Short Mealtime Prayers For Children (Printable)

Free printable Mealtime prayers to teach the children. My Mom taught us these prayers and we taught our children. It’s a great way to continue to pass down these prayers to more generations.

We want to begin teaching our children to pray at a young age and saying the mealtime prayer is one easy way to achieve that. Be sure to take turns and let them say their favorite mealtime prayer as often as they like.

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Table Manners

Saying a thankful prayer before meals is also part of teaching Table Manners. We want to teach our children to be appreciative of the things we all receive. I like to add the line “and Thank you for the hands that prepared this meal” to the end of my dinner prayers.

a family sitting at a table in front of their food saying their mealtime prayer

Mealtime Prayers Teach Children To Pray

Teaching small children how to pray quite often begins with saying Grace at the table. This is one family tradition they will likely carry with them through life and teach to their own children.

Scroll down for the printable link.

Children catch on quickly and even a baby learning to talk will try to repeat the words they keep hearing at the dinner table. It’s the cutest thing to hear a baby trying to sing–song a dinner prayer.

The most common prayer before meals to teach children is probably;

God is Great,

God is Good

Let us thank Him for our food,

By His hands, we all are fed,

Give us Lord

Our daily bread. Amen

My mother had a sense of humor which showed up oftentimes at the dinner table. She taught us this one which is frankly funny.

Good Food. Good Meat. Good Lord, Let’s Eat!

4 Short Prayers to teach children to say before a meal. Teaching children to say Grace before a meal. #mealtimeprayers

Ways To Join Family While Praying At Dinner time

Join hands to pray

We hold hands while we are saying Grace at the table. It is just something we have always done in my family.

a boy and his family holding hands to say Grace before dinner

Pray in a family circle

When the meal is being served buffet style or we are having a big family gathering, we tend to gather in a circle to hold hands and pray. If it is someone’s birthday or another special day, we include a prayer for that person while saying, Grace.

Who is praying

Big family celebrations including extended family mean one person will usually be designated to say the prayer over the meal. This is usually the head of the household where the event is being held unless someone else has been asked to pray.

A good time to teach children to pray for others

These prayers can go beyond saying Grace and blessing the meal into praying over everyone. Isn’t it sweet when families pray together? It’s a good way to teach the children to pray for others.

a short mealtime prayer to teach children

Scroll down for the printable link.

short mealtime prayers to teach children

The above printable sheet of Children’s Mealtime Prayers prints on standard printer paper size of 8 1/2 x 11. Choose a landscape layout for the orange background version.

Cardstock works well if you plan to cut the four prayers out to teach them one at a time.

Also see, 5 Family Dinner Prayer (free printable)