Creative prayer activities for youth include playing games like Prayer Charades, Freeze Tag, etc. Prayer activities for kids help them build faith and habit.

Activities about prayer are an interactive way to teach kids about faith. Adding some creativity is necessary for them to develop a love for praying.

To develop a positive relationship with faith and beliefs, kids need to remember that prayer is something personal between them and god. Some might find praying a bit too dry, so games do teach children how to pray without it having to be too difficult or tedious.

These activities have prayer at the center of each game and can vary depending on what you want the kids to learn and their ages. It can include praying for each other, learning prayer habits, and praying for the family.

It can be pretty challenging to find activities for young ones that are a balance between learning and entertainment. They learn best through games and activities; you can incorporate them at home or in Sunday school classes.

Many schools and colleges organize various fun prayer activities for students on the occasion of National Day of Prayers that falls on May 2 every year. 

Here is a list of 20 prayer activities for kids and teenagers so they are more involved in their faith.

Charades But With Prayer

• Level: Easy
• Time: 30 Minutes
• Materials: None

Prayer activities for teens include Charades. Charades is a classic game; prayer charades add a twist to it with all things related to prayer.

It would be easy to split the group into two teams and help them think of ways to pray for others. Each team will act on things they are praying for.

In this activity, encourage kids to pray for those things that are weighing on their hearts. Although everyone has a different life experience, one can serve those around them and pray for each other.

Some examples include: Praying for a friend or family member, praying for forgiveness, and praying for a pet. They can also take some inspiration from the Bible and use words such as Garden of Eden, Bethlehem, The Lost Sheep, Noah's Ark, and Bethlehem.

You can also mix the concept of praying in any other games. We have previously listed some easy minute to win it games that requires no equipment. Give it a look to get some extra ideas.

Building Prayers With Legos And Jenga

• Level: Medium
• Time: 20-30 Minutes
• Materials: Jenga blocks or Legos

Prayer games for youth including both small kids and teens can be played with Jenga and Legos.

Building Prayers using Jenga and legos will amaze you with how quickly the children will want to engage with prayer. It is quite a creative and fun activity.

Write a word or phrase from the Bible on the wood blocks or legos. Some examples include Philippians 4:8 (all of the "whatevers" can be mentioned) and the fruit of the spirit.

You can build towers using the block; as you stack the next block, pray for each of what is written for a few seconds. Once you are done praying, put the block on top of the tower, and after that is the next person's turn. If you unstack them again, then pray again.

When it comes to Legos, ask your kid or teen to build things such as school and church, and then ask them to pray for the people in those places.

Five-Finger Prayer Game

• Level: Easy
• Time: 10 Minutes
• Materials: None

Another creative prayer activities for students and kids at home include Five-Finger Prayer Game. The game acts like a visual aid that helps them remember who to pray for. 

Younger kids actually understand nicely via games as it helps them to remember facts and concepts. In this activity, kids will have to hold their hands together and use each finger as a prayer guide.

You can also describe how each finger works while backing the prayer ideas. The thumb is positioned closest to us, the pointer finger is used for giving direction, the middle finger stands the tallest among others, the ring finger is weaker in comparison to others, and the pinky is the smallest one.

In the prayer, each finger represents people for whom you can pray. 

• Thumb: Pray for people closest to you, such as your family and friends.
• Pointer: Pray for people who point you in the right direction, such as school teachers and Sunday school teachers. Also, pray for wisdom and support.
• Middle: Pray for people that lead us, such as leaders of the country, presidents, and government. Pray for wisdom and guidance.
• Ring: Pray for people who are sick, in need, in trouble, poor, and in pain.
• Pinky: Pray for yourself and your own needs.

Drawing Your Prayer

• Level: Easy
• Time: 10-15 Minutes
• Materials: Paper, Crayons, and pens

Drawing your prayer is an activity for your kids and teenagers to unleash their creative side while being engaged in the faith.

Ask your child to paint something they want to pray about. For example, drawing a picture of mom, dad, family members, school, friends, pets, church, and their surroundings.

