Our 5-year-old son Adam sleeps in his own bed most nights, but he always goes to sleep while listening to a bedtime meditation or devotional. For a while now, my wife and I have discussed creating some of our own recordings for him. The episodes below are the first in a series called “Kids’ Compline: Bedtime Prayers for Young Children.” “Compline” is the traditional word for “night prayer” or “bedtime prayer.”
The recording includes some traditional elements of Compline, such as an opening sentence (Bible verse); the introduction (“The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect end…”); the Gloria Patri; the Lord’s Prayer; a Psalm; the conclusion (“In peace we will lie down and sleep…”); and the benediction (“The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, bless us and keep us. Amen”).
It also includes some additional elements such as relaxation exercises; breath prayers; remembering the day in prayer (a simple version of the Examen, a key element of Ignatian spirituality); a meditation/devotional reflection on Scripture; ambient music; and extra long length (we’ve found “the longer the better,” so that on nights when our little one is struggling to fall asleep, the recording doesn’t stop too soon).
My wife and I are planning to record some more soon. Let us know if you find these helpful.
