Evening prayer for family: a 10-minute routine to pray together
An evening prayer for family can be as simple as gathering for a few minutes after dinner or before bed, each person thanking God for one thing from the day and naming one thing they need, then one person praying for everyone and the family praying the Lord's Prayer together. Moses told parents to talk about God's words "when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up" (Deuteronomy 6:7, WEB). The evening is when most families are finally in one place.
Below: a prayer to pray together tonight, a 10-minute family prayer time step by step, prayers for each age, blessings to say over children at bedtime, a weekly plan, prayers for hard family nights, and how to keep it going when life gets messy. Scripture is from the World English Bible.
An evening prayer for family, to pray together tonight
One person reads; everyone joins in on the lines in bold.
"Father, thank you for this day and for this family. Thank you for (each person names one good thing).
Forgive us for the ways we hurt each other today: the sharp words, the impatience, the times we didn't listen. Help us forgive each other too. As you forgave us, help us forgive.
Tonight we pray for (each person names one need). We pray for (grandparents, friends, someone sick) by name.
Watch over this house while we sleep. Keep each of us safe in body and heart. Give us rest, and wake us tomorrow ready to love you and each other.
As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. In Jesus' name, amen."
The bold lines come from Colossians 3:13 and Joshua 24:15. Saying them together gives everyone, even small children, a part.
Why pray together as a family in the evening?
- Parents are told to pass faith on at home. "These words, which I command you today, shall be on your heart; and you shall teach them diligently to your children" (Deuteronomy 6:6-7, WEB). Church on Sunday helps; the kitchen table and the bedside are where children see it lived.
- Jesus is present when two or three gather. "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the middle of them" (Matthew 18:20, WEB). A family of three is a gathering.
- It's a daily place to make peace. "Don't let the sun go down on your wrath" (Ephesians 4:26, WEB). Families who pray at night have a set time to say sorry.
- Children learn to pray by hearing it. Most of us learned to talk by listening. Children learn to talk to God the same way.
- It's an old Protestant habit. The 1928 American Book of Common Prayer includes "Forms of Prayer to be used in Families": a short Bible reading, the Lord's Prayer and a few prayers, led by a member of the household, with a form for the morning and one for the evening.
A 10-minute family prayer time, step by step
Pick one time and keep it: after dinner at the table, or gathered in one bedroom before lights out. Phones and TV off.
| Minutes | Step | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 | Gather | Light a candle or turn off the big light. Open: "This is the day that Yahweh has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:24, WEB). |
| 1-3 | Read | A few verses: a psalm, a story from a Gospel, or a children's Bible page. Keep it short. |
| 3-5 | Share | Each person answers: "What was the best part of today? What was hard?" No fixing, just listening. |
| 5-8 | Pray | Each person prays one sentence of thanks and one for a need, or the parent prays for each child by name. |
| 8-9 | Together | The Lord's Prayer, all together. |
| 9-10 | Bless | A parent blesses the children, or everyone blesses each other (blessings below). |
On rushed nights, do only steps 5, 6 and 7: one sentence each, the Lord's Prayer and a blessing. That's under three minutes and still counts.
Family evening prayers by age
Toddlers and preschoolers (2-5)
Keep it under three minutes, use simple repeated words, and let them do something with their hands: fold them, hold a parent's hand, blow out the candle.
"Thank you, God, for (toy, food, person). Thank you for Mommy and Daddy (or names). Keep me safe tonight. I love you, God. Amen."
A rhyme is easy for this age: "Guard me, Jesus, through the night, and wake me with the morning light." Let them repeat each line after you.
Children (6-11)
Children this age can pray their own sentences. Give them a pattern:
- Thank you for one thing.
- Sorry for one thing.
- Please for one person.
"Dear God, thank you for (one thing). I'm sorry for (one thing). Please help (person). Amen."
Let them take turns leading the whole family's prayer once a week. They'll surprise you.
Teenagers (12-18)
Teens often go quiet in family prayer. That's normal. Don't force them to pray aloud; invite them. Some things that help:
- Ask for their requests instead of asking them to pray: "Is there anything you want us to pray about?"
- Let them choose the reading or a worship song some nights.
- Pray for them by name in front of them, specifically and kindly: a test, a friendship, a game.
- Keep it short and real. Teens can smell a performance.
"Lord, thank you for (teen's name). You know what this week has been like for them. Give them courage and good friends, wisdom with (a specific thing), and rest tonight. Let them know they're loved here and by you. Amen."
For verses to pray over each child, see our guide on how to pray for your children.
Bedtime blessings to say over your children
A blessing is a short prayer said over someone, often with a hand on their head or shoulder. Children remember these for life.
- The priestly blessing: "Yahweh bless you, and keep you. Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26, WEB).
- A sleep blessing: "May you lie down without fear, and may your sleep be sweet" (from Proverbs 3:24).
- A love blessing: "May you know how wide and long and high and deep the love of Christ is" (from Ephesians 3:18).
- A simple one: "(Name), God loves you, I love you, and you are safe. Goodnight."
Older children can bless their parents back. It's a small thing that changes the feel of a house.
A weekly family evening prayer plan
A different focus each night keeps prayer from turning into the same three sentences.
| Night | Pray for | Read |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Our church and pastor | Psalm 122 |
| Monday | Each other: school, work, the week | Psalm 121 |
| Tuesday | Grandparents and relatives, by name | Psalm 103:1-5 |
| Wednesday | Friends and neighbors | Luke 10:25-37 |
| Thursday | People who are sick or sad | Psalm 23 |
| Friday | Thanks: everything good this week | Psalm 136:1-9 |
| Saturday | Our town, our country, people far away | 1 Timothy 2:1-2 |
Keep a family prayer list on the fridge. When a prayer is answered, write the date next to it. Children love seeing the list of answers grow.
