Hug Your Grandchildren with a Prayer: 8 Creative Ideas

Some of us have been navigating the waters of long-distance grandparenting for many years. Others, thanks to COVID-19, have more recently been plunged into it head-first. Now, here we all are.

So, how do we navigate these waters? Is it even possible?

Yes, from a long-distance grandma who’s been at it for over fifteen years, let me reassure you that it is possible. Truthfully, feeling connected to your grandchildren when you can’t simply reach out and touch them, IS difficult, but it is NOT impossible.

Since the onset of social distancing and sheltering-in-place, I’ve seen a tremendous amount of ideas being shared to help grandparents and families feel more connected. Take advantage of this opportunity. Search Google and Pinterest. Download resources and create a file. (As a classroom teacher, I learned years ago that there is no point in reinventing the wheel. Spend your time and energy MAKING the connections.)

Two Resources for Connecting with Grandchildren

Grandparents’ Shelter-in-Place Activity List

Connect: Passing the Faith

While our connections with our grandchildren can take many forms – talking, letter writing, reading together, encouraging, teaching new skills, one of the most powerful ways we can connect with our grandchildren is through prayer.

Creative Ideas for Hugging Your Grandchildren with a Prayer

1. Pray Scripture

There’s nothing quite like praying Scripture and many ways to do it. As you pray Bible verses for your grandchild, you can read a chosen portion word-for-word in a prayerful manner or insert your grandchild’s name into the passage to make it personal.

If you’re not sure where to begin, here are some passages and resources to get your started:

Numbers 6:22-27, Ephesians 1:15-23, Ephesians 3:14-21, Philippians 1:9-11, Colossians 1:9-12, Psalm 91, Psalm 139, and The Book of Proverbs.

31 Scriptures to Pray for Your Grandchildren

Scriptures to Pray for Your Teen Grandchildren

2. Journal Your Prayers

Keep a COVID-19 prayer journal for your grandchildren.  Using a blank journal, composition book, or 3-ring binder, set up your Prayer Journal – by child.  For each child, create an “info” page by writing their name and birthday in an upper corner.  Attach a small photo in the opposite corner.  On the remainder of that page and all subsequent pages, record your grandchild’s prayer requests, praises, answers to prayer, and any other notes you like.

HELPFUL NOTE: When setting up your journal, divide the number of pages in your notebook by the number of grandchildren in your family. This will help with initial spacing.

3. Use the Legacy Prayer Journal

Consider keeping a Legacy Prayer Journal while you are socially distanced from your family. The Legacy Prayer Journal promotes communication, builds connection, and encourages the modeling and discussion of prayer. Be the “keeper” of the journal and use technology to elicit entries from your grandchildren.

4. Pray the Alphabet

Use the alphabet as a framework for your prayer.  Working from A through Z, pray one specific thing for each letter.  Pray for your grandchild’s struggles, age-appropriate needs, relationships, or for Godly character traits you would like to see develop in your grandchild – OR – Pray specifically about their needs, fears, and growth through this pandemic.

5. Pray in Color for Your Grandchildren

During this time of separation, you can hug your grandchild by praying in color for them or pull up Facetime and Pray in Color with them.

For those who have never Prayed in Color for their grandchildren, it’s a prayer technique combining Sybil MacBeth’s Praying in Color with the use of Prayer Resource Sheets.  More detail can be found on our Praying in Color for Your Grandchildren page.

6. Triggers

Does your grandchild have a favorite song?  If so, each time you hear the song take a moment to pray for them.  How about a favorite food or activity?  Use it as a prayer trigger.  If your grandchild is crazy about strawberries, pray when you eat strawberries.  Is another completely obsessed with baseball?  Then pray when you see a baseball game replay on television.  Photos are another great trigger.  Grandparents are notorious for having a multitude of photos of their grandchildren.  Use the photos as reminders (triggers) to pray.

7. Write

Write out your prayers for your grandchildren. These prayers/writings can take any form. Write them as poems, journal entries, letters, or whatever you are most comfortable with. Afterward, consider mailing your handwritten prayers to your grandchild.

8. Make Use of Available Technology

There are so many tools for staying connected with our grandchildren – phone, text, social media, Skype, Facetime, Zoom. Make use of them, especially now.

Does your grandson text? Is your granddaughter always on Facetime? Discover which technologies your grandchild uses most and connect with them there. Send a quick text to let your grandson know you prayed for him that day. Facetime your granddaughter and let her know you prayed. Not only can you make use of these tools for letting your grandchildren know you prayed FOR them, you can use them to pray WITH them as well!

Remind your grandchildren of your “Prayer Hugs” by sending one of these images each time you pray.

HELPFUL NOTE: Stay connected with your grandchildren and other adults by using technology to “meet” with other grandparents for prayer.