The Five Ws of Prayer
Group Activities

Sermon Title: "The Five Ws of Prayer"

Scripture Reading: James 5:16

PRAYER PATH GAME:

Make a path of different colors of construction paper squares. Then pass out one colored piece of paper to each child and have them stand on the path square that matches the color paper that they have been given by the teacher. The teacher will then begin to draw colored paper or an M&M out of a basket and call out that color. The child will come to the middle and name something to pray about that coincides with the color of square that the teacher called out: RED will be prayers for people (a certain name if known) who need to know that Jesus died on the cross and washed their sins away with His RED blood; DARK GREY will be for people who need to repent of their DIRTY sins; GREEN will be for someone to GROW in Jesus Christ; YELLOW will be for a certain person or group of friends or people to know more about HEAVEN; ORANGE could be for people to NOT FEAR struggles or problems because Jesus is near; PURPLE could be for people to obey GOD and to know that HE is royalty and we as Christians are His royal priesthood; BLUE can be for people to be baptized and obey God's desire for us to identify with Christ that way, etc. Then have a PRAYER PATH SCRAMBLE and everyone will change colors and continue to play.

PRAYER WALK:

The teacher can place signs on the wall in a designated area. The pictures can be of a HOME, a FIREHOUSE, a SCHOOL, a CHURCH, an APARTMENT COMPLEX, etc. Children will walk from picture to picture and say a short prayer, (either silently or together as a class), for the people who live or work in each place!

VIRTUAL PRAYER GAME:

Tell children to think of someone to pray for. When it is their turn, they will explain something about that person or place and the other children will try to guess where or what that prayer idea is located or what the prayer is for that person. (EX: I'm thinking of someone in my school, someone who walks in the halls, someone who watches us on the playground, or teaches my class; or I'm thinking of someone at the grocery store, etc.)

PRAYING HANDS:

Give children supplies to trace their own hands on a piece of construction paper and cut out and tape or glue to another piece of paper. Write today's Bible verse on the hand or the paper, or write DON'T GIVE UP - KEEP ON PRAYING!

PRAYER CUP:

Each child can be given a styrofoam cup and little pieces of colored construction paper. Children can write on the short slips of paper - words as as PERSISTENCE IN PRAYER, DON'T GIVE UP; PRAYER, FRIENDS, FAMILY, SCHOOL TEACHERS, POOR CHILDREN, SICK PEOPLE, etc and glue around the cup. Then children can take their cup home and have empty slips of paper inside the cup and during the week, they can write on a slip of paper as prayer needs come up or as names of people come to their mind to prayer for. Encourage children to LOOK for things to pray for and to have all of their slips of paper written on by next class time.

PRAYER JOURNAL:

Give children squares of construction paper to staple or tie with yarn together. Each page can be a picture drawn or some words of ideas for children to pray for --- a person, their home, school, friends, Dr, grand parents, teachers, etc. The cover page of their prayer journal can be titled -- DON'T GIVE UP -- KEEP PRAYING. Encourage children to take their prayer journals home and to write specific names on each page to prayer for. IF they see an answer to their prayers, they should place a happy face or a sticker on that page.

PRAYER BEAR:

Children can be given 2 copies of a bear to tape or yarn tie (in punched holes) around the edges. Stuff the bear from the top with tissues and tape or staple shut. Children can draw and write ideas about Prayer from our lesson today as well as adding stickers, etc. Hang the bears from the top with a hole punched and yarn for hanging.

PRAYER TREE:

Give children supplies to cut out a tree trunk and tape or glue cut out leaves (or trace leaves on the tree) and place on another piece of construction paper. Let children use a pen, pencil or fine point markers to write prayer ideas on each leaf. On the trunk of the tree, children can write KEEP PRAYING - DON'T GIVE UP!

PRAYER-O-METER:

Children can draw a long Meter on their own piece of paper or a very LONG meter on the classroom wall on a poster board. Title the meter, PRAYER-O-METER. Add lines to the meter for every prayer and begin to fill in the lines as children say who they have prayed for or for the number of children who pray during class time in a prayer circle. Each week, the lines can be colored in as the children share who they have been praying for. This will encourage the children to pray for others and to see how many weeks it will take to have their PRAYER-O-METER reach the top!

POPCORN PRAYERS:

Children can sit in a circle. When the teacher says to START POPPING, the children will jump (pop) up one at a time and shout out something to PRAY about. That child will sit down and then another child or teacher can POP up and continue to name prayers until all the children have had an opportunity to POP up with a PRAYER. Continue as time allows and then serve POPCORN to the children in the circle to remember their POPCORN PRAYING!

SHARE A SNACK:

CANDY PRAYERS can be part of today's snack - using M&M's and the colors to stand for various types of prayers as listed above in the PRAYER PATH GAME. Children will enjoy being given a small ziplock bag for some popcorn and M&M's to take home as well.

Song: "Whisper A Prayer"

Words and Music

MP3 Accompaniment Track