Prayer Ideas

Ideas to help children pray in a group.

Prayer for children around the world

A large globe or map of the world is a helpful tool for this activity.
Ask children if they know anyone living or working overseas including children.
They may know missionary families or people working for aid organisations. Ask
children what they know about children overseas. They may have seen news
programs, read articles in newspapers or heard stories about children in need.
Have children come to the front one at a time, place their fingers on one of the
parts of the world which have been talked about. Together pray for the needs of
children in that place.
The children might like to pray aloud otherwise the leader should pray and
provide some way for the children to respond eg Lord hear our prayer; Lord look
after these children.

Body prayers
Place three posters of body parts around the room. Each body part can be used
as an inspiration for our prayers. (Other body parts could also be used.)
Feet : Children can pray for God to use their feet and the feet of others to take
the good news of Jesus to others, and also to serve others by visiting those who
are unwell, going on messages for people, doing shopping, delivering gifts. (Rom
10:15, Eph 6:15)
Hands: Children can pray that everything their hands do will bring glory and
honour to God, eg helping others, doing what their parents and teachers ask. (2
Timothy 2:15, Eph 6:17)
As they pray, they could stand in circles of about five people, and put their hands
in the middle on top of each other. Whichever hand is on top can say a prayer
either aloud or silently. When they finish praying, they are to place their hand at
the bottom of the pile and the next person whose hand is on top prays.
Ears: Children can pray that they, their families and friends will hear the good
news and respond, tuning in to Jesus. (Isaiah 35:5, Acts 17:20, 32) They could
take turns holding a microphone (real or toy) and saying a prayer either aloud or
silently. When they are ready, they pass the microphone on to someone else to
pray.
Invite the children to choose a body part to use as inspiration for their prayers.

Lords Prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13)

This activity can be done as a whole group, in small groups, or divided so that
each group has their own activity/section to complete.
Equipment you will need:

Cardboard with words from the Bible written on it.

Small print out of words for children to have their own copy.
Crayons/pencils/textas/paint.

Instructions:

Read through the Lords prayer together.

Have the Lords prayer divided into smaller sections (as below) and stuck
onto larger sheets of cardboard or paper.
For each section then complete these three steps:
o Re-write each section of the Lords Prayer in own words. Write the
new words below the original words from the Bible.
o Use movement to act out each section.
o Illustrate or visually represent each section drawing it below the
words on the cardboard/sheet.
At the completion of each step, children can present and perform their
work and pray through the Lords Prayer in their own meaningful way.

Suggested Sections:
Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be your Name"
Your kingdom come, your will be done, in earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread
And forgive us our sins, as we forgive them that sin against us
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.
Amen

Other Ideas

Children love to write on a white board before they speak out a prayer
Dear God. On the white board they fill in their prayer
Prayers on butchers paper

Children draw around their 5 fingers of the hand and then write a request
on each finger. The hands get hung from string across the ceiling
Popcorn prayers help them grow in confidence. Each child adds a phrase
as quick as popcorn popping. Thanks God for..
Praying the Bible. Leader chooses a verse for the day eg In everything
give thanks Give the kids a copy of the verse and then start the list of
thank yous.
Conversational prayer. One student starts the conversation with a
sentence on a topic. The next student has to keep to the same topic until
they all run out of things to say and someone starts a new conversation.