Simple Prayers for Children

Have you ever talked to your mom or dad when you were happy? Or when you needed a hug? Talking to God is just like that! When we talk to God with love in our hearts, it is called Prarthana. Prarthana means prayer.

Prayer is a special way to say hello to God. You do not need big words. You do not need to be in a special place. You can pray anywhere — in your room, in the garden, or even in the car! God always listens.

Let us learn a very simple prayer. In the morning, when you wake up, you can look at your hands and say:

"Karagre vasate Lakshmi, karamadhye Saraswati."

This means: "On my fingertips lives Lakshmi (goodness), and in my palms lives Saraswati (learning)."

When you say this prayer, you look at your own two hands. These hands will do good things today! They will help, share, and create. Is that not wonderful?

Here is a little story. Once there was a boy named Dhruv. He was only five years old — maybe just your age! Dhruv loved God very, very much. He went to the forest and closed his eyes. He said God's name again and again with all his heart. God was so happy that little Dhruv remembered Him! God came to Dhruv and gave him a special shining star in the sky. Even today, we can see Dhruv's star. It is called the Pole Star, and it never moves. It shows us that when we pray with love, God always answers.

You do not have to go to a forest like Dhruv. You can pray right where you are!

Here are some easy prayers you can try:

Before eating food, say: "Thank you, God, for this yummy food. Thank you to everyone who made it for me." This is called giving thanks, or Dhanyavaad.

Before going to sleep, say: "Om. Thank you for this nice day. Please keep my family safe and happy." Then close your eyes and feel warm and peaceful.

When you see a temple or a picture of God at home, put your hands together like a flower bud and say "Namaste" or "Om Namah Shivaya" or "Jai Shri Ram." Putting your hands together is called Namaskar. It means, "The light in me says hello to the light in you!"

Do you know what "Om" means? Om is a very special sound. People say it is the first sound in the whole world. When you say "Oooommm" slowly, you can feel it hum in your chest. Try it! It feels nice and calm. Om is the simplest prayer of all.

Prayer is not about asking for toys or candy. Prayer is about love. It is about saying thank you. It is about feeling close to God, just like a hug from someone you love.

You can also pray for others. You can say, "God, please help my friend feel better," or "Please make Grandma happy today." When you pray for others, your heart grows bigger and kinder.

Remember these three easy things: 1. Say Om when you wake up. 2. Say thank you before you eat. 3. Say a little prayer before you sleep.

That is it! Three little prayers, every single day. You are never too small to pray. God loves to hear from you, just the way you are. So put your hands together, close your eyes, and say hello to God. He is always listening, always smiling, always near.