Last summer, we hosted a church sleepover for a group of around eight young people aged 8–14. The evening was full of energy and excitement, with plenty of fun activities including time around the fire pit and, of course, marshmallows! The children had a brilliant time, and there was lots of laughter and chatter as the evening went on.
When it was time to go to bed I wanted and activity to still the minds and prepare us for for a restful night ( wishful thinking). I thought we would use a time of prayer and I had always loved the evening compline. After exploring a few options, we used a child-friendly version of Compline from YouTube, set to a gentle Debussy backing track.
The music and rhythm of the prayer helped shift the atmosphere from excitement to stillness, creating a peaceful space for the young people to settle.
As expected, the younger ones soon drifted off to sleep, while the older ones chatted quietly into the night. But what stood out most was how meaningful it was to introduce a simple, reflective way of praying before bed, especially for those who might not usually pray at home.
We will definitely do this again!