Prayer Games for Kids

Kids learn through play, which makes games a great way to teach children the importance of prayer. Teaching them about prayer through games will show them how to do it while making it fun at the same time. These games are good for Sunday school classes or for teaching about prayer at home.

Turn a game of sardines into a group prayer session by writing a prayer on an index card or other piece of paper. Give the prayer to the person who is chosen to be "it," and have the rest of the players hide their eyes while that person hides with the prayer. All the other players must try to find the person hiding. Once one of the players finds the hider, they must join him in the hiding place. Each person that finds the hidden players must also hide with them until all the players are packed into the hiding place like sardines. Once all the players are in place, they all pray the prayer that is written on the card as a group.

This game is like the game "Telephone," but with a prayer twist. Sit all the children in a circle on the floor or at a large table. Whisper a phrase that is based on prayer into the first child's ear. Some good phrases include "God will always hear our prayers" or "It makes Jesus very happy when we pray." The first child whispers the phrase to the child next to him, and they continue whispering the phrase around the circle until it reaches the last child. The last child says the phrase out loud. The phrase will most likely have changed while going down the line. Use this example to talk about how God hears what we mean to say even if we do not say it correctly.

Divide a group of children into two groups that are equal in number. Have them stand in two lines that are 10 feet apart and facing each other. Each person in one line should be given a piece of popcorn. The line of children with the popcorn should throw the popcorn to the child standing across from them, who should try to catch it. Write down the number of successful catches. The line that caught the popcorn should now move one step closer, retrieve any dropped pieces of popcorn, and throw them back to the first line. Continue this, marking the number of successful throws each time, until the children are standing face to face and can place the popcorn in each others' hands. Explain how this is the way our relationship to God works as well. The closer we are to God, the easier it is to reach him.