Prayers for hard family nights
After a fight
"Lord, we weren't kind to each other today. We're sorry. Help us say sorry to each other now, and mean it. Teach us to bear with one another and forgive, as you forgave us. Give us a fresh start in the morning. Amen." (Colossians 3:13)
When someone is sick
"Father, (name) is sick tonight. Please heal their body, ease their pain and help them sleep. Give wisdom to the doctors. Help the rest of us take good care of them. Amen."
When money is tight
"God, things are tight right now. Thank you for what we have tonight: food, a bed, each other. You know what we need. Provide for us, and keep us from worry and from blaming each other. Amen." (Matthew 6:31-33)
When someone is away
"Lord, (name) isn't here tonight. Keep them safe wherever they are. Let them know we're thinking of them and praying for them. Bring us back together soon. Amen."
When the family is grieving
"Father, we miss (name). Our hearts hurt. You are close to the brokenhearted; be close to each of us tonight. Thank you for the time we had with them. Help us be gentle with each other while we grieve. Amen." (Psalm 34:18)
For a family going through a long hard season, see prayer for strength during difficult times.
Praying together as a couple in the evening
Many couples find praying together awkward at first. A gentle start:
- Pray at the same time each night, in bed or on the couch, for two or three minutes.
- Take turns: one thanks God for the day, the other prays for tomorrow and the kids.
- Pray for each other out loud, by name, about something specific the other said today.
- If praying aloud feels too hard, pray silently together for one minute, then one of you says "amen."
Our guides on how to pray for your husband and your wife have 7-day plans and words for hard seasons.
Real families, real schedules
- Single parents: you're enough to lead it. Pray at bedtime in one child's room with everyone in it. Keep it to five minutes.
- Shift work: if one parent works nights, pray at dinner or at breakfast instead, or pray with the absent parent by phone or video for two minutes.
- Busy evenings with practices and homework: pray in the car on the way home, or do the 3-minute version at bedtime.
- Blended families: start very small and keep it welcoming. Let each child choose whether to pray aloud.
- A spouse who doesn't share your faith: invite, never pressure. Praying with the children at bedtime is a natural place to start.
How to keep family prayer going
- Tie it to something that already happens every night: dinner, bath time or lights out.
- Keep it short. Ten minutes at most. A family that prays for three minutes every night does better than one that prays for thirty minutes once a month.
- Let the kids lead. Children own what they help run: let them pick the reading, light the candle or pick who prays.
- Expect chaos. Wriggling, giggling and interruptions are normal. Jesus said, "Allow the little children to come to me! Don't forbid them" (Mark 10:14, WEB).
- When you miss a night, just start again. No guilt speeches. Tomorrow's prayer is the fix for yesterday's missed one.
- Let them see you pray on your own too. Children who see a parent pray in the morning take family prayer more seriously at night. Our morning prayer before work fits in five minutes before the house wakes up.
Mistakes that make family prayer hard
- Making it a lecture. If prayer time becomes the time to correct the kids, they'll dread it. Correct at another moment.
- Praying at people. "Lord, help Josh stop being lazy" isn't a prayer for Josh; it's a scolding with your eyes closed.
- Going too long. Stop while they still want more.
- Only praying when something's wrong. Make thanks the biggest part, so prayer isn't only for emergencies.
- Waiting until the kids are asleep. Then it's not family prayer. Do it while they're still awake enough to take part.
Common questions
What is a short evening prayer for my family?
"Lord, thank you for this day and for each of us. Forgive us where we hurt each other. Watch over our home tonight and give us rest. Amen." It takes 15 seconds, and everyone can say it together.
How long should family prayer time be?
Five to ten minutes is plenty, and three minutes on busy nights. Short and regular works better than long and rare.
What if my kids don't want to pray?
Keep inviting without forcing. Let them listen, choose the reading, or share a request instead of praying aloud. Keep it short, warm and free of lectures.
Should we pray at dinner or at bedtime?
Whichever time your family is most reliably together. Many families say grace at dinner and pray a short prayer and blessing at bedtime.
What Bible verses are good for evening family prayer?
Numbers 6:24-26 (a blessing), Psalm 4:8 (sleep), Psalm 121 (God watches over us), Joshua 24:15 ("as for me and my house"), and Colossians 3:13 (forgiving each other).
Is it OK to use written prayers with my family?
Yes. The Lord's Prayer and the Psalms are written prayers, and many Protestant prayer books include family prayers. Written prayers give children words until they find their own.
Tonight, try the prayer at the top of this page together, and end with the Numbers 6 blessing. For your own prayer, before the house wakes up, play day 1 free: ten minutes, read aloud. Or answer a few questions to get a 40-day prayer plan that fits a family's days. More in our prayer guides, including a prayer before bed for after the kids are asleep and a prayer for a sleepless night.
Sources
Scripture: World English Bible (public domain), eBible.org. The Book of Common Prayer (1928), Forms of Prayer to be used in Families. Pages read for this guide: Hozana, "Evening prayer for my family"; Aleteia, "How to create an evening prayer routine for your kids"; Episcopal Net, 1928 Book of Common Prayer, "Forms of Prayer to be used in Families".