Prayer Crafts for Children
Children are naturally creative, and many love to create things. Simple, hands-on crafts can be an excellent way to reinforce the prayer lesson taught during class. Many crafts can be adapted to fit the teachings on prayer. Following are a few ideas:
- Prayer Journal - It’s never too early to begin teaching children to journal their prayers. You can encourage them to begin a prayer journal by having them decorate their own special journal to take home and write/draw their prayers in. This can be as simple as 3-4 sheets of paper folded in half inside of a piece of colored paper and stapled or tied together in the middle. Then the children can use colored pencils, stickers, stamps, small nature objects, etc. to personalize the cover. Pre-made journals can also be purchased for a low price online. Another option are these Children's Prayer Journals that you can download and print.
- Prayer Bookmarks - Print these bookmarks on cardstock and cut them apart. Then have the children decorate each one with crayons, stickers, paints, etc. Gather all the bookmarks at the end and have the children pray for the people who will be receiving them. Then have the children each take home a few to give to the people they love and tell them they are praying for them.
- Prayer Books - This works well when you have been teaching children about the various aspects of prayer. Each different color of paper can represent a different part of prayer. For example, yellow = praise, red = confession, blue = requests, and green = thanksgiving. Cut heavy colored paper of your chosen colors into quarters (approximately 4”x6” works well). Then have the children assemble the books in order. You may want to give the children several pages of each color so they can write their prayers of each type on the pages at home. Punch holes in the sides and use heavy string or yarn to tie the books together.
- Decorated, Framed Memory Verses - Simple wooden frames can be purchased cheaply in many places. If pre-made frames are unavailable, you can cut frames out of cardboard for the children to decorate. Print the memory verse to fit in the frame, and then let the children decorate the frames. Frames can be decorated with old puzzle pieces, stickers, markers, beads, buttons, dry pasta or beans/grains, ribbons, etc. The options are endless.
- Illustrated Memory Verses - Another option is to have the children illustrate their memory verses. Give them paper and art supplies and ask them to illustrate the meaning of the verse. These illustrations can be as simple or elaborate as the children want to make them. My children have enjoyed illustrating verses in the free program design program Canva. Use this template if you'd like to try Canva. It is set up so that you can create a front and back to your memory verse cards. The first four pages are included as samples. Feel free to add as many pages and scriptures as you like. We have found that creating and using illustrated memory verses is a very effective way to visualize and memorize God's Word.
- Prayer Request Jar - Give each child a small jar or box and let them decorate it with brightly colored bits of paper, stickers, ribbon, etc. Then give each child 10+ popsicle sticks to write/draw their prayer requests on. Teach the children to pray daily for each request as they take the popsicle sticks out of the jar one by one.
- Drawings - Children are naturally artistic and most children love to draw and color. Give the children art supplies and paper and set them free to draw their prayers. You can tailor this to fit with the different aspects of prayer if desired. For example, have the children draw pictures of:
- Things for which they want to thank God
- What they love about God
- Something special God has given them
- Something bad they did (when the children are finished with their drawings, you can burn them as an example of how Jesus forgives our sins, and they are gone forever)
- Someone or something for whom they want to pray
- Jesus doing something with them
- Prayer Box – Give each child a box to personalize with decorations. Then add things to the box that will help them remember the different elements of prayer. Prayer requests and answers to prayer, and Bible promises can also be kept in the prayer box. You can make these as simple or as elaborate as you like.
Do you have any great ideas for a prayer craft? Please send your ideas to me at [email protected]. Send pictures and instructions if possible and I’ll add them here so others can enjoy them.