June 22, 2026
Read the suggestions of parents like you who have found ways to help encourage their children’s developing prayer life.
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Some people think that infants and toddlers are too young to pray, but they’re not. Here are ways that other parents like you have incorporated prayer time with young children into their busy lives:
I want to teach my toddler that actions have consequences, but I also want to guide her heart in
understanding the greater lessons of repentance and obedience. An effective way to teach my toddler
these big lessons has been through a small timeout prayer.
At the end of every short timeout, we say a prayer. The format is simple and the same every
time:
—Beth Sickel
Praying with children can begin as early as birth.
—Karen H. Whiting
My husband prayed, “Dear God, thank You for this meal,” and continued until our 2-year-old squirmed, 9-year-old poked at his broccoli and 12-year-old looked bored. Our task was to get our toddler to sit still and involve the other kids in prayer.
“Dad,” our 9-year-old said, “when you pray, it sounds like church. I thought grace was short.”
My husband, who is a minister, was not used to giving really short prayers, but he promised to make the next one shorter. “Or, better yet,” he said, “let’s all take turns saying grace.”
I knew the two older boys would say really short prayers. That would help keep our toddler from moving too much, and the older boys would be engaged and more interested in family prayer time.
As our family began to take turns praying, we eventually found the best way to include our toddler. We had everyone hold hands. That kept him from squirming and included him in the prayer.
—Su Wright
Take small pieces of paper, and write names of 20 to 50 people you know. Some you will know well and some not as well. Try to include all the people who surround your children’s lives.
Fold the papers in half and put them in a bowl in the middle of the table. Every time you have a meal, let one child pick a paper from the bowl. Then, as a family, pray for that person, thanking God for the work that person does, how he or she affects your family’s lives and the pleasure you have in knowing him or her.
If your little ones are not talking yet, you can teach them “thank you” in sign language. Have them touch the tips of their fingers to their chin, move their fingers two inches away from their chin and then raise their right arm to heaven, which is the sign for “God.” In this way, even young children can thank God for the people in their lives.
Include People You Know
Include People You Don’t Know Well
—Chris Brack
A good way to pray with toddlers and infants and teach them to do so is to fold prayer into everyday life. Praying at meals, during family devotionals, before naps or bedtime, or even after time-outs are natural places for prayer.
One simple prayer to teach children is the Lord’s Prayer. Say a few words at a time and have your child repeat after you:
“Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
May your kingdom come.
May what you want to happen be done
on earth as it is done in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.
Keep us from sinning when we are tempted.
Save us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13, NIRV)
You may want to take some time to explain the meaning of words like “temptation,” “sin,” or “honor.”
Take small pieces of paper, and write names of 20 to 50 people you know. Try to include all the people who surround your children’s lives. Fold the papers in half and put them in a bowl. Every night, let one child pick a paper from the bowl. Then, as a family, pray for that person, thanking God for the work that person does, how he or she affects your family’s lives and the pleasure you have in knowing him or her.
This article is a compilation of articles written by various authors. The author names are found within the article.
Read More About:
Praying for a friend’s marriage doesn’t require eloquence, but it does guard that marriage against the demonic forces trying to dismember it.
Prayer is more than talking to God—it’s a powerful way to shape your children’s spiritual life. When you pray for them and with them, you give a lasting gift of faith and guidance.
A father’s prayer for potential dads who are considering or have been hurt by abortion.
