Teaching Your Preschoolers to Pray: A Bible Verse Game for Preschoolers

Psalm 55:17 says, “I will pray morning, noon and night and He will hear and answer.”  I love how God’s Word is often so easy to understand – even for a preschooler!  Our little ones are becoming very aware of the different activities that are done at different times of the day.  So why not also help them to understand that while they are going about their business morning, noon and night, that they can also be praying?  Here’s a fun activity that will help them get thinking in this direction.  It’s called a “Do It With Me Story”.  I use these action type stories when I want to share an important truth in a fun and active way.  Simply read the story and prompt the children to do the different activities.

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Did you know that God loves when you pray to Him?  (Wait for a response.)  He loves it very much!  In fact, I think He would be very sad if you never took the time to pray and talk to Him.  Just the sound of your voice must fill Him with joy!  Did you also know that God wants you to pray to Him morning, noon and night?  (Wait for response.)

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He does.  Psalm 55:17 says, “I will pray morning, noon and night and He will hear and answer.”

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What are some things you do in the morning?  (Wait for responses.)  I am going to act out some activities you might do in the morning and I want you to guess what I am doing.  Everybody watch me!  (Pretend that you are waking up in bed.  Stretch your arms and yawn and roll the covers back. ) Ask, “What am I doing?” (Let the children guess “waking up”.) Say, “Good job!  You’re right!  When I wake up in the morning, I’m going to pray, ‘Thank you God for this day!’  Now let me see you pretend to wake up in the morning.  (Let the children act out waking up.)  Now let’s pray, “Thank you God for this day!”  (Encourage the children to say it with you.)

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Here’s something else I do in the morning.  (Pretend to brush your teeth.)  Ask, “What am I doing?”  (Let the children guess, “brushing your teeth”. Say, “Good job!  You’re right!  When I brush my teeth in the morning, I’m going to pray, ‘Thank you God for my strong teeth!’  Now let me see you pretend to brush your teeth in the morning.  (Let the children act out brushing their teeth.)  Now let’s pray, “Thank you God for my strong teeth!”  (Encourage the children to say it with you.)

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Here’s one more thing I do in the morning.  (Pretend to get dressed.)  Ask, “What am I doing?”  (Let the children guess, “getting dressed”. Say, “Good job!  You’re right!  When I get dressed in the morning, I’m going to pray, ‘Thank you God for my nice clothes!’  Now let me see you pretend to get dressed in the morning.  (Let the children act out getting dressed.)  Now let’s pray, “Thank you God for my nice clothes!”  (Encourage the children to say it with you.)

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We can pray to God when it is noontime.  At noontime, I get really hungry and am ready for lunch.  I am going to give you some clues of what I had for lunch yesterday.  See if you can guess what I ate.  In my lunch I had some meat that comes from a bird on a farm.  This bird likes to squawk and lays eggs.  What kind of meat did I have?  (Let the children respond with chicken.) Say, “Good job!  You’re right!  I had chicken and it was yummy, but before I ate I prayed and said, “Thank you, God, for my lunch!”  Can you say that with me?  (Encourage them to say, “Thank you, God, for my lunch!”)

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In my lunch I also had some orange things that are a vegetable.  They are very crunchy and sometimes look like long fingers.  What kind of vegetable did I have?  (Let the children respond with carrots.) Say, “Good job!  You’re right!  I had carrots and they were yummy, but before I ate I prayed and said, “Thank you, God, for my lunch!”  Can you say that with me?  (Encourage them to say, “Thank you, God, for my lunch!”)

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In my lunch I also had something to drink. This drink is yellow and sour and sweet at the same time.  I especially like to drink it on hot summer days.  What kind of drink did I have?  (Let the children respond with lemonade.) Say, “Good job!  You’re right!  I had lemonade and it was yummy, but before I ate I prayed and said, “Thank you, God, for my lunch!”  Can you say that with me?  (Encourage them to say, “Thank you, God, for my lunch!”)

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Now let’s pretend it’s nighttime.  (Stretch your arms as if you are tired.)  Oh my, I am getting sleepy, but before I go to bed, I want to look up at the stars and moon.  Can you count the stars?  Let’s count them together.  (Pretend to count the stars.)  When I look up at the stars, I can pray and say, “Thank you, God, for all the beautiful stars!”  Now, let’s all give a big stretch. (Wait for the kids to stretch.)  Now give a big yawn.  (Wait for the kids to yawn.)  Now let’s pretend to lie down on our beds.  (Wait for the kids to “lay down”.)  But before we fall fast asleep, let’s say, “Thank you, God, for this wonderful day!”  (Encourage the children to say the prayer.)

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