Short Thanksgiving prayers for kids
A good Thanksgiving prayer for kids is one or two sentences that thank God for specific things: food, family, friends and Jesus. Here are six short prayers children can say at the table, and verses about thankfulness to go with them.
Six short prayers for the table
- "Thank you, God, for this food and for the hands that made it. Amen."
- "Dear God, thank you for my family and my friends. Help us share what we have. Amen."
- "Thank you, Jesus, for loving me. Thank you for this day. Amen."
- "God, you give us every good thing. Thank you! Help us remember people who are hungry. Amen."
- "Thank you, God, for the sun and the rain that grew our food. Amen."
- "Dear God, we're thankful for ___ and ___. Amen." (Let each child fill in the blanks.)
Bible verses about giving thanks
"Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever." (Psalm 136:1)
"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus toward you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
"This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:24)
These are from the World English Bible, which uses "Yahweh" where many Bibles say "the LORD". Read them either way.
A thankful-list activity
Give each child a sheet of paper before the meal. Ask them to draw or write three things they're thankful for. At the table, each person shares one, and then prays prayer number 6 with their own words.
Why teach kids to give thanks?
Thankfulness turns a child's attention from what they want to what they've been given, and to the One who gives it. A short, honest prayer at every meal builds that habit more than one long prayer on a holiday.