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How to Teach Children to Pray: Bible-Based Tips for Parents & Teachers

how to teach children to pray

Are you wondering how to teach children to pray and grow closer to God? Prayer is an adventure—a life-creating, life-changing journey. That’s why it’s so important that parents, teachers, and children’s workers know how to guide kids into a life of prayer.

Prayer is the main avenue God uses to change us and to guide our lives. Richard Foster says it well: “Prayer catapults us into the frontier of the spiritual life.”

As Christians, we know the importance of prayer in our own lives. But are we using prayer as God intended it to be—the way to plug into his power? Corrie ten Boom offers a good word picture: “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” Consider that image as you explore how to teach children to pray.

Insights About How to Teach Children to Pray

A child’s heart is tender to the teachings of God, and young children are eager to pray. Prayer becomes a spiritual security blanket where we learn to turn to God and trust in Him.

Jesus is real to children as they get to know him as their friend first and then as their Savior. Remember: Kids are eager and excited to converse with Jesus!

Jesus Models Prayer

Through the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus teaches his followers how to pray. Children need us to model prayer for them because that’s how they learn best. Nothing is more effective than praying with and for your children each day.

John 17 reveals the progression in prayer that Jesus models. He prays for himself—that he might bring honor and glory to the Father. Then he prays for people closest to him, the disciples. Finally, Jesus prays for all believers.

Partnership in Prayer

In the Bible, we read about young Samuel, who hears God’s voice. Yet Samuel still needs Eli’s loving encouragement to guide and teach him how to obey what he hears from God. As parents and teachers, let’s embrace the God-given partnership we have in training children to hear and obey God. It’s more difficult today because our culture is so immersed in activity, saturating our senses.

How, then, can we hear God’s still, small voice? How can we train children to listen quietly when we’re bombarded by sound? We need to show kids how to listen to the silence so they can hear God. We also want children to learn to pray Scripture.

A good starting point is to read Psalm 46:10 to children and invite them to pray the first part of the verse quietly. He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

How Should We Pray?

Set aside time each day in your home or classroom for prayer. Begin by simply being quiet, helping children become comfortable with silence. Then they can begin reflecting on the presence of God, the person of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit and God’s Word.

Share a short Bible verse to reflect on, or a quality of God, or something Jesus said in his teachings. Or sing a short hymn or song and then ask children to think about the words during a brief time of silence.

Young children’s attention span is short, so keep the time for reflective silence age-appropriate. Perhaps start with 15 seconds, then 30 seconds, then one minute. Gradually add short increments of time as children mature. After a quiet time of reflection, lead the children into spoken prayer. This is a simple, effective way for how to teach children to pray.

5 Ideas for How to Teach Children to Pray

In my book Cherishing and Challenging Your Children, I share specific techniques and examples for how to teach children to pray. Use and adapt these with your kids!

1. Five-Finger Prayers

This simple idea also serves as a helpful reminder for adults.

“Wiggle your thumb and say something in praise to Jesus. This is our J.

“Wiggle your middle finger for O for others and pray for others: family, friends, teachers, pastors, missionaries, etc.”

“Finally we wiggle our little finger for Y, and Y is for you.  We pray for ourselves last.” (That can be confusing for little ones. You may have to explain that the “y” is for “u,” which is how they will hear it.)

We find JOY when we remember to put Jesus first, the needs of others next, and finally, ourselves. I admit I have to regularly remind myself of this simple method. Otherwise, my prayers begin to sound like a “to-do list for God.” This JOY system helps me keep my priorities in order.