Simple DIY War Room For Kids
As Christian parents, we want to guide our children towards a strong relationship with God and to learn to pray without ceasing.
Teaching kids to pray can be simple and practical as you help them create a personalized “war room.”
The War Room concept is based on the popular movie starring Priscilla Shirer. In this encouraging movie, adults bring their prayer requests before the Lord and post them on notes in their own prayer space, known as the War Room.
This special place serves as a reminder to daily surrender burdens and prayers before the Lord.
Just as a war room encourages adults to become prayer warriors, creating a prayer room for kids will foster their conversations with God. It will also help children track prayer requests in a visual way as they learn to bring big and small issues to God each day.
The war room idea below was shared with me by my friend Laura, who does this with her grandkids. I hope you love it as much as I do!
How to Create a War Room for Kids
Materials needed:
- a 3 panel project board
- Sticky notes
- Crayons and markers
Step 1: Teach children the meaning behind a war room
Before creating a prayer space of their own, teach children the war room meaning, explain why a war room is important, and why you want to create a war room for kids. Discuss each point below and read aloud the coordinating Bible verses.
Teach children that making a prayer room will:
- help them have a special place to pray that’s just their own and have personal time with God (read aloud Matt. 6:6)
- encourage them to pray for all things (read Psalm 66:19)
- teach them to pray throughout the day as they see their war room space (read 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
- remind them to praise God in the big and small things (read Psalm 146:1-2)
Step 2: Establish a theme verse to consistently pray over the war room
Guide your child to a Bible verse that will be the driving force behind their prayer closet. Either print or write the verse at the top of their war room as a reminder of God’s word and to focus their prayer time. As children enter this special place, they can read (or have an adult read) the theme verse to start each prayer session.
Theme verses may include:
“The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18
“Come near to God and he will come near to you…” James 4:8
“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4
Step 3: Â Decorate the war room
While this step is optional, encourage children to make the prayer closet a meaningful place for them. They can decorate it and personalize it with art supplies, stamps, stickers, etc before starting a prayer routine.
Step 4: Write praises
Guide children towards a routine for a healthy prayer life by teaching them to thank God for His many blessings first. This will focus your child’s heart not just on the needs they have, but on how good God truly is, despite the circumstances around them.
Encourage him/her to write down many things to thank the Lord for, including family, shelter, food, Jesus, the gift of salvation, and more. Use one sticky note for each praise. Also, if your child isn’t able to write yet, feel free to write the praises for them or help them draw pictures. Even a very young child can participate!
Then, stick the praises all around the war room walls to thank God for these blessings on a daily basis.
Step 5: Write prayer requests
After writing praises, encourage your child to think through prayer requests. As they recall a friend, family member or situation that needs prayer, have them write the request on a sticky note. Then, fill the inside of the war room with the sticky note prayers.
For ease, have children use two different colored sticky notes for requests and praises.
Step 6: Getting started in your war room for kids
Next, model the prayer routine for your children. Start by thanking God for the praises listed on the sticky notes. Then, model praying through the prayer request notes. While the goal of the war room for kids is to have the child pray independently, it will be beneficial to model using the prayer closet properly.
When your child is ready to pray independently, encourage him/her to kneel down and close the walls of the war room around their body. Encourage him/her to use the routine you established together, praising God first and then praying through the requests.
Once finished, children can either leave the war room open to pray over the requests throughout the day or fold the board for easy storage.
Don’t you love this idea?! I love this practical strategy for how to make a prayer closet and hope you’re able to watch your children grow in faith as they learn to bring their praises and prayers before the Lord.
Finally, if you’d like your own set of War Room Scripture Cards to pray for your kids, be sure to grab our FREE set of 10 Powerful Verses for your own War Room below. Enjoy!
I love this idea. Thank you for sharing. I don’t have any littles, but I pinned on my prayer board. I think it is fantastic. I might make a board for me. I like that I can fold it up.
Thank you! My son and I are on our way to buy these supplies right now. :)
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This is such a great idea!!
I’m a kid and my war room is my bed lol. It works lol