20 Bedtime Prayers for Kids

Do you have a habit of saying bedtime prayer before going to bed at your home too? Well, if you don’t, you must know why it is a good habit to inculcate in your children. Saying bedtime prayers every night can help a child develop a habit of praying regularly and self-reflect on his/her thoughts, behaviour, and actions of the day. Teaching bedtime prayers to your child can be extremely beneficial. If you are religious and want to teach your religion to your child as well, bedtime prayer is a good way to start. Bedtime prayers for preschoolers and kids will not only help your child learn good thoughts but also remind them that there is a true friend in heaven who is mighty, believes in goodness, and does not fear wrong.

Read this article to find out how bedtime prayers can benefit your child and ten popular bedtime prayers you can teach your dear child.

Benefits of Bedtime Prayers for Children

Kids’ bedtime prayers are very beneficial for children. Some of the benefits of kids’ prayers before bed include:

1. Saying Bedtime Prayers Helps Reduce Stress

Studies have shown that spending some time each night on self-reflection and prayer reduces stress levels in both adults and children. Praying increases feelings of calmness and wellness, thus reducing the ill effects of stress. Prayers can also nullify the negative effects of stress on physical health.

2. Praying Helps With Self-Control

Research has found that people who pray regularly have better discipline and self-control than people who do not pray. Studies have also shown that children who pray regularly are less prone to throwing tantrums and are more disciplined.

Also Read: Good Habits – That Parents Must Teach Their Children

3. Praying Makes One Compassionate

Praying makes people more kind and compassionate. This is a value you definitely want to inculcate in your child. Studies have shown that regular prayer can reduce aggressive behaviour and prevent angry outbursts in adults and children. Praying for the needs of other people makes children more empathetic and sensitive to the feelings of people around them. Overall, praying makes kids nicer.

4. Praying Helps Develop Trust

Praying with your child strengthens the bond of trust and unity between you and your child. Praying with family members can help your child get closer to them.

5. Praying Makes One More Forgiving

Adults and children who pray regularly are found to be more willing to forgive others and are less inclined to hold grudges.

6. Praying Strengthens Faith in God

The best way for parents to inculcate and maintain their child’s faith in God is by having them pray before bedtime. Even if kids are unable to visit places of worship, due to school and homework, they still maintain a connection to God. Having a specific prayer time builds a habit that is likely to continue into adulthood as well.

7. Praying Builds Discipline

Praying every day builds discipline in kids, especially as their faith begins to grow each day. Maintaining a routine each day helps keep kids disciplined. Praying can have a great effect on children, especially if parents are having a hard time disciplining them.

8. Praying Sets a Child’s Moral Compass True North

A person’s moral compass is the internalised set of moral values and ethics he/she lives by. This is typically set during childhood, based on the beliefs inculcated in children and the experiences they have had. Praying sets a child’s moral compass north, which means their moral values are in the right place.

9. Praying Improves a Child’s Focus

Praying not only promotes good thoughts, but it also enhances the quality of focus in a child. Praying reduces stress, calms up the mind, and this de-cluttering improves focus in a child.

10. Praying Builds Positivity in a Child

While praying, your child will always have good thoughts to communicate with god. As your little one sleeps with a calm and positive mind, they will wake with a positive mood and eventually develop a positive attitude around them. This will also help them look at difficult things with a positive outlook.

11. Praying Helps a Child Physically

Praying is another form of meditation where you think of good things and try to connect with god. As you pray, you generate positive energy and help your body with reduced stress, a good nervous system, and maintained blood pressure, etc.

Also Read: How to Teach Your Kid to Behave Well

Simple Bedtime Prayers for Children

Here are some simple bedtime prayers for toddlers and young children:

1. Thank You, God!

This prayer is in the form of a rhyme and can be remembered easily by children. It is also simple and can be understood without difficulty. This prayer is about thanking God for all the good things he has provided. It goes as follows:

“Thank you God for the world so sweet,
Thank you God for the food we eat,
Thank you, God for the birds that sing,
Thank you, God, for everything!”

2. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

This is a very popular prayer that has several variations. Here are 2 versions of this prayer:

“Now I lay me down to sleep.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should live for other days,
I pray the Lord to guide my ways.
Lord, unto thee I pray, thou hast guarded me all day;
safe I am while in thy sight.
Safely let me sleep tonight.
Bless my friends; the whole world blesses;
Help me to learn helpfulness.
Keep me ever in thy sight,
so to all, I say good night.”

“Now I lay me down to sleep;
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
May God guard me through the night,
And wake me with the morning light.”

3. Hi, It’s Me!

This beautiful rhyme is a child’s bedtime prayer and can be easily understood even by toddlers.

“Hi, it’s me, just come to pray
And thank you for a fun-filled day!
You’ve been with me, so I know you’ve seen
All the great exciting things.
But also when I’m sad or cross
I know you love me, no matter what!
So help me rest and go to sleep
And feel the peace of your love for me.”

4. Dear God

This is a prayer for young children of school-going age and for a child who has had a bad day or is feeling sad or troubled.

“Dear God,
I’ve felt a bit sad today.
Sometimes people say things that upset me.
Sometimes I feel lonely at school.
Sometimes I feel misunderstood by my mum and dad.
Sometimes my feelings are all mixed up inside.
Please make me feel better.
Please make me sleep with good dreams.
Please make a happier day tomorrow.”

5. Father, We Thank Thee

This children’s bedtime prayer shows gratitude to God for showering his blessings on them. This prayer is ideal for making your child understand that it is important to be thankful for the good things in life and to be kind and loving.

“Father, We thank thee for the night,
And for the pleasant morning light;
For rest and food and loving care,
And all that makes the day so fair.
Help us to do the things we should,
To be to others kind and good;
In all we do, in work or play,
To grow more loving every day.”

6. Angels Bless

This prayer asks angels to watch over your child.

“Angels bless, and angels keep
Angels guard me while I sleep
Bless my heart and bless my home
Bless my spirit as I roam
Guide and guard me through the night
and wake me with the morning’s light.”

7. Lord in Heaven

This prayer asks for God’s care and guidance. It also asks God to bless all the people who love you.

“Lord in heaven, hear my prayer,
Keep me in your loving care.
Be my guide in all I do.
Bless all those who love me, too.”

8. When I See the Moon

This is an ancient prayer that praises God for his kindness.

“When I see the moon in the night sky,
I speak my evening prayer;
Praise be to the being of life,
For his kindness and his goodness.”

9. Lord Be Beside Us

This short bedtime prayer for a child asks God to guide and protect the whole family.

“Lord be beside us, all every day
Guiding and leading us gently always.
Lord be above us, help us to see
The hope of the future, of all we could be.
Lord be beneath us, carry us when
We’re too shattered or tired to really have strength.
Lord be ahead of us, smoothing our paths
Protecting and blessing the places we pass.
Lord be behind us, healing our wounds,
Forgiving our mistakes and making us new.
Lord, be within us, this family is yours
Now and forever, you are our Lord.”

10. God, Grant Me the Serenity

This prayer is for slightly older children and asks God for serenity, wisdom, and courage.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.”

11. Heavenly Feather

A grandmother wrote this beautiful bedtime prayer for kids, for her granddaughter.

“Heavenly Father, up above
Please bless this child that I love.
Let her sleep all through the night
And may her dreams be pure delight.
When she wakes, be by her side
So she can feel your love inside.
As she grows, please don’t let go
So she will know you hold her soul.
Amen.”

12. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John

This rhyme dates back to medieval times, and kids will easily comprehend this prayer.

“Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
Bless the bed that I lie on.
Four corners to my bed,
Four angels round my head;
One to watch and one to pray,
And two to bear my soul away.”

13. Child’s Evening Prayer

This prayer inculcates the belief in God despite not seeing Him.

“I hear no voice, I feel no touch,
I see no glory bright;
But yet I know that God is near,
In darkness as in light.”

14. Counting My Blessings

This is a cute version of a bedtime prayer where children will learn that it is they who they pray for, but for all near them.

“I count my blessings, God, 1-2-3-4,
Mommy, Daddy, friends and even more!
With my warm, snuggly bed and my cuddly, brown bear,
I might be the luckiest kid anywhere!”

15. Holy Lord

This prayer will help teach kids to gain strength and wisdom from bedtime prayers.

