Listening Hearts: Discovering the Power of Prayer

Listening Hearts: Discovering the Power of Prayer

Length: ~33 minutes

Audience: Kids ages 5–12 and their grown-ups

🧡 Episode Summary:

How do people pray around the world—and what even is prayer? In this sound-rich, heart-centered episode, Laura helps kids explore the many ways people talk, listen, move, and reflect through prayer. From singing and stillness to movement and memory games, children will discover global traditions, reflect on their own experiences, and have a whole lot of fun along the way!

Perfect for family listening, classrooms, faith groups, and curious hearts of all kinds.

🎒 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:

• What prayer means to different people (with real listener quotes!)
• Interactive “thankfulness prayer” moment
• Global prayer styles: silence, song, movement, and more
• Audio journey to prayer spaces from Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Indigenous traditions
• “Guess the Prayer Place” memory-style game
• Calming and silly movement breaks: Sun Salutation + Lion’s Breath
• A retelling of Daniel and the Lions’ Den
• Friendship Bridge story about supporting friends of other faiths
• This Week’s Challenge: Start a Listening Hearts Journal
• Belief Backpack Treasures: Shell of Silence, Candle of Connection, and Music Box of Gratitude

👨‍🏫 For Parents & Educators:

Themes:

• Interfaith understanding
• Emotional literacy (gratitude, courage, calm)
• Storytelling and reflection
• Mindfulness and movement for kids

Use this episode for:

• Quiet time, morning meetings, or bedtime
• Homeschool religion or SEL units
• Sunday school or interfaith programs
• Reflective writing and art prompts

Bonus Tip:

Pair with our printable Faith Around the World Memory Match Game and Listening Hearts Journal Pages—available at faithfullyexplore.com.

📚 Book Pairings for This Episode:

• What Happens When I Talk to God? By Stormie Omartian
• In My Mosque By M. O. Yuksel
• Maybe God Is Like That Too By Jennifer Grant
• When I Pray for You By Matthew Paul Turner
• Adult Pick: An Altar in the World: A Geography of Faith By Barbara Brown Taylor
• Adult Pick: Open Mind, Open Heart By Thomas Keating

💬 Let’s Reflect:

• What did you learn about prayer today?
• Which prayer sound or tradition was your favorite?
• How do you calm down, give thanks, or reflect in your own way?

🔗 Explore more printables and past episodes at faithfullyexplore.com

🎨 Tag your journal pages or memory match photos with #FaithfullyExplore