Learning to Pray Out Loud

Here are some simple ways to help children and youth to grow more confident about praying out loud. There are ideas for pre-readers as well as readers.  Hint – these ideas are for adults too. Learn together as a family:

1. Practice Reading Scripture out loud in the mirror. This sounds a bit silly at first, but you will find your confidence growing by leaps and bounds as you both see and hear your own voice saying the word of God.
2. Praying Scripture out loud to the Lord: Learning this skill also builds confidence and assures that you are praying the will of God. Choose a passage like Psalm 145 or Philippians 1:9-11 and pray it back to the Lord. You can change pronouns and put specific names into the prayers.
3. Echo Prayers: One person says a short sentence prayer and the next person “echoes” it. For example, a parent might say, “Father, thank You that our family loves You and serves You.” The child or children repeat this prayer. It helps kids get used to hearing their own voice, and it’s short and simple to do. After practicing echo prayers, the kids can begin to be encouraged to formulate their own short sentence prayers.
4. Pop Up Prayers: Have everyone sit on the floor. One at a time pop up to say: Lord Jesus, I love you because You are__________. You can do this starting with A and moving to Z, and make it a memory game. It helps
5. Fill in the Blank Prayer: Lord, thank You for_____________; or, Lord, I praise You for____________.
6. Talking to God Prayers: Talk to God without worrying about what others think – learn to talk to Him from your heart, just as if you were praying silently. He is your heavenly Father who loves you! Your prayers are not directed to your family members, but to God alone. You can talk to Him about anything – joys, fears, questions, relationships, etc. Practice this kind of praying out loud at first when you are alone and you will find that soon you will feel comfortable praying out loud with your family and others.
7. Empty-Chair Prayer: Put an empty chair next to you when you pray. Imagine that Jesus is sitting in the chair and you are having a conversation. This is a good way to feel natural and comfortable as you pray.

When you pray out loud, you will be blessed and encouraged, and your faith will grow! You will become more confident to pray together as a family.

Prayer Tip adapted from The Praying Family: Creative Ways to Pray Together by Kim Butts ©2003, PrayerShop Publishing