If your child is younger and can't make drawings or sketches, help them make a family tree out of fingerprints. Ask them to choose one person to pray for in the family each day. You can put their art on the fridge, which will encourage them to be more participative in the future.

If your kids are older, you can also ask them to draw fun patterns around prayer affirmations. You can hang them on their wall or stick them to the mirrors so that the kids see them every day and remember to pray.

Prayer Journal

• Level: Medium
• Time: 10 Minutes
• Materials: Papers, Pencils, Pens, Journal

Having a journal to log into the daily prayer activities will help kids form a habit of praying. Doing this will allow them to see in the future how their lives have been molded. Prayer journals have helped people have a positive relationship with the faith.

If your kids are too little, they can draw their prayers. If they are older and can read and write, they might be interested in writing letters to god. You could encourage the children to write the lord about their hopes and aspirations for the coming school year.

Some things to write in the journal include, What Am I Thankful For? Help My Mom To, Help My Dad To, What Friends Are You Thankful For? I Need Strength In, What My Current Struggles In School Are? Things I Am Thankful For, Confessions, and Prayers For Myself.

There are some amazing Prayer Journals for kids on Amazon with super fun and engaging prints.

Prayer Walk

• Level: Easy
• Time: 20-30 Minutes
• Materials: Walking Shoes

The prayer walks will teach kids about the importance of praying for those around you, even if you do not know them. It builds empathy and compassion among them.

Go for a walk and search for things that you are thankful for. For example, trees, parks, birds, smiles from other people, and blooming flowers. It teaches kids how to appreciate small things in life.

You could go on a walk around the neighborhood and pray for those who reside there. You can pray to keep them safe, bless them, and help the ones in need.

Silent prayer walks can be fun as you can just be with your thoughts and prayers. You can ask the kids about their experience once the activity is over. You can also ask questions such as "What did you learn from this method of praying?" "How did the walk change the way you viewed people?" and "What were the feelings you experienced during the prayer walk?"

This activity does not have to be long; the kids can also go for a 20-30-minute walk. It is an amazing way to go outside, get active, and come back with a refreshed mind.

Prayers By Flying Airplane

• Level: Easy
• Time: 20-30 Minutes
• Materials: Pencils and Paper

Airplane prayers is a creative yet fun game to teach younger ones about faith and how to pray. You can involve as many kids as you want in this game, as it is better when done with a group.

Have the children spread out across the room and make each one of them write down their prayers on a piece of paper. They must fold them into paper airplanes and fly them across the room.

Once the planes have landed, they need to pick whichever is nearest them. Open to see what is written on them, and it will be their prayer for the day.

Another way to do this activity is to give your kids a piece of paper and have them write something they want other people to pray for them. This request could be help with exams and test papers at school or something very close to their heart.

They have to then make the paper into an airplane and have it fly in different directions. They will pick up an airplane and then pray for that person.

Balloon Darts Prayer Game

• Level: Easy
• Time: 30 Minutes
• Materials: Paper, Pencils, Dart Board, Balloons

Balloon Darts is a fun game for kids of all ages. Praying with the help of balloon darts is surely an entertaining yet learning activity.

Ask the children to write down their prayers on a piece of paper. Each paper piece has to go into a balloon, which will be blown and then put on a dart board. 

After there are enough balloons on the board, children should try to pop one balloon at a time with the help of a dart. Once it is popped, do pick it up the prayer that came out of the balloon and pray it before another balloon is popped.

Connect The Dots

• Level: Medium
• Time: 15-20 Minutes
• Materials: Crayons, Paper, Pencil

Connect the dots is an enjoyable game, and you can teach kids why praying is crucial through it. It can help kids understand that god is with us every step of our lives and why faith is important.

Ask the children to draw a picture of something they want, but do mention that they need to draw the outline in dots, just like in the connect the dots activity sheets.

You need to explain to the kids that the outlines symbolize prayers in our life. The prayers are just like the outlines in our life, and whatever we pray for is what we feel is important to us. God helps us draw a new picture in our life by connecting the dots.

If your kids are younger, you can print out a connect a dots sheet of children praying and praying hands. They can connect the lines in the sheets and even color them.

