A Christian child's prayer is Christian prayer recited primarily by children that is typically short, rhyming, or has a memorable tune. It is usually said before bedtime, to give thanks for a meal, or as a nursery rhyme. Many of these prayers are either quotes from the Bible, or set traditional texts.
While termed "Christian child's prayer", the examples here are almost exclusively used and promoted by Protestants. Catholic and Orthodox Christians have their own set of children's prayers, often invoking Mary, Mother of Jesus, angels, or the saints, and including a remembrance of the dead. Some adult prayers are equally popular with children, such as the Golden Rule (, Matthew 7:12), the Doxology, the Serenity Prayer, John 3:16, , , and for older children, The Lord's Prayer and Psalm 23.
Bedtime prayer Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Luther's Evening Prayer
The New England Primer Evening Prayer from the 1777 New England Primer
Sleep my Child and Peace Attend Thee
Lullabies in German
Brahms' Lullaby
Lullabies in Latin
The Virgin's Cradle Hymn
Lullabies in Scots
Lullabies in Welsh
Lullabies in Armenian
Lullabies in Swedish
Morning prayer Luther's morning prayer
I thank Thee, my Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray Thee to keep me this day also from sin and all evil, that all my doings and life may please Thee. For into Thy hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Thy holy angel be with me, that the Wicked Foe may have no power over me. Amen.1921 Triglott translation
White Paternoster
The New England Primer Morning prayer from the 1777 New England Primer:New England Primer, page 16, Google Books, 1777 Almighty God the Maker of every thing in Heaven and Earth; the Darkness goes away, and the Day light comes at thy Command. Thou art good and doest good continually. I thank thee that thou has taken such Care of me this Night, and that I am alive and well this Morning. Save me, O God, from Evil, all this Day long, and let me love and serve thee forever, for the Sake of Jesus Christ thy Son. Amen.
Morning songs
Morning Has Broken
Morning songs in Swedish
Giving thanks
Come Lord Jesus
The Lord is Good to Me
All Good Gifts The chorus to We Plough the Fields and Scatter may be used as a table grace.O'Neal, page 12
For this Food For this food and joy renewed, we praise your name, O Lord!The Power to Comprehend with All the Saints: The Formation and Practice of a Pastor-Theologian, edited by Wallace M. Alston Jr., Cynthia A. Jarvis, page 50, from the chapter entitled "Raising Pastor-Theologians" by Brant S. CopelandO'Neal, page 21
Organized prayer
Philmont grace
Spirituals He's Got the Whole World in his Hands
Michael Row The Boat Ashore
Kumbaya
Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen
Go Down Moses
We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder
Children, Go Where I Send Thee
Every Time I Feel the Spirit
I Shall Not Be Moved
I'm So Glad, Jesus Lifted Me
Dem Bones
Ezekiel Saw the Wheel
Lord, I Want to Be a Christian
When the Saints Go Marching In
We Shall Overcome
Other songs Oil in My Lamp Zacchaeus This Little Light of Mine I've Got the Joy Joy Joy Joy Children of the Heavenly Father – original in Swedish, . My Tribute (To God Be The Glory) Seek Ye First Jesus Bids Us Shine Den blomstertid nu kommer – Swedish song Vi sätter oss i ringen – Swedish song All Things Bright and Beautiful - by Cecil Frances Alexander
Historical songbooks Divine Songs Attempted in Easy Language for the Use of Children by Isaac Watts, 1715 Hymns for the Amusement of Children by Christopher Smart, 1771 Hymns in Prose for Children by Anna Laetitia Barbauld, 1781 Hymns for Little Children by Cecil Frances Alexander, 1848Hymns for Little Children (Google Books) by Cecil Frances Alexander, London: Joseph Masters, 5th edition, 1852
Print sources Bobb, Barry All God's People Sing. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1992, 316 pp. English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Missouri and other States. Sunday-School Hymnal. Pittsburgh: American Lutheran Publication Board, 1901, 464 pp. O'Neal, Debbie Trafton Thank you for This Food: Action Prayers, Songs, and Blessings for Mealtime. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1994, 32 pp. Johnson, David A. My First Hymnal. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2011, 128 pp. Kirkpatrick, William J. Joy and praise: a Sunday-school song book Cincinnati, Ohio: Fillmore Music House, 1908, 266 pp. Wesleyan Methodist Church The Methodist Sunday-school hymn-book, compiled by direction of the Wesleyan-methodist conference London: Wesleyan-Methodist Sunday-School Union, 1879, 488 pp.
References