How to Inspire Your Kids to Daven Over the Summer

You have the power to make the experience a positive one.

Summer is a time for relaxed routines and schedules and yet kids really need structure to calm the chaos. It is hard to strike the perfect balance but one thing that really makes a difference is how you start your day. Setting the tone for the day by starting off the morning with tefilah is very beneficial to the chinuch of our children and to the home environment. 

Here are ways to enhance your kids davening experience at home:

1. Let them see you daven. This is the most important #1 thing. Even if it is brief, make sure your kids see you davening sometimes. It teaches them more than words can that it is something that you value.
2. For younger children, you can play “davening” music in the morning. There are so many great songs from our morning tefilos. Use them to set the tone in your home. You can even have a challenge to see if they know which part of davening the words are from. Toveedo has a sing-a-long siddur which is recommended for kids ages 3-5.
3. Encourage your kids to daven while you prepare a special breakfast. Make it something that has good aromas. The good smell will enhance their tefilos and create good memories around davening. The sense of smell creates very powerful associations in our brain. (This does not have to be time consuming – popping something from the freezer into the oven works too!)
4. If your kids are into it, encourage them to daven together – singing some tefilos out loud and teaching younger siblings.
5. Encourage your kids to set an intention before davening. What would you like to do today? What do you want to go well for you today? Explain to your kids that acknowledging that consciously and asking for what we want sets us up for success and that is part of the beauty of making time for tefilah.
6. If a child is hesitant, encourage him/her to pick one tefilah they like most or find most meaningful and start there. Sometimes less is more and makes it more enjoyable and less pressurized for them. It’s about routine, not length. 
7. Explain the concept of “Shevach” to your child. Ask what they saw or experienced this week that was amazing that they want to praise Hashem for. Point out things throughout your day to enhance tomorrow’s davening such as blossoming flowers, amazing flavors in a dish, a breathtaking sunset etc…
8. Encourage your child to find a peaceful spot to daven such as a cozy corner, a nice spot in the yard, maybe a nicer room in the home. A peaceful and clean environment lends itself to clearer thoughts and better focus.
9. If your child is at a level of wanting to enhance his/her tefilah suggest setting an intention for kavannah. Small goals of following along inside, having more kavannah on the meaning of the words, or adding one new paragraph can really have a big impact over time.

Remember, we are not with our children in school all year and cannot control the way their class environment affects their attitude toward tefilah. But our power of influence is great and we can use their days at home to build on the positive.