God is the healer, and kids can learn that they can pray powerful prayers of healing for themselves and others. When they are sick, they can turn to God in prayer, God cares about every aspect of their lives, and He is right beside them through it all.
12) Pray For Those In Need
Proverbs 19:17 NIV says “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.”
Kids can learn that God loves ALL people, and He has a deep love even for those who are poor and in need. A great way to be kind to the poor is to pray for them!
Prayer is powerful, and God hears those prayers on behalf of those in need.
13) Pray When You Have A Need
1 John 5:14 NIV says “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He heard us.”
Kids can learn that God cares about their needs, they can go before Him in prayer for anything, and share the needs in their life asking God to help them with whatever they are facing. God cares about every little detail of their lives!
There is nothing too big or too small for God, He isn’t too busy to hear even the smallest details. He is a loving Father who wants His children to share what’s on their hearts with Him.
14) Pray To Talk To God
1 Peter 3:12 NIV says “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”
Kids can learn that when they pray God is attentive to their prayers! He hears them, He sees them, and He knows their hearts. They can pray knowing that every word they speak is reaching God’s ear!
A great way to plant the desire for prayer in a kid’s heart is to bless them with a Prayer Journal just for kids! This one is a fun option including sections: Read it, Pray it, Draw it, and Do it!
15) Pray For The Future
Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
Kids can learn that submitting to God everything they do means God is directing them on a straight path! A big part of that is prayer, surrendering to God their futures, and trusting that He has a plan for their lives.
Though they can’t see what the future holds, they can learn to pray and trust that God is the one leading them and guiding their steps, and prayer keeps them close to God.
16) Pray For Safety And Protection
Psalm 46:1 NIV says “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”
Kids can learn to pray for safety and protection and to know that God is their refuge and strength when they are in trouble. God cares about them and watches over them, and He wants them to turn to Him as their ever-present help when they need it!
17) Pray For Wisdom, Understanding, And Knowledge
Proverbs 2:6 NIV says “For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.”
God is the giver of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, kids can learn that when they pray they can ask God to bless them with biblical wisdom, with the ability to understand what God wants them to know, and with a deep knowledge from Him.
18) Pray For Your Parents And Family
Ephesians 6:1-2 NIV says “Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother- which is the first commandment with a promise.”
Kids can learn to pray for their parents and family, that is a great way to honor them and bless them. Teaching them the blessing of praying for those they love is a beautiful thing!
19) Pray For God’s Blessings
James 1:17 NIV says “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Every good and perfect gift is from God! When kids realize everything they have is a blessing from God, it can help them appreciate it all.
God has blessings for His people, and kids can learn that they can pray asking for God’s blessings in their life.
20) Pray For Your Neighborhood
Philippians 2:4 NIV says “Not looking to your interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Kids can learn that their prayers are powerful and they can pray for their neighborhood and the people who live near them. When they see bad things happening nearby, they can pray and ask God to keep their neighborhood safe and for His protection over it.
21) Pray For Your Church And Pastor
Hebrews 13:17 NIV says “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.”
Kids can learn the importance of praying for their pastor and church leaders, along with the whole church family. They have a big responsibility and keeping them in prayer is a great way to bless them.
22) Pray For God’s Provision
Philippians 4:19 NIV says “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.”
Kids can learn that they can pray asking God to provide for them and their families. Everything they have comes from God and He is the one who provides all their needs. Acknowledging this is a way of worshiping and thanking God.
23) Pray For God’s Will To Be Done
Matthew 6:10 NIV says “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Kids can learn the importance of God’s will, and how praying that God’s will be done is a way to trust that He is fully in control and has everything in His capable hands.
24) Pray To Tell God How Amazing He Is
Hebrews 13:15 NIV says “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise- the fruit of lips that openly profess His name.”
Teaching kids that they can talk to God and tell Him how amazing He is, they can praise Him with words of adoration, and give Him the glory He is worthy of because He is the Creator of all.
They can pray just to tell God how much they love Him!
25) Pray For You To Grow Closer To God
Hebrews 6:1 NIV says “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death.”
Kids can learn the importance of growing spiritually and how prayer is a big part of that. They can ask God to help them grow in knowledge, understanding, and biblical wisdom so they can mature in their faith as they grow.
26) Pray For Your Friends
Philippians 2:4 NIV says “Not looking to your interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
Teaching kids to pray for their friends is important, friends are such a blessing, and being a friend means showing unconditional love and kindness to others. A great way to be a loving friend is to pray for others.
28) Pray, Because Prayer Connects You To God
James 4:8 NIV says “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”
Prayer connects us to God, He draws near to those who desire to be close to Him. Kids can learn that a powerful way to be connected to God and to draw closer to Him is through prayer.
29) Pray Using Bible Verses To Guide You
Hebrews 4:12 NIV says “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joint and marrow it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
God’s word is powerful! Kids can learn to pray by allowing Scripture to guide them as they pray, by praying Scripture verses, turning them into prayers over their lives. It’s a beautiful way to meditate on God’s word and pray at the same time!
30) Pray Knowing God Hears Every Word
John 9:31 NIV says “We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does His will.”
Kids can learn that their prayers are important to God, He hears every word they pray. None of them are in vain, God loves hearing from His children!
A Kid’s Prayer Journal is a great way to encourage them to take time for prayer and learn how to pray!
There are ways to teach kids how to pray that can help them see the power and beauty of prayer! The ability to come before God and talk to Him about anything, and knowing that He is a loving Father who cares deeply about every word they pray! As Christian parents, we get the privilege of showing our kids how to pray and live a prayerful life that keeps them connected to God. Prayer is powerful and effective (James 5:16 NIV) and it’s a blessing kids can learn from a young age and continue all their lives.
