I sat for a second with a stone face and then realized all the many things we do.
Mass is very long prayer time filled with many prayers. We try to spend one weekday morning at church to participate in the liturgy. We attend weekend Mass together. My children participate in different ways based on their ages. I have two teenagers that lector, one of my sons serves at the altar. I also have some kids who like to wrestle me and each other. It makes for a lively time for me.
I've made a rosary box that gets a lot of use. It's a way of giving the children something tangible to hold and look at for each mystery. It helps to ground them into the moment. {I personally find the rosary to be a practice of focus for myself!}
We do the stations of the cross all times of the year. I also have a box to hold an item for each station. We do so much like to do the stations with the small candles that are extinguished as we finish each one.
I have an area that is specific for personal prayer and family prayer. We call it a prayer corner, but it's more of a wall facing east in this new house. We have compline in the evening together as a family here. We've also added a little reading from the Catechism each night as suggested.
We've taught our children how to use the Jesus Prayer and the Divine Mercy Prayer. Did you know there are even Apps for these? I'm pretty low media in this house, but there are times when I let my kids use an App to help them follow their place with these.
But what is the best practice of all? Making time for silence in the midst of a child's daily chaos. Our American lives create some much noise. How can we ever hear the voice of the Shepherd? There must be times in the day carved out for quiet. I have sand timers that we use often. I keep a 7 minute timer near the prayer corner. A child can use it to keep their body still and quiet for 7 minutes. For the younger children, I have a 1 minute timer. (you've got to start somewhere!)
My children over the age of 8 have weekly sheets that tell them what lessons to accomplish on their own each day. I include a "quiet time with Jesus" on each of their lists. What they do during that time is very flexible and open for them. I try to have taught them a variety of personal prayer styles to allow them to grow their own relationship with God.
I keep many books rotating in the prayer area. Some that I have found especially helpful to my children are:
The Children's Illustrated Bible
The Jesus StoryBible.
The Jesus Prayer and Me. (not sold by Amazon...link here)
Discloser: When you click on one of these books and buy, Amazon rewards me with a small kick back. Thank you. I hope you enjoy the books as much as we do.
AND modeling is very important. Do your children see you praying and want to join you? Have they observed you quietly making the sign of the cross before you begin an activity? Do they hear you participate in the liturgy? Have they joined you in praying the Divine Mercy chaplet at 3pm? Have they seen you initiate meal prayers?
And that, Father J-T, is how I foster prayer life in my children!