How to Make a Prayer Mat for a Child

People of many religions teach their children to pray daily.

Prayer mats are most commonly used by Muslims, although people of other religions may also use prayer mats. Adults and children use prayer mats to kneel on while saying their prayers and devotions. Parents and Sunday school teachers often help children make their own prayer mats to encourage the children to do their daily devotions and prayers. Prayer mats are generally made from pieces of carpet or fabric.

Things You'll Need

• Carpet squares
• Markers
• Paint

Instructions

1. Choose a piece of carpet. For children, rectanglar carpet samples, also called carpet squares, are ideal to use for prayer mats. If you are doing this activity with a group of children, have a stack of different colored carpet squares and let the children choose a color they would like. If you desire, you can also substitute welcome mats instead of carpet squares for this craft. You can purchase welcome mats at many discount stores. If you are looking for carpet squares, visit a local carpet store and ask if they have any extra ones.

2. Write on the carpet. If you are doing this craft with a child, let her write the title of the carpet mat herself. It should say “My Prayer Mat,” or you can include the name of the child, such as “Joey’s Prayer Mat.” Use a permanent marker for this so that it does not come off. Before proceeding, let the marker dry after writing on the carpet to prevent smearing.

3. Decorate the mats. Give the children markers or paint and let them decorate their mats. They can write their names on the mats and put hand prints on the mats by dipping their hands in paint and placing them on the carpet squares. Permanent markers also work well for children to draw small pictures on the mats, such as shapes or illustrations of any objects they like.

4. Let the mats dry. Before letting the children use their mats, be sure that the paints and markers are completely dry. After they are dry, the children can kneel on their mats and pray. Encourage them to do this every day.

References

• Kids Sunday School Place: Prayer Mats
• The Free Dictionary: Prayer Mat