Kids Church Lessons on Prayer: 6 Bible Lessons for Kids

How to use these lessons

Each lesson fits a 30–45 minute kids church: tell the story (read the key verses from the Bible), share the big idea, ask the questions, learn the memory verse, then do the prayer activity together. Teach them in order over six weeks, or pick the one that fits your Sunday. Pair them with a game from our games for children's church.

1. Jesus teaches us to pray

• Read: Matthew 6:5–13 (The Lord's Prayer)
• Big idea: Prayer is talking with God, and Jesus showed us how.
• Tell it: On a mountain, Jesus taught His disciples and the people how to pray. Don't pray to show off, He said, but talk to your Father in heaven. Then He gave them a pattern: praise God, ask for His will, ask for what we need, ask forgiveness and forgive others, and ask Him to keep us from evil.
• Ask: Who are we talking to when we pray? What are some things Jesus said to pray about? Is there anything too small to pray about?
• Memory verse: "After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." Matthew 6:9 (KJV)
• Do it: prayer hand. Trace a hand on paper. Thumb: praise God. Pointer: pray for people who lead us. Middle: ask for what we need. Ring: say sorry and forgive. Pinky: pray for others. Pray through it together.

2. Hannah prays with her whole heart

• Read: 1 Samuel 1:9–20, 27–28 (Hannah's prayer)
• Big idea: You can tell God what's really in your heart, even when you're sad.
• Tell it: Hannah was very sad because she had no children. She went to the house of the LORD, prayed and wept, and promised to give her son to the LORD. God heard her, and she had a baby named Samuel.
• Ask: How did Hannah feel when she prayed? Did she have to use fancy words? What did she say when Samuel was born (verse 27)?
• Memory verse: "For this child I prayed; and the LORD hath given me my petition which I asked of him." 1 Samuel 1:27 (KJV)
• Do it: heart prayers. Each child gets a paper heart and draws or writes one thing they want to tell God. Pray over the hearts together.

3. Daniel keeps praying

• Read: Daniel 6 (Daniel in the lions' den)
• Big idea: Keep praying to God, even when it's hard.
• Tell it: A law said no one could pray to anyone but the king. Daniel went home, opened his windows toward Jerusalem, and kneeled and prayed three times a day, as he always had. He was thrown into the lions' den, and God sent His angel to shut the lions' mouths.
• Ask: Why didn't Daniel stop praying? What did Daniel do besides ask for things (he "gave thanks," verse 10)? When are good times for you to pray every day?
• Memory verse: "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)
• Do it: three-times-a-day chart. Kids draw a morning, a meal and a bedtime picture as reminders to pray this week.

4. Elijah prays and God answers

• Read: 1 Kings 18:20–39 (Elijah on Mount Carmel)
• Big idea: The LORD is the true God, and He hears His people.
• Tell it: The prophets of Baal called on their false god all day, and nothing happened. Elijah had water poured over his altar three times, then prayed a short, simple prayer: "Hear me, O LORD, hear me." The fire of the LORD fell and burned up everything, even the water in the trench. The people cried, "The LORD, he is the God!"
• Ask: Whose prayer was long and loud? Whose was short? Did God need a long prayer to answer? What did the people learn?
• Memory verse: "…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16 (KJV)
• Do it: popcorn prayers. Kids "pop up" one at a time with a one-sentence prayer. Short prayers are real prayers.

5. The church prays for Peter

• Read: Acts 12:1–17
• Big idea: God's people pray for each other, and God works.
• Tell it: King Herod put Peter in prison, chained between two soldiers. "Prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." An angel woke Peter, his chains fell off, and he walked out. He knocked at the house where they were praying. A girl named Rhoda was so glad she forgot to open the door!
• Ask: What was the church doing while Peter was in prison? Why were they surprised when he knocked? Who can you pray for this week?
• Memory verse: "…prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him." Acts 12:5 (KJV)
• Do it: prayer chain. Each child writes or draws a person to pray for on a paper strip; link the strips into a chain and hang it in the room. Pray for a few links each week.

6. Paul and Silas pray at midnight

• Read: Acts 16:22–34 (Paul and Silas in prison)
• Big idea: You can pray and praise God in hard times.
• Tell it: Paul and Silas were beaten and locked in prison with their feet in stocks. At midnight they prayed and sang praises to God, and the other prisoners heard them. Suddenly a great earthquake opened every door and loosed everyone's bands. The jailer and his house believed and were baptized that same night.
• Ask: Where were Paul and Silas when they prayed and sang? Who was listening? What can you do when you feel scared or sad?
• Memory verse: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6 (KJV)
• Do it: thank-you list. Before asking for anything, kids list five things to thank God for. Then pray, and sing a praise song together.

Simple ways to keep kids praying

• Prayer wall: a poster where kids add sticky notes with requests, and move them to a "God answered!" side.
• Pray in Jesus' name: teach kids to end their prayers in Jesus' name. Jesus said, "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it" (John 14:14).
• Let kids lead: one child prays to open, one to close, every week.