Prayers of adoration for children

1. Parachute prayers

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Everyone should be equally spaced around – and holding on to – the edge of a parachute (or very large piece of circular strong material). Place a foam ball in the centre and raise the parachute as one, launching the ball into the air. Whilst it’s in the air, take it in turns around the circle to say/shout/sing short prayers of praise and thanks to God by the time the ball lands back on top of the parachute. When each one says a prayer, everyone agrees together: ‘We thank you, Lord’. Make this a fun prayer time.

The physical movement of air provided by the parachute can be quite exhilarating and helps to show that praying does not just involve closing eyes and sitting still.

Examples could be genuinely anything! Encourage all to be creative and free in their thanks and praise:

For the air we breathe and for the life you give
All: We thank you, Lord.
For the people we love
All: We thank you, Lord.
For my favourite teddy bear/iPod/game
All: We thank you, Lord.
For trips to the seaside
All: We thank you, Lord.

You could also lead into the Lord’s Prayer by launching the ball up in the air with the parachute for each stanza/line. This allows the prayer not just to be rattled off but gives space and thinking time for each stanza/line.

2. Pass the parcel

Make a multi-layered parcel with a nice prize in the centre that the children will enjoy together. As each layer is removed, write on the next layer a suggested area for a one-line prayer of praise/thanksgiving/adoration – eg, ‘Thank you, God, for…’ (someone you adore, such as your parents or a hero) or give thanks for something (your health, your last birthday present, the beauty of creation, etc).

Music

Don’t forget to have some good uptempo music, preferably from the charts, that is suitable and appropriate – if nothing is suitable, a good example would be ‘Celebration’ by Kool & the Gang. Make sure everyone gets ‘a turn’.

3. Brick-shaped prayers

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Invite everyone to write or draw something that they want to thank God for on Post-it notes or preferably brick-shaped coloured rectangles. Create an outline on the wall on a very large piece of paper – eg, of a house or the shape of your village/town. The children can stick their prayers on this each week and gradually over the weeks and months build up a large collage/shape of their prayers.

Take it further

You could ask a local artist to help design a large outline for all your stick-on prayers of thanks, or you could have an outline of the local school, hospital or town hall where you could place your prayers of thanks for all the people who work there and for all that they achieve.

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