It’s difficult to pray as a family. If you manage to get everyone in the same room, paying attention to something other than a glowing screen, try one of these three methods to lead your family in prayer—and keep even the youngest believers engaged.

Sentence prayers

Young children sometimes need help knowing what to pray, but scripted prayers quickly lose their meaning and become repetitive. Stop just short of a script by starting a sentence and prompting them to finish it. This method provides the combination of structure and freedom that children need.

Use sentences like:

• “God, thank you for . . .”
• “God, forgive me for . . .”
• “God, help me be more . . .”
• “God, help my friend . . .”
• “God, give me the courage to . . .”
• “God, help me let go of . . .”

Highs & lows

Have your children share their daily “highs” and “lows” each night before bed. Share yours, too, and then pray about all of them together. This works with children of all ages. It’s simple enough for pre-K children to understand, and I’ve seen it get even the most stoic teenager talking.

Newspaper prayer

For older children, use a newspaper or a news website to lift their eyes to issues in the world at large. Take turns flipping through newspapers, and have every member of the family highlight one news item to pray about.

What techniques do you use to get your family praying together? Let us know in comments.