Teaching Kids about Prayer

I am passionate about teaching my kids about prayer. That’s because I want my children to know God personally, not just know about Him.

Bible stories, coloring pages, and faith-based cartoons are great tools to use with kids because they teach our children about God. However, it takes more than the knowledge of God to have a relationship with Him. When our children actually talk to God and listen for His voice, they get to know Him and His heart.

When I began teaching my kids about prayer, I explained that Jesus modeled prayer for us. He prayed when He was baptized, in the wilderness, on a mountainside through the night, when He was alone, in the garden of Gethsemane, and when He was transfigured.

Not only that, He demonstrated the simple steps of prayer, through The Lord’s Prayer, as part of the Sermon on the Mount.

As parents and caregivers, we can teach children that praying isn’t complicated. Based on The Lord’s Prayer I created a simple acronym to show my kids just how easy it is.

W –Praise God for who He is. Reaffirming who God is changes our perspective. (Adoration)

A – Ask God to forgive you, own up to your sins. Repentance removes any hindrance between you and God. (Confession)

T – Thank God for all He has done. Gratitude boosts our faith and confidence as we pray for the future. (Thanksgiving)

C – Cast your care. Make requests for others and ourselves. Sharing our burdens, needs, concerns, and even our desires gives control of our situation to God and invites Him to work on our behalf. (Supplication)

H – Allow time to hear from God. Pausing and being still allows Him to speak truth into your heart. (Communication)

In addition to that, I shared with my kids the book The Lord’s Prayer by Rick Warren. The vibrant illustrations of Richard Jesse Watson capture the essence of Jesus’ words. These images include faces diverse in age and culture which prompts my little ones to think outside of themselves when reading well known phrases such as “Thy will be done on earth”. As we read it over and over we are reminded how simple, yet meaningful, communication with God can be.

When our children pray, believing God hears their voice, it activates faith inside of them and honors Him. Thanks to the example Jesus set for us, my children can watch as they grow in their relationship with Him and learn to know Him instead of just learning about Him.

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Your Turn

How important to you is teaching your children about prayer? In what ways has the simple power of the Lord’s Prayer impacted you? We’ve love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Take a look inside The Lord’s Prayer…