Teaching Your Kids to Pray Using the Lord’s Prayer

As parents, one of the sweetest gifts we can give our kids is helping them learn how to talk to God. But if we’re honest, prayer can feel a little abstract to children. They may wonder “What do I say? Am I doing it right?” In this week’s blog we give you a simple way to teach your kids how to pray.

One simple way to explain prayer to kids is this: Prayer is like sending a letter to God.

When we write a letter we greet the person and share what’s on our hearts. Sometimes we ask for help and sometimes we say we’re sorry. Jesus knew we would need help knowing what to put in our “letters to God,” so He gave us a model prayer called the Lord’s Prayer, found in chapter 6 of the book of Matthew. In MecKidz, we use the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) which is written in an easy-to-understand way for kids. Here is a simple way to teach your kids how to pray.

1. Start with Praise

“Our Father in heaven, may your name be honored.” 

Ask your kids: What does it mean to honor someone?

To honor God’s name means we praise Him. We tell Him how great He is. We thank Him for being loving, powerful, kind, and faithful. When your kids pray, encourage them to begin by saying something good about God:

• “God, You are amazing.”
• “Thank You God for loving me.”
• “God, You are strong and good.”

Prayer starts with praise.

2. Ask for Help Living God’s Way

“May your kingdom come. May what you want to happen be done on earth as it is done in heaven.”

This part reminds us that God’s way is best. When we pray this, we’re asking God to help us live the way He wants us to live.

You can explain it like this: “God, help me choose what You want instead of what I want.”

That might look like:

• Asking for help being kind.
• Asking for help telling the truth.
• Asking for help obeying quickly.

Prayer helps align our hearts with God’s heart.

3. Ask for What We Need

“Give us today our daily bread.”

Daily bread was the food people needed to live. But we can ask God for anything we truly need. Encourage your kids to bring their needs to God:

• Help with a test.
• Courage at school.
• Healing when they’re sick.
• Peace when they’re worried.

God cares about both big and small needs.

4. Say “I’m Sorry”

“And forgive us our sins.”

Prayer is also a time to confess. When your kids mess up (and we all do), remind them that they can talk to God about it. They can pray:

• “God, I’m sorry for being unkind.”
• “Please forgive me for not listening.”

This teaches humility and reminds them of God’s grace.

5. Choose to Forgive Others

“Just as we also have forgiven those who sin against us.”

This part can be challenging — but it’s so important. Not only do we ask God to forgive us, but we also choose to forgive others. Prayer becomes a place where anger and bitterness softens. You might guide your child to pray:

• “God, I forgive my friend for hurting my feelings.”
• “Help me not stay mad.”

Forgiveness frees their hearts.

6. Ask for Strength Against Temptation

“Keep us from sinning when we are tempted. Save us from the evil one.”

Kids face temptation every day — to lie, to cheat, to exclude someone, to disobey. Teach them to ask God for strength:

• “Help me say no to wrong choices.”
• “Give me courage to do what’s right.”

Prayer becomes their defense and their strength.

Let’s Put It All Together

When you look at the Lord’s Prayer as a whole, it gives your kids a beautiful outline for their “letter” to God:

• Praise God
• Ask for help living His way
• Ask for what you need
• Ask for forgiveness
• Forgive others
• Ask for strength to say no to sin

And here’s the best part: God promises He hears us.

In Book of Jeremiah 29:12 (NIrV), we read:

“Then you will call out to me. You will come and pray to me. And I will listen to you.”

What a comfort for our children to know — their prayers don’t disappear into the air. The God of the universe listens.

A Simple Family Challenge

This week, invite your child to pray every day. Use one part of the Lord’s Prayer each day. By the end of the week, they’ll have practiced almost every part of it. Even better? Start right now.

Pause. Pray together. Keep it simple. Keep it honest.

Jesus never asked for big or flashy prayers. He just wants hearts that are open and real. And when our kids learn that early, they’re building a lifelong habit of talking to their Heavenly Father.

If you would like more resources to learn the Lord’s prayer, check out the following MecKidz links:

• The Lord’s Prayer song
• The Lord’s Prayer Challenge: Can We Finish in 4 Minutes?
• The February MecKidz Memory Challenge
• Memorize it! 
• Table Talk 

 

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