Helping Preschoolers Learn Bedtime Prayers

Teach Young Catholic Children How to Pray at Night

Aug 3, 2009 Genna Cockerham

Parents can teach preschoolers simple bedtime prayers to help them learn how to pray.

Parents may be uncertain when to begin teaching young children how to pray. Preschool-age children can be taught simple formal prayers and begin to learn how to talk to God. Bedtime prayers are a good place to start teaching because children are often more settled at this time of the day.

Teaching Preschoolers to Pray

For Catholic parents who haven’t already begun praying with their children, the preschool age may be the right time to begin. Preschoolers have a better command of language and are beginning to develop an attention span. Many of the challenges of putting young children to bed are beginning to pass by the preschool years, and bedtime is a more pleasant for everyone.

Children between three and five-years-old are having new learning experiences and adventures in preschool and may be nervous about these changes. Praying with preschoolers helps to underscore the family’s commitment to living a religious life. Saying bedtime prayers with preschoolers can give them comfort at bedtime.

Catholic Prayers to Teach Young Children

The first prayer children should be taught is the Sign of the Cross, after that it is up to each family to choose. Families who began by praying with a toddler may want to add more prayers to what they have begun to teach or they may want to begin teaching formal prayers.

The Glory Be to the Father and Angel of God (or Guardian Angel Prayer) are simple prayers, but preschoolers may be able to sit quietly through the Hail Mary or The Lord’s Prayer. Catholic families who want to pray the Rosary together should concentrate on making their preschooler familiar with all three prayers, taught one at a time.

How to Teach Catholic Prayers at Bedtime

With formal prayers, the adult should say the prayer for several weeks to help the child become familiar with the words and length of the prayer. Instead of expecting the child to say the prayer independently, parents can omit a word or phrase at the end of each sentence to see if the child is retaining the prayer. Families can add a second or third prayer at bedtime when they feel the child is comfortably familiar with the first one.

How to Pray with Young Children at Bedtime

At this age, the parent can begin to encourage the child to have some unstructured free prayer time. After the formal prayers are said together, the adult can say a brief, unstructured prayer. The adult may ask God to bless the family and the child, express thanks for the day or request God’s help guiding the family.

The parent can then ask the child if there is anything he or she wants to say to God. Children who are new to prayer may be slow to start but parents can suggest asking God’s blessing for each member of the family or simply saying, “God bless our family.” The goals should be to teach the child to become familiar with praying and to encourage having a thankful heart.

Catholic families who want to teach young children to pray can begin with simple bedtime prayers for preschoolers. Families can pick which prayers they want to use to start, but common suggestions include the Glory Be to the Father, Hail Mary, and The Lord’s Prayer. Parents can encourage children to pray by leading formal prayer, setting an example for unstructured prayer and allowing children to share their own thoughts with God during bedtime prayers.