5 Powerful Bedtime Prayers for Kids

One of the most important things you can do for your children is to pray for them.  Whether you pray with them, pray while they are sleeping, or pray aloud where they will hear you, your prayers are powerful.  Your powerful bedtime prayers for kids will help your children learn to trust God for their needs and their protection.

Your children learn to pray by seeing and hearing the examples of those around them.  If praying is important to the people they are around, it will be more likely to become a life-long choice for your young children as well.  

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As you develop a bedtime routine of praying with your children, their simple prayers will help them give their worries to God, place their trust in Him and recognize the way He has taken care of them and provided for them throughout the day. Simple bedtime prayers can become the best part of your evening routine before bed as you guide your child and help them learn to ask for God’s peace for a good night’s sleep.

This is also the best time to help them learn to ask for forgiveness of their sins. Sometimes children carry a heavy load from something they have done or said that they know is not right. Family prayer time is a great time to confess your sins and claim God’s promise of forgiveness.

Bedtime Prayers for Kids

One part of your bedtime routine is to make sure you include time to pray.  Taking time to pray with your children at bedtime helps them to lay their fears aside and reminds them that God will be with them throughout the night.  

Spending time gathered as a family each evening to have family worship, will help your child grow to love Jesus and see this as an important part of their life, but it will also encourage a closeness within your family.  Your bedtime prayers for your little child (or your big child) can help you focus your attention back on God and lay your worries and concerns aside.  When Christian parents are trusting in God’s provision for your daily bread, a quiet sleep, and the other needs that you have, you will be able to have a happy home knowing that God is the center of it.  

RELATED: Family Worship with Kids

No matter what the day has been, you are teaching your child to cast their cares on Jesus and ask Him to watch over them through the night hours.  

When I am afraid, I will trust in You. Psalm 56:3

When you are having family worship, take time to help them memorize some scriptures to help them when they are afraid. Little children often have fears at nighttime. Filling their minds with promises and scriptures that they can repeat as they are going to sleep will help them focus on how God can take care of the whole world and take care them as well.

RELATED: Kid’s Bible Verses to Memorize

I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

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There really is no right or wrong way to pray as long as you pray to God.  He doesn’t listen more if you kneel down with your hands folded and your eyes closed than if you are tucked into bed, or picking up toys in the living room. The important thing is that you help your child take time to focus on talking to God throughout the day.  As they pray, listen to their beautiful bedtime prayer and encourage them in their Christian faith at the end of a long day to keep developing a habit of prayer.

Here are five sample bedtime prayers for kids.  

Dear Father in Heaven, Thank you so much for this child of mine. You have given them to me and I am so grateful. Forgive me for being short, impatient, or irritable with them and help me to be a better reflection of You to them. I pray that you will give them peace tonight as they sleep. Please send your angels to surround them through the night. As they are sleeping, mend their heart and mind and help them to forget the hurts or frustrations of today. Please bless them and help them grow up to love and serve You with their whole heart! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Dear God, You know what I need tonight. I’m tired. Sometimes parenting isn’t very easy and I don’t know what to do about this new turn of events with my child. Please guide and direct me as I encourage them, support them, and try to teach them to follow You. Please watch over us through the night. Thank You for knowing the end from the beginning and knowing that You love my child more than I could ever imagine, I want to trust in You in this situation. Please give us both the rest we need tonight as we sleep. Thank You, Jesus, Amen.

Father God, thank you so much for my child. Thank you that You created them and have a purpose and plan for their life. I pray as they sleep you fill them with sweet dreams of you. Protect them, guide them and help me to parent them the way you parent me Lord. I pray for the salvation of their soul and that their life be a beautiful reflection of the Gospel. I ask this is your name, Amen.

Mindy Jones

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for my beloved child and the gift of being their parent. I ask that you bless their sleep tonight. Fill them with peace, joy, and your presence as they rest. Please protect their mind from any negative thoughts, anxieties or worries that may try to disturb them. Help me to be a better parent and turn to you for answers on how to best raise my son/daughter. Father help me be kind and patient and not rushed throughout the day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Susan Davis

Dear Jesus,  Thank you so much for this beautiful day today.  The rainbow was beautiful and reminded me that your promises are always true.  Thank you for being with us as we drove to work and school.    Please be with our family (grandparents, cousins, etc) and keep them healthy and safe. Thank you for our home and our pets.  Please forgive me for …. today. Thank you for hearing an answering our prayers! In Jesus’ name, amen.

As you spend time in evening prayer for your children at night, remember, God doesn’t need to hear a memorized prayer to hear your desires or needs.  He just wants to hear you talk to Him.  If you are worried, scared, or lonely, talk to Him and tell Him about your feelings.  He’s the one who created you to feel things and He certainly understands those feelings.  

As you pray your bedtime prayers for kids each night, remember that God loves them infinitely more than you can imagine and He wants all those good things for them just like you do.  

Bedtime Prayers for Kids to Pray

There are some beautiful memorized prayers that have often been said by children going to bed, but saying memorized prayers to God is like quoting song lyrics to your best friend. Not always what they want to hear. These bedtime prayers for kids to pray are simply examples to help you guide your child as they learn to pray. Here are three example prayers.

Dear Jesus, thank You so much for being with me today. Thank You for my family and for my home and my warm bed. Please forgive my sins and anything I’ve done wrong today. Help me to make good choices to follow You. Please keep me safe tonight and help me not to have a bad dream. Wake me up in the pleasant morning light for a brand new day. I love you! Amen.

Dear Lord, thank You for this day. Thank You for a good day at school. Thank you for helping me remember my words on my spelling test. Please help me to be a good example to my friends and to make good choices. Thank You for sending your angels to watch over me tonight as I have a good night’s rest without scary dreams. I love You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As your child is learning to pray, you may need to prompt them and help them to think of the next thing to say.  But it won’t take long until it becomes easy for them to pray just as it is easy for them to talk to their friends.  Start with a short bedtime prayer until they are able to add their own praises and requests.  These good habits can provide wonderful ways to talk about the day and the things that happened before your spend time praying together.  

Listening to your child’s bedtime prayer can be the most beautiful thing as you hear their little heart express their love for Jesus.  When each of your family members spends time praying together, it creates a bond with similar moral values and a common way to face times of trouble.  As you pray, teach your children how to say the Lord’s Prayer, and use other scriptures in your prayers as well.  

If you are new to praying with your kids, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you as you teach your children the best way to talk to God.  

RELATED:  9 Easy Tips for Teaching your Child to Pray

How to Create a Bedtime Prayer Routine

Creating a bedtime prayer routine that is doable is very important.  You don’t want the routine to be too long and complicated, but there are always certain things that have to be done every night before you say your bedtime prayer and go to bed. 

Think about the things you, as the parent, do every night.  Which of those things also applies to your child?  As you create your list, make sure you add bedtime prayers to the routine so they don’t get forgotten or overlooked.  

The main thing is just to remember to pray every night with your kids and for your kids.  As you develop this habit, it becomes second nature as you end your day with a prayer for your kids.  Your beautiful child is a child of God and He wants what is best for your child and you.  His loving care is surrounding you every single day through the great things that happen and the struggles or challenges.  He will lead you to great exciting things with your children as they learn and develop their love for God.

You may also like these posts…

• Praying Moms – Using Scripture to Pray for Others
• Remain in Me – Lessons from John 15
• Joshua 1:9 Prayers for Courage
• Creating a Self-Care Life
• Praying Circles Around the Lives of Your Children
• 31 Bible Promises to Pray for Your Children

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