Create a Prayer Tree in your home or classroom for Lent. They're simple to make & offer children & adults space to creatively pray together.
To create a Prayer Tree, add a tree branch to a container large enough to support it; we used an aluminium bucket as our base. To hold the branch in place, fill the container with some pebbles until the branch stands firm. We added a small set of fairy lights to light our tree in the evenings, but this is optional.
We cut out several heart & leaf shapes from recycled card & then hole-punched a corner to easily slide the prayers onto the tree.
We explained that this prayer space could be used freely any time during the day, & that each of us could write or draw any number of prayers, feelings, or questions for God. There was no limit to the number of prayers, as more paper hearts/leaves could be easily added
We talked about different types of prayer & all the things we could say to God, including thank you, sorry, asking for help, sharing our worries, & praying for others. When we finished composing each prayer, we threaded them onto the prayer tree & in doing so, we handed each one over to God.
It's amazing to see just how many children & adults interact with a prayer tree like this, & how often they use it. It's a real privilege to see what children choose to share & their offerings often display a deeper understanding of spirituality than many adults would anticipate.
For some children, the opportunity to explore prayer & express any questions or emotions surrounding faith can be limited in their household, so having a prayer tree like this to explore, especially in a school, offers them space to engage, inquire & wonder.
If you intend to use a prayer tree in a school setting, it can be useful for teaching staff to observe what has been shared on the tree, especially if there are recurring themes appearing. The prayers are confidential, but frequent issues or concerns that are mentioned could be explored in circle time, without, of course, mentioning children's names or personal situations.
It's amazing to see just how many children & adults interact with a prayer tree like this, & how often they use it. It's a real privilege to see what children choose to share & their offerings often display a deeper understanding of spirituality than many adults would anticipate.
For some children, the opportunity to explore prayer & express any questions or emotions surrounding faith can be limited in their household, so having a prayer tree like this to explore, especially in a school, offers them space to engage, inquire & wonder.
If you intend to use a prayer tree in a school setting, it can be useful for teaching staff to observe what has been shared on the tree, especially if there are recurring themes appearing. The prayers are confidential, but frequent issues or concerns that are mentioned could be explored in circle time, without, of course, mentioning children's names or personal situations.
During Lent, death is often mentioned & explored, whether it be referring to Jesus' death or the death of a relative or pet, so it's always useful to have some resources available to share together. You might find our "Remembering..." Resource helpful.
Wherever you have your Prayer Tree, I hope it offers a space during Lent for reflection, thanksgiving,
& wonder.