A bedtime prayer is one of the simplest, sweetest ways to close a child’s day. It calms the room, gives the night a shape, and tucks a little gratitude and reassurance in beside them. Below are more than 30 bedtime prayers for kids, sorted by age so you can find one that actually fits your child tonight, from a one-line prayer a toddler can repeat to fuller prayers for older children.
You will also find the classic traditional prayers, short Bible verses to pray over your child, Catholic prayers, and a simple bedtime prayer routine near the end. Save the ones that fit your family and make them yours.
If You Only Use One
Thank you, God, for this whole day, for time to rest and time to play. Watch over me the whole night through, and wake me up to start anew. Amen.
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Short Bedtime Prayers for Toddlers
Toddlers do best with one or two lines they can repeat after you. Keep it tiny, say it the same way every night, and let them chime in on the words they know.
Thank you, God, for today. Keep me safe while I sleep. Amen.Ages 1 to 3
God is good, God is near, God is with me, even here. Goodnight, God. Amen.Ages 1 to 3
Thank you for my family, thank you for my bed. Watch me while I sleep tonight. Amen.Ages 1 to 3
Jesus, hold me tight tonight, keep me safe till morning light. Amen.Ages 1 to 3
Bedtime Prayers for Preschoolers
Around ages three to five, children can handle a few more lines and love naming the people and things they are thankful for. These prayers leave room for that.
Thank you, God, for this whole day, for time to rest and time to play. Watch over me the whole night through, and wake me up to start anew. Amen.Ages 3 to 5
Dear God, thank you for my day. Bless the people that I love. Keep me cozy, keep me safe, and send your angels from above. Amen.Ages 3 to 5
As I lie down to sleep tonight, thank you for the day so bright. Bless my family near and far, and keep me safe wherever you are. Amen.Ages 3 to 5
God, I’m thankful for today, for everyone who came my way. Forgive me when I got it wrong, and help me sleep the whole night long. Amen.Ages 3 to 5
Bedtime Prayers for Older Kids
School-age children can pray about their actual day, the things they worried about, and the people they care for. These prayers give them language for gratitude, forgiveness, and trust.
Dear God, thank you for today, for the good parts and the hard parts. Help me let go of what went wrong, and rest knowing you are with me. Watch over the people I love, and give me a peaceful night’s sleep. Amen.Ages 6 and up
Lord, as I close my eyes tonight, I give you my worries and my hopes. Thank you for my family and my friends. Help me be kind tomorrow, and let me wake up rested and ready. Amen.Ages 6 and up
God, thank you for keeping me safe today. I’m sorry for the times I wasn’t my best. Help me sleep well, and help me try again in the morning with a glad heart. Amen.Ages 6 and up
You’ve prayed together. Now you’d love them to actually stay asleep.
A calm bedtime prayer is a wonderful habit. When the night wakings keep coming, Betteroo builds a gentle, personalized sleep plan around your child and family, for less than a single consultant call. Take the free 3-minute quiz to find your starting point.
These are the prayers passed down through generations. Your child may learn the same words you did as a child, which is part of what makes them so comforting.
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. May angels watch me through the night, and wake me with the morning light. Amen.Traditional (gentle version)
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this night be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.Traditional, Guardian Angel Prayer
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, bless the bed that I lie on. Four corners to my bed, four angels round my head. Amen.Traditional, “Black Paternoster”
Many Catholic families close the day with the Guardian Angel Prayer and a short act of trust, often with a sign of the cross.
Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God’s love commits me here, ever this night be at my side, to light and guard, to rule and guide. Amen.Guardian Angel Prayer
Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I give you my heart and my soul. Watch over me and my family tonight, and keep us safe until morning. Amen.Catholic family prayer
A Simple Bedtime Prayer Routine
Prayer settles a child most when it is the calm, predictable last step of the night. A routine many families use: wash up and pajamas, one or two books with the lights already low, then a short prayer, a hug, and goodnight. Keep the order and the wording the same each night so the prayer becomes a cue that the day is over and sleep is coming. Let your child add their own thank-yous or name the people they love. The goal is not perfect words, it is a peaceful, repeatable close to the day.
When Bedtime Is the Hard Part
If bedtime is a battle and the nights are broken no matter how lovely the prayer, you are far from alone. According to Betteroo’s State of Parent & Baby Sleep 2026, the largest dataset of its kind with 68,366 parents across 108 countries, most families are running on broken sleep right now.
55%
of babies wake 3+ times per night
The 2026 US national average
83%
of parents are exhausted or drained
The 2026 US national average
Baby and parent sleep in 2026, from Betteroo’s State of Parent and Baby Sleep report
Metric
2026 US national average
Babies waking 3 or more times per night
55%
Parents exhausted or drained
83%
Say the prayer. Then give them the gift of a full night.
Betteroo builds a personalized, gentle sleep plan around your child and family, for $15 to $25 a month. Answer a few questions and see where to start.
Keep it to one or two lines a toddler can repeat, such as: “Thank you, God, for today. Keep me safe while I sleep. Amen.” Saying the same short prayer in the same calm voice every night helps it become a comforting bedtime cue.
At what age can a child start saying bedtime prayers?
You can pray over a baby from birth, and many toddlers begin repeating simple one-line prayers around ages two to three. There is no fixed starting age. Match the length to your child, starting with a single line and adding more as they grow.
What is the most popular children’s bedtime prayer?
“Now I lay me down to sleep” is the best-known children’s bedtime prayer in the English-speaking world, followed by the Guardian Angel Prayer in Catholic families. Both are short, traditional, and easy to memorize.
How do I make bedtime prayers part of our routine?
Make the prayer the last calm step before sleep: wash up, pajamas, a book or two with low lights, then the prayer, a hug, and goodnight. Keeping the order and wording consistent each night turns the prayer into a signal that the day is over and it is time to rest.
What if my child won’t sleep even after we pray?
That is extremely common and usually has nothing to do with the prayer. Most night wakings come from a child’s sleep habits and schedule, which respond well to a consistent, gentle plan. In Betteroo’s 2026 data, 55% of babies wake three or more times a night, so persistent wakings are the norm, not a sign you are doing anything wrong.
