KIDS ARE PRAY-ERS, TOO!
BY FREDI TRAMMELL

Let your young prayer warrior latch onto these ideas, and he will probably outpray Mom and Dad!!!

I’m a Soldier
At the dollar store, buy a bag of soldiers. These will represent the forces sent against us by the enemy. Give each child a marble to roll into the enemy forces. Count the soldiers that fall. After each roll, clear the battlefield of fallen foes. The child can lead in prayer against that many sins, for that many friends, or mix and match. If done in a group, more than one bag of soldiers may be needed. Discuss what the soldiers and marbles represent.

I Feel Like Traveling On
Taking a trip? Help your child map out the directions. Before a long trip, pray for the countries, states or large cities on the way to your destination. Towns or villages will suffice for shorter trips. Then when you pass through a place you’ve prayed for, take a minute at the city line to say a prayer for the saints there.

Picture This!
With a Polaroid camera, the child can take pictures of those people and places he wants to pray for. On the bottom of the picture, write a special need. Punch a hole in the top left corner; slide onto a custodian size key ring. This is easy to add to, and once they get started, they’ll pray through the whole ring.

Horse
Play this old basketball game using the word PRAYER instead. Whoever spells PRAYER first gets to pray for the salvation of a prominent sports figure such as Michael Jordan. Discuss why even famous people
need to pray.

I Am Blessed
Does your child resent having to make his bed or wash the dishes? If so, keep some magazines on hand showing under-privileged kids. Let the child sit down and read the article if possible; or read it to him.
Then as they return to their chores, ask them to talk to Jesus for all the children who don’t have a bed or enough food. You can be sure they will meditate on God’s goodness to them.

Prayer Tag
The object of this game is to show how easy prayer really is. Divide the group into two teams. This can be done with as little as two people, such as a parent and a child. Let the teams take turns being ‘God’ and the ‘pray-ers’. Each must ‘pray-er’ catch his counterpart on the ‘God’ team, either in a race or freeze tag or hide-n-seek. Give the ‘God’ team a head start. Set a time limit since some won’t be caught. Discuss how the game and prayer are different and alike. Then switch teams and let the ‘pray-ers’ be the ‘God’ team.

Power Darts
Cover a dart board with a butcher paper world. Label continents. Attach with push pins. Draw the circles over the world and write in points. Set a number to play to. Wherever a dart lands, the thrower has to pray for that section of the world. Whoever gets to the set number first wins the game.

Parents Need Prayer
Children need to know that their prayers are important. Make it a point to ask your child to lay hands on you and pray every so often. Headache? Busy day? Want to be a better parent? They might not know all
the fancy words, but they can touch Heaven with their faith. Afterwards, show your appreciation in a big way. After all, what’s more Important than prayer?

Anointing, Fall on Us
Using a small vial of anointing oil, the child can anoint all the pews in the sanctuary before church. Or if that’s a daunting number, let her anoint the pews where her peers sit. Other options would be to anoint
the walls and doors, floor, or other furniture. Be sure to teach her how to pray for the service as she goes along.

Charades
Write prayer words on paper. Tear into little pieces; mix in bowl. Have each player pull out a word and act it out. The person who guesses correctly gets to go next. Here are some words you may want to try:
cry
praise
ask
thank you
lift up holy hand
intercession
love
joy
talking
shout
He hears me!
sick
hurt
bow to your face
knees
friend
daily bread
Rose of Sharon
Morning Star
listening to His voice
burden
telephone to Jesus

THE ABOVE MATERIAL WAS PUBLISHED BY FREDI TRAMMELL. THIS MATERIAL IS COPYRIGHTED AND MAY BE USED FOR STUDY & RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY.