The time honored ACTS Prayer Method: Simplified for Kids

Are you praying the right way?

How can I teach my grandchildren to pray when I don’t really know what I’m doing myself?

Is it “cheating” to use a formula like ACTS prayer method?

I ask myself these questions all the time.

That’s one reason I love the ACTS prayer method. It gives structure to my prayers and helps me come to God right with the right attitude. And, to be honest, when I’m tempted not to pray, the prayer model encourages me to at least try.

Is the ACTS prayer model Biblical?

Yes. The most well-known prayer in the Bible, The Lord’s Prayer, has elements of appreciation, confession, and supplication. (see Matthew 6:9-13)

And Paul continued this when he wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” in Philippians 4:6 ESV

So whoever came up with the ACTS prayer method was using the Bible for reference on how to pray.

Who created the ACTS prayer method?

Sorry, we don’t really know.

There is an early mention of using the letters ACTS as a method of prayer in a publication called The Continent from 1883.  People have been using this model on and off since then. I remember it being popular in the 1980s when I was coming back to Jesus and starting to pray again.

Why revise a perfectly good prayer model?

The regular version of ACTS stands for A – Adoration, C – Confession, T – Thanksgiving, and S – Supplication.

But I’m not sure I can define all of these words without help, especially if I want to get the true meaning, theologically speaking.

Adoration is a reverent worship of God. Think about looking up at the stars at night. You get a sense of how big the Universe is and how each of us is just a speck. You have to be in awe of the Being who created all of it.

Do you know what Supplication means?

Me neither. I’ve heard pastors explain it many times, but I never remember. It might have been a common word in 1883, but not so much now.

When you are supplicating, you are praying humbly and sincerely about a request. You are praying for your needs and for the needs of others.

I want the kids in my life to be comfortable praying. This is where a prayer model is helpful. But I don’t want confusing words getting in the way of prayer.

So, I came up with a kid-friendly version of ACTS to make it easier to start. It goes like this:  A – Appreciation, C – Clean up, T – Thank You God, and S – Solve problems. The words are easier to understand, but the intent is exactly the same.

A – Appreciation

Genesis 1:1 KJV

 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

You have the definition of Adoration above, and Appreciation has the same goal. That is, thinking about who God is and what makes Him awesome. When we take time to appreciate God, we remember that He is above all things and every day we depend on His care and kindness.

For younger children: Little ones love to hear what you like about them — not just what they do, but who they are: their kind heart, friendly smile, or the way they help their brother or sister. You can explain that appreciation is like “telling God what we like about Him.”

Example:

God is good.

God made me and loves me.

God can do anything.

God keeps his promises.

For older children: Older kids can begin to understand that appreciation means thinking deeply about who God is — our holy, perfect Creator — and taking time to thank Him for His goodness and power.

Example:

God is everywhere,

God knows all things.

God never changes.

The Lord deserves respect and obedience.

He loves and values all people.

C – Clean Up

Psalm 145:9 ESV

The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

Psalm 38:18 NLT

But I confess my sins;
I am deeply sorry for what I have done.

You can explain to your children or grandchildren that Clean Up is talking to God about things they have done that they are sorry for. The point here is to tell God about the mistake and then try not to do it again. In the adult world, we call this confession and repentance.

For younger children: The reason for clean up is that mistakes (also known as sin) put up a wall between us and God. When we are sorry for our mistakes and want to do better, God will forgive us.

Example:

Not obeying parents (see the 10 Commandments #5)

Being unkind to brothers or sisters

Telling lies

For older children:

Have them ask God to show them anything that displeases Him

Name mistakes they want to be forgiven for

Accept God’s forgiveness

More Prayer Tools:

Download your own copies of the ACTS prayer method for kids.

T – Thank You

Psalm 118: 24 ESV

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

This is an easy section compared to Clean Up.

Thanksgiving is simply telling God thank you — for who He is, for what He’s done, and for all the blessings in our lives. When we take time to thank God, it helps us notice how much He cares for us every single day.

 I am, personally, thankful for the Bible, the very word of God.

For younger children:
Children can easily understand this part. You can remind them how nice it feels when someone says thank you for something they did. In prayer, we do that with God — we tell Him thank you for all the good things He gives us.

Example:
Thank You, God, for my family.
Thank You for food and a warm house.
Thank You for loving me every day.

For older children:
Older kids can learn to look beyond the obvious blessings and thank God for spiritual things too — His forgiveness, His gift of salvation, and the ways He helps them grow. Encourage them to thank God even during hard times, trusting that He is still working for good.

S – Solve Problems

Galatians 6:2 NKJV

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ

Matthew 19:13a NIV

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them.

“S” is the part of our prayer when we bring our needs — and the needs of others — to God. God loves it when we talk to Him about what’s on our hearts. He already knows what we need, but He wants us to ask because it helps us learn to trust Him.

Younger children: Kids can understand this as “asking God for help.” Encourage them to pray about anything — a friend who is sick, doing well at school, or feeling afraid at night.
You can say, “When we pray, we can ask God for what we need or want help with, and we can also ask Him to help other people.”

Example:
Please help Grandma feel better.
Help me when I get mad.
Please take care of my friends.

Older children: Older kids can learn that asking God to solve problems isn’t just about asking for things we want but also about trusting God to answer in His way and His timing. They may also have to accept that sometimes God’s answer is no.

Example:

Pray for family, friends, teachers, people at church

For guidance for themselves, and for God’s will to be done in their lives

Ask the Lord to show them their gifts and how to use them

This child-friendly ACTS prayer model is one way to help children learn how to talk with God. It reminds us that prayer isn’t just asking for things — it’s about knowing who God is, being honest with Him, thanking Him for His goodness, and trusting Him with our needs. Encourage them to talk to God in their own words. Over time, they’ll grow more comfortable sharing their hearts with Him and recognizing how He answers in loving and personal ways.

These simple prayers can plant deep roots of faith in a child’s life — roots that will grow stronger as they continue to walk with God. What a great lesson for you to teach! You are passing on a legacy of faith that can bless generations to come.

Dear Lord, Thank You that we can talk to You anytime and know You hear us. Please help me teach my children and grandchildren to love spending time with You. Give them hearts that appreciate who You are, courage to confess their sins, grateful spirits full of thanksgiving, and faith to bring every need to You in prayer.

May their prayers draw them closer to You and help them grow strong in Your love.
Amen.

What about you? Have you tried the ACTS prayer method? Do you have other methods you like, too? Let me know in the comments below!

More Helpful Prayer Models:

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