In this blog post, you’ll find some ideas to use as a prayer before meals for kids. A rhyming grace before meals is an easy way to use the rhythm and rhyme to make the rhyming prayers “stick”. Take a look at the rhyming prayers for kids and families below.
prayer before meals for kids
One of my favorite memories from mealtimes as a child was the blessing, or the prayer before meals. A prayer before meals, for kids, is a wonderful way to connect with families, while saying grace and thank you for the food at the table and other blessings in life.
I can still remember the rhyming thanks to God that started each meal. We would all bow our heads and fold our hands as we said a small prayer that showed our gratitude for the day’s blessings.
Now as a mom to small children, that blessing is one of the best slow moments of our day. My children have their small chubby hands (and usually sticky fingers) clenched into small folded prayer hands.
They have their heads bowed and are all saying a rhyming prayer together as their baby sister looks on from her high chair with wide eyes at the moment. And then someone starts the prayer in their opera voice. Or Pig Latin. It happens.
Life with four kids 7 and under brings surprises and chaos. During blessing time is no exception. We just start over and try again!
rhyming grace before meals
The routine of a meal prayer, or a meal time blessing is a blessing in itself! To a family of any size, a prayer before meals can signal the start of a meal and a time to slow down and connect.
For families, a prayer before meals offers a moment of quiet and calm from the chaos a family brings.
Saying a blessing at meals is a time to focus on the gifts from God: each other, the food, events from the day. It’s that simple prayer before meals that adds another routine to family meals.
Having a palpable moment of quiet (usually!) during a blessing prayer is a calming moment and a signal to regroup as a family together around a meal.
Even the smallest children can recognize the moment of calm during a prayer before the meal. A mealtime blessing is a time to express gratitude. And when those sweet little children that are the biggest blessing of all are saying their prayer, this mama just has to sneak a look up and express her gratitude too. Until a glass of milk spills.
In these cases, a simple prayer before meal can be a calming moment of self-regulation for the parents, too!
Rhyming Prayers to Say before Meals
Growing up, my family said our blessing at each dinner meal until we were much older than preschool age. I’m sure that is why it’s stuck with me for so long.
These are blessing prayers that can stay with a family for a lifetime, starting from a young age.
Toddlers start to recognize rhyming words, making rhyming grace a great addition to dinnertime. This is a time when sitting at the dinner table for a whole meal is possible due to greater
attention during meals. The routine of a prayer before meals for kids is part of that attention-building development.
These blessings are prayers that we’ve either said as a child or my kids have learned through their preschool class.
They are now part of our meal!
Try these Family Blessings to say before a meal:
God is Great Rhyming Prayer
(This food prayer is simple and effective, with a nice little rhyme.)
God is great,
God is good.
And I thank Him for our food.
Amen
Johnny Appleseed Rhyming Prayer
(This is one from my son’s preschool class)
Oh, the Lord’s been good to me.
And so I thank the Lord,
For giving me the things I need.
The sun and the rain
and the apple seed.
The Lord’s been good to me.
Amen
Thank You God Prayer
(said to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star)
Thank you God
for Food and prayer.
Teach us how to love and share.
Amen
Do you have a special prayer before meals that you say with your family?
to create the kit. I cut a piece of dry erase 
to fit the top section of the pencil box. One one side of the 
and a bit of paper felt for erasing. You will want to get a dry erase marker with a fine tip or 
that we could and use it for all of our kitchen experiments. (i.e. I would not use it for cooking actual food!) 
. They are still drying, but we have big plans for these cuties! Be sure to stop back soon to see how we’re using them in all kinds of counting and ordering games. 
(LOVE this brand!) poured onto a plate or into bowls. Grab a handful of 
and start stamping! 