Counting Your Blessings

• Level: Medium
• Time: 20-30 Minutes
• Materials: Paper, Pencils, Pens, Glue, Scissors

This is a little game to show your gratitude towards life and your surroundings. If your kids are into the alphabet game, you can ask them to list their blessings, one for each letter of the alphabet. It helps the young ones be grateful for all the good things in their lives.

Another way is for children to draw pictures of the blessings they think they have in their lives. It can include family members, favorite food, favorite place, pets, and anything that comes to their hearts.

Afterward, they can cut those drawings and put them on the board or the fridge to remember and think about them. Ask them to pray and thank god for the blessings in life.

Prayer Time, Service Time

• Level: Easy
• Time: 20 Minutes
• Materials: None

Prayer Time, Service Time is just like "Red Light, Green Light," but with a little twist.

The children have to stand at an appropriate distance from the leaders, teachers, or parents, who will be present at the front of the room. Instead of saying the regular "red light, green light," you can call "prayer time, service time."

When "service time" is shouted, the children will help other kids next to them move ahead, whereas when "prayer time" is called, they can pray in their hearts. They are able to move only if they are willingly helping someone in the game.

You can play a couple of rounds of the game and talk about what kinds of prayers can be said. This game also teaches that service and helping others are often how our prayers are answered.

Do remember that this game is to encourage one another rather than race against each other. Everyone has the chance to win and say their prayers.

Freeze Tag

• Level: Easy
• Time: 10-20 Minutes
• Materials: Play Area or an outdoor field.

Freeze Tag teaches children and teenagers about the various types of prayers. It can be played how you would typically play freeze tag, but some rules are slightly altered.

When one of the kids is tagged, they have to say out loud a specific prayer or verse they pray. They are not obligated to say the prayer aloud if they are not comfortable praying in front of other people. However, they can tell a blessing in their hearts.

Some of the options for the prayers can include prayer for other people, food for the needy, and being grateful for snacks or meals.

Some alternate versions include Kindness Freeze Tag, where players can unfreeze a tagged person after saying something kind about them. Forgiveness Freeze Tag is when players can unfreeze a tagged person after saying a forgiveness prayer.

Fire Of Forgiveness

• Level: Easy
• Time: 30-40 Minutes
• Materials: Paper, Pencils, Campfire, or a safe area for a fire

Fire Of Forgiveness is an activity to think about any wrongdoings, or misbehavior kids or teens have done in their lives and then ask for forgiveness. This activity can be done after a sermon.

Talk about how everyone battles different sins in life and how we have to ask for forgiveness for from. This activity is amazing, especially for teens who have been struggling with praying.

They will have to write down something they need forgiveness for in their lives on a piece of paper. Then, ask them to pray over it, and then finally put the paper in the fire as a symbol of completely releasing it from their lives.

It will teach them the importance of having to pray and seeking forgiveness. It also familiarizes kids with the significance of being kind and compassionate to one another.

Red Rover Prayer Game

• Level: Easy
• Time: 20-30 Minutes
• Materials: None

Teaching children the importance of prayer from a young age can help them be closer to their faith. In this activity, make the kids line up on one side of the room. Ask one question, and if they agree, make them go to the other side of the room.

Some of the things or questions you can say include:

• I ask god in prayer to do well in school and tests.
• I ask god in prayer to help my friends.
• I ask god in prayer to guide my family.
• I am thankful that god gave us a beautiful morning.
• I pray that god will guide me and make my steps fruitful.
• I am grateful for the challenges and opportunities to learn.

Remember that not all the children will be moving, but there has to be a constant flow of back and forth. Offer a prayer at the end of the game and also help the kids pray.

Tying Tightly To Build A Prayer Habit

• Level: Easy
• Time: 20 Minutes
• Materials: Scissors, Yarn

Teach your child the importance of prayers to strengthen their relationship with god with the help of yarn. 

Make a child hold the end of the string of yarn and then go around their hands once. Ask them to get out of the bind or break the yarn. They will easily be able to do it. As the yarn continues to wind around their hand, it will keep getting difficult for them to break out of it.

