Are you wanting to teach your children to pray in an easy format? This 5 Finger Prayer coloring page is an easy way to take the 5 Finger Prayer format and make it into an interactive and visual way for children to put into practice. Download the coloring pages, grab some coloring materials, open your fingers, and start praying!
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To help young children learn to pray, Cardinal Bergoglio created the 5 finger prayer method. Using a visual most everyone possesses – our fingers – he made a way for children to visualize their prayers and take them with them wherever they go.
Eventually, Cardinal Bergoglio became Pope Francis and now the 5 finger prayer method is a well-known teaching method for children and adults to use as a prayer method.
This method serves as a simple yet powerful tool to direct our prayers in the right direction, fostering gratitude and compassion. Additionally, it can be combined with activities like these coloring pages to engage children in their own words – giving children responsibility in their own prayer life.
Understanding the 5 Finger Prayer
The 5 Finger Prayer is a method of prayer that utilizes each finger on one hand to represent different categories of people and things to pray for. As you move through the fingers of their hand, you focus your thoughts and intentions on specific aspects of life, offering prayers of gratitude, supplication, and intercession.
What I think is also such a cool memory trick is that the strength or location of each finger can loosely help you remember which people group you are praying for.
Thumb: Family & Friends
Those closest to you.
Begin your prayer journey by focusing on your thumb, which represents those closest to you – your family, friends, and loved ones. Offer prayers of thanksgiving for their presence in your life, as well as petitions for their health, happiness, and well-being.
Index Finger: Teachers & Mentors
Those who point the way.
Next, move to your index finger or pointer finger, symbolizing those who guide and inspire you – teachers, mentors, spiritual leaders, and role models. Offer prayers of gratitude for their wisdom and guidance, as well as requests for strength and discernment in their endeavors.
Middle Finger: Government & Church Leaders
Those in authority.
The middle finger or tallest finger represents those in positions of authority – government leaders, policymakers, and authorities in various institutions. Offer prayers for wisdom, integrity, and compassion in their decision-making, as well as petitions for justice, peace, and unity in the world.
Ring Finger: Homeless, Weak, & Hurting
Those who are weak and vulnerable.
Move on to your ring finger, symbolizing those who are weak and vulnerable – the sick, the oppressed, the marginalized, and the suffering. Offer prayers of compassion, healing, and liberation, as well as petitions for justice and mercy in their lives.
Pinky Finger: Yourself
Pray for yourself!
Finally, focus on your smallest finger, representing your own needs last. Offer prayers of self-reflection, repentance, and surrender, acknowledging your own weaknesses and shortcomings. Seek guidance, strength, and grace to live a life of purpose, service, and love.
How to Teach the 5 Finger Prayer
Take one finger at a time and then go on to the next finger. You might even teach one finger at a time for a set time period until the child fully understands that category. Be consistent with your prayer time. A helpful approach would be to put the colored printable at your kitchen table (if you are teaching this at home) and at each mealtime practice the 5 finger prayer method.
By having it at the kitchen table, you also have the opportunity to invite other family members to participate, which will help solidify the learning. Engaging your older children is an excellent way to reinforce the concepts and show the younger children different examples of how to pray.
These printables and coloring sheets would be great to use for in-home personal use, as an easy Sunday school lesson, or in your children’s ministry. It’s a great tool to add to your Sunday School curriculum. However, we also have a full Bible printables for kids vault filled to the brim with printables for kids!
Want more Free Bible Printables for Kids? I welcome you to check out our Bible Printables for Kids vault.
I have a passion for encouraging and equipping moms with resources for creating a Biblical home. This vault is filled with printables for teaching your child Bible stories, scripture verses, holiday printables, and more. The activities here are designed for you to do with your child. They are great for family devotional times, homeschooling, Sunday School, or just a fun activity for a rainy day!
⬇️Learn more about the vault ⬇️
5 Finger Prayer Coloring Page
The good news is that you don’t just get one coloring page. You get THREE 5 Finger Prayer Printables! There is a full-color page, 5 finger prayer coloring page, and a five-finger prayer worksheet. On this worksheet, there are boxes where children can enter specific names to pray for. This helps their own growth in a prayer practice as they think through those in their life that need prayer and the love of Jesus.
At its core, the 5 Finger Prayer is an exercise in gratitude – a recognition of the countless blessings and privileges that enrich our lives. This is a helpful approach to prayer for little ones. By acknowledging and appreciating the people and things we often take for granted, we cultivate a spirit of thankfulness and humility, leading to greater joy, contentment, and peace.
In these digital files, you will get the simple prayer method for the 5 Finger Prayer. The files are in a single PDF format with a full-color page, coloring page, and five-finger prayer worksheet.
This is a great way to practice prayer as a family or teach prayer to your little one.
You will need a PDF reader to view and print these pages. This digital product can be downloaded through my Gumroad shop.
Through its simple yet profound method, children of all ages can deepen their connection with God, foster a spirit of gratitude, and embrace the interconnectedness of all creation. So, why not take a moment today to pause, reflect, and offer a prayer from the depths of your heart, one finger at a time?
Don’t Forget to Pin for Later!
