Prayer - Petition (Asking God for Things)
Use this video to guide kids through prayer. Here are some ways it could be used:
With each word that comes up yell out the thing you want to pray for as the video is going.
Read the video as it is happening and say “amen” each time the words explode.
Watch the video quietly. Ask the kids if there is anything they saw that they would like to pray about. Pray.
Idea 1
Play the memory game with the kids.
Start out with the phrase “It’s my friends birthday, I will give them a ….”
Let the first kid start “It’s my friends birthday and I will give them a (let them think of something to give their friend) a puppy.
Then the next kid can have a turn “It’s my friends birthday and I will give them a puppy and (let them fill in the blank with something to give their friend).
Keep going and adding to the list.
Once the game is finished talk about all the good things everyone thought of as a gift. We know how to give good gifts, we didn’t suggest giving out friends a rock or a snake.
Ask them if they know who knows how to give really good gifts. - God
Tell them that God wants us to ask, he wants us to pray and he knows how to give good gifts.
Idea 2
Play 20 Questions
Ask the kids to think of the best gifts ever.
Then everyone else can ask them yes or no questions and try to guess what they are thinking about.
Once the game is finished talk about gifts. Have we ever asked God for something? What are things that we could pray for.
Idea 3
Keep a prayer list.
Make a list of things to pray about.
Each week or day, pray for those things.
When prayers are answered cross them off the list and thank God for answering those prayers.
Idea 4
Talk about traffic lights.
Tell the kids a story about something you have prayed about and it either didn’t happen or it took a long time to happen.
Tell them that when we pray we don’t always get a yes (or a green light in terms of a traffic light).
Sometimes when we pray, God gives us a no (red light). We don’t know why, but God is big and smart and still has everything under control and He still loves us. We should keep praying.
Sometimes when we pray, God gives us a wait (yellow light). We don’t always know why, but God is still big and smart and has everything under control and He still loves us. We should keep praying.
Sometimes when we pray, God gives us a yes (green light). We don’t know why, but God is big and smart and has everything under control and He still loves us. We should thank Him for his gifts.