Are you wondering how to intentionally teach your kids to pray? Teaching children to pray is one of the most meaningful ways to help them build a genuine relationship with God. When you intentionally teach your kids to pray, you model a living faith that shows them prayer isn’t just a ritual — it’s a way to talk to and trust God in every moment. In this post, you’ll discover five simple, biblical, and practical ways to nurture your child’s prayer life so it grows naturally as they grow in faith.
Bulleted Overview of Main Points
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Start with your own prayer life. Kids learn best by example—let them see you talking to God daily.
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Model prayer in all situations. Let them witness you praying in joy, stress, gratitude, and need.
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Set aside dedicated prayer time. Create family rhythms that include prayer mornings, evenings, and one-on-one time.
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Use the Lord’s Prayer as a guide. Jesus’ example in Matthew 6 offers a perfect framework for children to understand prayer.
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Encourage private prayer. Help your kids develop their own personal relationship with God through independent “God time.”
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Bonus tip: Use simple tools like a Devotional Prayer Journal for Kids to build consistency and reflection.
When you intentionally teach your kids to pray, you are helping them learn to build a real relationship with God. (One of the most important parts of parenting!) It isn’t enough for them to simply know Bible stories or memorize verses, even though those are an important piece of helping them develop a relationship with the Lord. What matters most is that they know Him personally, and through prayer, their relationship with God grows.
But let’s be honest. Sometimes praying with our kids can feel a little awkward or intimidating. So where do you start?
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The good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated! You can begin today with these very simple tips.
How to Intentionally Teach Your Kids to Pray
A while back, I realized that I was really dropping the ball when it came to teaching my children how to pray and encouraging that aspect of their lives.
So, for the past few months, we’ve really been digging into praying together. I want to share five tips with you today that will help you, too, be intentional in teaching your children to pray.
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1. It always starts with you.
…you shall love the LORD
your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your
strength. These words I am commanding you today are to be upon your
hearts. And you shall teach them diligently to your children...
-Deut. 6:5-7
Have you ever noticed the order of events in this famous passage?
FIRST, love God with everything you are and keep his Word on your heart.
THEN, teach them to your children.
When it comes to intentionally parenting our children in their knowledge of God, whether it is about prayer or any other topic, it has to flow from a place a genuine faith in our own lives first.
That means, if your own prayer abilities could use some strengthening (and, let’s be honest, every one of us can improve in this area), you must begin there first.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Do a topical study of prayer in the Bible (this list is amazing, with all the instances of prayer listed)
- Set aside a specific time each day to pray. Use your phone alarm to remind you!
- Try a prayer challenge, like this one.
- Read a book on prayer. I’ve enjoyed working through this collection of works on prayer by Spurgeon and I look forward to reading this book on prayer by Tim Keller.
- Pray, pray, pray. Ask God to help you pray. Pray for the Holy Spirit to be at work in the prayer life of your family.
2. Model prayer in all situations.
Your kids will probably forget the lesson you did on the five steps of prayer (or whatever), but they will never forget seeing you pour out your heart to God.
They will remember when you prayed for them at night or when you dropped everything to pray for a sick friend. It will stand out to them that you stopped in the chaos and asked God for His grace in that very moment, or that you prayed for the Holy Spirit to work in their lives during moments of discipline.
They will remember a parent who turned to God in all situations and how you led the way. That is what they will follow.
Rejoice always, pray without
ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -1 Thess. 5:16-18
3. Set aside specific time for prayer.
Those spontaneous, throughout-the-day prayers are so important, but so is setting aside specific time to meet with God through prayer.
It is important to set aside time for prayer…
- By yourself
- With your spouse
- As a family
- For each child on their own
These daily or weekly “appointments with God” are so important to setting a routine of going to Him.
There are as many ways this could look as there are different families, but in this current season for us, it looks like set times to pray together, both in the morning during our family Bible time (see tips for starting your own family Bible time here) and in the evening before bed.
4. Start with the best prayer teacher.
Not sure where to start with teaching your kids more of the specifics of how to pray? There are a lot of different “methods” out there!
Personally, I’ve found the best place to turn is to the instruction from the One you are praying to:
Pray then like this:
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your
name.
Your
kingdom come,
your will be
done,
on earth as it is in
heaven.
Give
us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our
debtors.
And
lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.<sup
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory, forever. Amen”
-Matthew 6:9-13
We like to alternate between reciting the whole Lord’s Prayer (you will be surprised at how quickly your kids will memorize it just from reading it aloud together regularly!) and breaking it down section by section.
When we break it down, all we do is read a line or two, and I will briefly explain the meaning. Then, we will all take turns praying about something on that topic.
Having something to guide your prayer like that can really help those who are shy or uncertain of what to say – whether it’s the parent or the child!
5. Don’t forget to encourage your child in their private prayers.
Praying together is important, edifying, and necessary.
However, it is also important for your child to meet with God regularly without a parent as a coach or go-between.
When my son turned seven, I slowly started encouraging him in this in two main ways:
1. Set aside a time each morning for his own special “God time.”
I do not micromanage what he does during this time, only occasionally offering up suggestions. Gently remind him that it is his special, set-aside time to meet with and spend time with God.
This Devotional Prayer Journal for Kids is a great tool to keep kids consistent. Watch the video of my grandkids working through the first lesson by clicking on the image or clicking here.
2. Follow the Spirit’s prompting during parenting moments.
Meaning, sometimes, the best thing I can do in a moment of discipline or when my child needs wisdom, is to send them to pray and discuss the matter with God. Sometimes it can be scary to let go of control like that, but I have never regretted it afterward.
Quick Overview of How to Intentionally Teach Your Kids to Pray:
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Lead by example. Let your children see your genuine faith in action.
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Pray often and naturally. Normalize talking to God throughout daily life.
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Create consistent prayer routines. Dedicate family and individual time for prayer.
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Follow Jesus’ teaching. Use the Lord’s Prayer as a model for structure and understanding.
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Encourage independence. Give kids the space to pray privately and grow spiritually.
Teaching your kids to pray intentionally helps them develop lasting faith and confidence in God’s presence every day.
As you intentionally teach your children to pray, you will see them begin to develop a closer relationship with God, as they come to know Him better through daily communing with Him in prayer.
Action Steps to Intentionally Parent in the Area of Prayer:
- Set aside a time each day for you to pray.
- Pray out loud with your child nearby at least once this week.
- Learn the Lord’s Prayer as a family.
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Resources to Teach Kids to Pray
- 4 Simple Tips For Teaching Children To Pray
- How To Teach Your Children To Pray
- How To Teach Your Child To Pray: 5 Bible Verses to Guide You
- Devotional Prayer Journal for Kids
- Why And How To Help Your Kids Think God’s Thoughts
Liz Millay ministers to families through her blog, Steadfast Family. She graduated from Cornerstone University in 2009 with a degree in Youth Ministry and Bible. These days, she loves using her education and experience to help parents build strong families and impress God’s Word upon their children. She is the author of Play Through the Bible and four other kid’s Bible studies. Wife to Dave since 2009 and mom to three precocious little boys, Liz spends her days trying to find time to get the dishes done in-between play-doh sessions and puddle jumping. In her moments of spare time she enjoys being outside, reading, relaxing with her hubby, and spending way too much time on Instagram.”
