Teach Your Children to Pray

Introducing the new 7-Day Prayer Challenge for Kids

Is there a better sound in all the world than the sound of a child’s prayer? Why is that? I believe it is because children have the ability to connect with God simply and effectively. There is something about a child talking to God that makes Him seem so real and tangible.

We would be hard-pressed to find a subject in the Bible of greater importance than prayer. If God’s Word is how He talks to us, prayer is how we talk to God. How can we possibly expect to have any level of relationship with God without communication with Him? Prayer is a crucial, central part of the Christian life, and it is just as applicable for children as it is for adults.

Once, after Jesus finished praying alone, one of His disciples said, “Lord, please teach us how to pray” (Luke 11:1). The wording of his request is significant.

He didn’t say, “Remind us to pray,” or “Encourage us to pray.” No, he asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Prayer is learned. Even many of us who have known God for years sometimes wander aimlessly in our prayer lives. And we often expect our children to know automatically how to navigate talking to God.

The Bible is very clear about why and how we ought to pray. What better time to learn how to pray than during childhood, when habits that will last a lifetime are formed?

This 7-day Prayer Challenge for Kids, based on my new book, I Can Learn to Pray, will teach children how to pray, how to listen, and what it means to draw near to God. We will tackle subjects like the importance of a thankful heart, how to “praise,” why we must confess, and where to go for help. We will talk about how to “be still,” we will look at the prayers Jesus prayed, and in the end, we will all be changed!

Not only will this book give children the tools they need to understand prayer, it will also help them grow in their understanding of God and build intimacy with Him along the way. Your child will need a blank journal, and will often need a parent to guide them through these activities.

Remember that your children are watching you. Seeing a praying parent can be a powerful experience for a child. Watching you pray will have far greater impact than any book they read or sermon they hear.

They will learn from you, and you will learn from them. I hope you will consider joining your child in this challenge!

In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (NKJV).

And oh how I love the next phrase in verse 15, which so beautifully describes Jesus’ connection to children:

And He laid His hands on them.”

I pray even now in my heart for your family and this journey you begin today . . . a journey that will lead you closer to the heart of God. May He lay His hands on you and your children as His Word becomes alive and His voice whispers to you. Let us pray!

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Get Your Free Printables

Sign up for the 7-Day Prayer Challenge for Kids to receive 7 days of daily prayers, 7 days of devotions, and 7 daily prayer challenges. Plus you’ll receive the bonus family reward chart to track your child’s daily progress during the Prayer Challenge for Kids!

Your Turn

Join the conversation about helping your child develop their prayer life. What tips do you have for other parents to help make prayer a life-long habit? How do you incorporate prayer into your family? We’d love to hear from you!