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Encourage Children to Pray in Preschool Sunday School

by Denise Oliveri
8/08/2008 / Education

Do you know some adults who have a hard time praying in church or at a Bible study? Sometimes this is because they are new Christians and that is understandable. Other times it stems from the fact that they never really learned how to pray properly or are just embarrassed that they will not say the right things. Why not teach children how to pray as early as preschool in your Sunday school class? Growing up with prayer makes it much easier to transition this habit into adulthood.

The first thing that needs to be said about this subject is you should never force a child to pray. It is a skill that develops over time and at one's own pace. Prayer helps develop a personal relationship with God, and even if a child won't say a prayer out loud, you can feel comfortable knowing that she is praying silently to Him.

Take the time to explain to your Sunday school class about the importance of prayer. Sure they are little kids, but they understand much more than they are willing to let on. You can challenge their understanding of prayer by asking thoughtful questions to see who can give the right answers.

Once you explain the importance of prayer, move on to teaching your class the Lord's Prayer, and how Jesus gave us this prayer as an example. It is based on the acronym ACTS (A adoration, C confession, T Thanksgiving, S Supplication). Have parents continue this teaching at home by handing out suggested activities they can do with their children to encourage them to learn the Lord's Prayer. Have small prizes available for each child that can repeat the prayer to you in class as an incentive to learn.

Prayer calendars are a great way to encourage preschoolers to pray. You can find these calendars at Christian bookstores or online. They make a great gift from you to your class, and each day of the year has a suggested theme or subject to pray about. Preschoolers will be excited about seeing what prayer the next day brings, and getting their family to pray with them each day.

Prayer walks around your church from time-to-time will give preschoolers a chance to leave the classroom and hit certain spots around the church where you stop and pray. For example, you might stop at the preacher's door and pray for him, or stop in the sanctuary and pray for the whole congregation. Give children the opportunity to offer a prayer out loud, if they want, and have them take turns at each stop along the way.

You are not trying to create prayer warriors at this stage of the game. But, your constant influence in these little lives will make prayer something they will never forget about. As these preschoolers grow older, they will always remember the teacher that taught them about prayer, and they will pray for you with thanks. You just never how many lives you actually touch, even the smallest ones. Prayer is important.

Denise Oliveri is the owner of Preschool Sunday School Central (http://www.psscentral.com). The site provides preschool Sunday School teachers wtih valuable resources to help with Bible lesson planning. Join our eBook Club today for a new eBook each month.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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