“Holy Lord, Thank you for grace.
Please help me move beyond the hurdles that trip me up,
And give me the strength and wisdom to look up and see the hope,
I run toward Christ.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

16. God My Friend

This poem is longer than most, but it presents God as a close friend and steady presence who lovingly guides and protects at all times.

“God, my friend, it is time for bed.
Time to rest my sleepy head.
I pray to you before I do.
Please guide me down the path that’s true.

God, my friend, please bless my mother,
All your children–sisters, brothers.
Oh! And then there’s daddy, too–
He says I am his gift from you.

God, my friend, it is time to sleep.
I thank you for a soul unique,
And thank you for another day,
To run and jump and laugh and play!

God, my friend, it is time to go,
But before I do, I hope you know,
I am thankful for my blessing, too,
And God, my friend, I love you.”

17. Hurry to Pray

Ideal for children who struggle with worry, this prayer encourages calm, confidence, and focusing on what can be done rather than what causes fear.

“I won’t fret, and I won’t worry,
Instead, I’ll hurry to pray,
I’ll turn my problems into petitions,
And lift my hands in praise.
I’ll say goodbye to all my fears,
His presence sets me free,
Although I may not understand,
I feel God’s peace in me. Amen.”

18. Thank you, God

By focusing on thankfulness, this prayer shows children how to find gratitude regardless of how their day went.

“Dear God, thank you for this day.
Thank you for providing food, a home, and a warm bed.
Thank you for the love people showed me.
Please guide me as I prepare to head to bed and start the day again tomorrow.
Please guide my thoughts and actions. In your name, I pray.”

19. All Creatures Great and Small

This prayer is well-suited for toddlers, thanks to its gentle rhyming and animal-themed sounds.

“The tiny, yellow chick says, “tweet, tweet, tweet,”
And the black-spotted cow says, “moo.”
The fluffy, brown dog says “woof, woof, woof,”
And the wise, old owl says, “hoo!”

From the very tall giraffe to the fishies in the sea,
All your creatures great and small,
Thank you, dear God, for each and every animal,
We know you made them all!”

20. Help Me Feel Safe in the Dark

This prayer helps comfort children who feel afraid at night by reminding them that someone is always there to protect them.

“Dear God,
When the lights go out, and Mom and Dad say goodnight,
I sometimes feel worried; it gives me a lil’ fright!
I know I am safe, but the room feels scary,
As I toss and I turn, feeling a lil’ wary.

Help me feel safe, help me to see
That even in the dark, you are here with me.
Help me fall asleep and sleep the whole night through
Knowing you’ll always love me, as I love you.”

How to Teach Night-Time Prayers to Your Child?

Just asking your child to learn bedtime prayers won’t help, as this will only bore them and make them dislike prayers. Good night prayers for kids need to be simple and something that resonates with them at their age. In the beginning, pray along with them. Build their interest early on.

Tell them the meaning of the prayer you are teaching them in a creative way that they understand at their age. Teach them about the blessings of God and their wisdom. You can also let them talk freely to God in their own way and own words. Do this every day; once they develop this habit, teach them to do it independently.

FAQs

1. How can bedtime prayers encourage gratitude in young children?

Regularly expressing thanks in prayer helps children notice and appreciate small blessings in their daily lives, fostering mindfulness and a positive outlook from an early age.

2. Are there benefits to letting children create their own bedtime prayers?

Encouraging kids to say their own words helps them feel ownership over their spiritual routine, improves self-expression, and deepens their personal connection to faith.

3. How can cultural or family traditions influence the bedtime prayers children learn?

Children often learn prayers that reflect their family’s religious background, language, or cultural heritage, shaping both the words they use and the rituals surrounding bedtime.

Making your child say a bedtime prayer every night will give you a chance to bond with him/her. You can also talk to your child about the things that might be troubling him/her and give a solution to their problem. After the prayer session, teach your child values like kindness and truthfulness. A bedtime prayer habit will also help your child calm down and sleep restfully. So, teach these bedtime prayers to your little one, and raise a happy child.

Infographic: 5 Benefits of Bedtime Prayers for Kids

Also Read:

Shlokas for Kids With Meanings
Beautiful Morning Prayers for Kids
Interesting Bedtime Stories for Kids

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