At this moment, teach them how yarn symbolizes prayers and how the more we pray, the stronger our relationship with god and faith becomes. In this way, the stronger relationship they will have with god, it will be harder for sins to get into their hearts.

Prayer Scavenger Hunt

• Level: Medium
• Time: 30 Minutes
• Materials: Paper, Pencil

Prayer Scavenger Hunt teaches children to pray for people and the importance of having a strong family bond.

Gather some prayer requests and put them in a place where they can stand out and won't get lost. Hide all of those prayers around and let the kids go find the prayer requests. Once they find at least one, make them go to a quiet spot to pray.

Don't make the children think it is a competition, but rather an activity to pray and have a tighter bond with god.

Some alternative versions can be a nature scavenger hunt prayer walk. Children can identify various objects outdoors and pray for them. For example: If they spot:

• An airplane - They can pray for the ones traveling.
• Bird - They can praise the lord for the beautiful creation.
• Bridge - They can pray for peace and unity in the community.
• Bug - They can pray for those who are ill.
• Flowers - They can thank god for the earth's beauty.

The M&M Challenge

• Level: Easy
• Time: 15-20 Minutes
• Materials: M&Ms

This is a great ice-breaker game if your child is just starting to pray or they are not yet comfortable praying. In this activity, kids are going to require a small bag of M&Ms, and each color is assigned a prayer.

• For each Orange M&M candy, pray for those who are sick or hurt and need to be healed.
• For each Green M&M candy, name one good thing in your life: health, wealth, family, and friends, and pray for them.
• For each Brown M&M candy, pray for yourself and mention something that is worrying you, something you are sorry for, and something that you need help with.
• For each Red M&M candy, pray for those you love and ask God to comfort and heal them.
• For each Blue M&M candy, pray for your neighbors and friends who you know need a little help in life.
• For each Yellow M&M candy, pray for the leaders in your life. For example, school, church, and government.

Painting Prayer Rock

• Level: Medium
• Time: 30 Minutes
• Materials: Rock, Paint, Markers

This activity is great for older kids. Make them paint or decorate a smooth rock with some paints and markers. 

After they are dried, kids can put them under the pillow or in their room to help them remember to start and end the day with a prayer. Children need to place the rock in a place where it will act as a reminder for them to pray each day.

Teenagers can place them in their backpacks and lockers. If they are smaller, then one can also carry one in their pockets. 

If you do not know where to start, there are many ideas for rock paintings for beginners. Writing some mindfulness words or prayer verses on rocks can be very therapeutic. If the kids are quite young, they can write some words, whereas older kids can add their designs and art as well.

Hands Out And Heart Up

• Level: Easy
• Time: 20-25 Minutes
• Materials: None

Hands out and heart up are best played in a group. Divide the children into groups and have one person from each group hold up two fists, sitting down on their knees. Between the two fists, one palm has to be facing up.

The first kid has to say a prayer, and as soon as they are done, have them put one of their hands on the open palm of the kid who is going to be praying next. After this, have them switch roles, and each person praying can use the same method.

This is an excellent game to educate kids that god is like a friend we can depend on, and he is always there with us.

The Rainbow Game

• Level: Easy
• Time: 15-20 Minutes
• Materials: Pencil, Paper

This activity is a fun way for children to be thankful for the blessings in life. Kids can talk about things they are grateful for in the order of the rainbow. They can also write these down on paper.

As the children will be focusing on various parts of nature and their lives, they can discuss how important green things are in life, such as grass and plants.

When it is their turn, they can name at least one thing in the rainbow color order.

• Red: Apples, Ladybirds, Strawberries
• Orange: Carrots, Orange fruit, Pumpkins
• Yellow: Sunflowers, Sun, Dandelions
• Green: Grass, Leaves, Trees
• Blue: Sky, Water, Clouds
• Indigo: Blueberries, Night sky in the mid-evening, grapes
• Violet: Acai Berries, Viola flower

One child can share one of these examples, and then the round will continue with others repeating the pattern. Kids can also pray by being thankful for things around them.

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