| Object Prayers
Purpose
Children often need concrete objects to help them focus
on God. Object prayers use objects to help children focus on God and
extend the time they pray by giving structure to it.
Babies
Infants are soaking up
their surroundings. It is important to place objects of faith, hope and
love around them either as toys they can chew on (such as bean bags),
or wall hangings such as pictures and crosses. These are a your prayer
for your child and they will shape them.
Toddlers
Lay several objects
out in front of them. For example, a sun, flower, pictures of the
family, etc. Say a prayer using those objects. As they hear of the
object have them pick it up and hold it until the next object is
mentioned. Then allow them to say the prayer while you pick up the
objects. -
Make a prayer box and each day write a prayer desire and place it in the box to be prayed about all day.
-
Get a pillow and ask God to bless it. Place the pillow next to your
child each time they sleep as a prayer for God’s light to surround them.
Elementary
- Have them decorate a prayer pillow with a pocket to place their prayers in.
- Using
a box with clouds on the outside and a silver inside–discuss what sad
darkness the child is facing. Write down the prayer desire and place it
the box symbolizing that God hears our prayers even in times of
darkness.
- Using
the outline of a person, allow the child to draw their hurts on it
(broken heart, upset stomach) and then pray for that place in their
body and for the stress that is causing it.
- Lay
several objects in front of the child and ask them to choose one that
symbolizes their situation. Allow them to pray while holding it.
- Using
two paper plates (the top one has a hole cut in it like a slice of
pizza) have the child draw prayer issues on the bottom plate. Turn the
top plate so the prayer issues will appear one at a time to be prayed
about.
- Give
the child clay and have them make a symbol of what they would like to
pray about, make it and use it to pray. Perhaps you can start with
forming the issue and then mold it into a hopeful situation. For
example: A child worried about school might make a school building and
transform it into a sun or am “A” grade.
- Show
them a picture with lots of faces with different emotions on them. Have
them identify which emotion they feel and have them, while focusing on
the picture, pray about it.
- Have
a box with prayers of hope, affirmation, and care written and placed in
it. Encourage the child to read through them and find one that they
would like to claim as their own prayer. Pray it several times.
Encourage the child to write their own prayer to place in the box.
Early Teen
You may do the prayers above and add the following:
Have them bring objects from home and use them to tell you about God and then to hold while praying.
Art of any kind could be used to allow them to make their symbol of focus.
Extras for Object prayers
Remember that any time a child can hold and object it will help them to pray and focus easier.
Try not to use objects that a child will want to put in their mouth. We
don’t want to have to correct a child during prayer time!
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