Kids Blog

Reading Scripture With Your Kids

Reading the Bible to your children is one of the most critical things you can do for the development of each child’s faith. It is important to get them into this habit early, as you want this exercise to become an integral part of their whole lives.  Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ”. Depending on how many children you have and their ages, you can either read the Bible to them one-on-one or as a family. It is completely up to you and what you think will be the best for your family. Although there is no “one-size-fits-all” for Bible-reading time, here are some tips to help parents decide what will work best with your family and your needs.

Establish a Routine or Schedule

The first thing to do is to establish a routine. Look at your schedule and figure out what is the best time of day to set aside for reading Scripture. This might be challenging at first and it may take your family a few weeks to get in the swing of things, but it is so important to establish a time for reading God’s Word. That being said, don’t feel bad if you stumble once and a while and don’t read Scripture with your child. Life is full of twists and turns, unexpected problems, and just general craziness; you are going to forget or not have enough time occasionally and that’s OK. The important thing is getting into the habit of reading Scripture. 1 Timothy 4:13 says, “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.”

Be Intentional in Reading

Not only is reading the Word of God important but the way you read it as well. When reading the Bible with your children, try not to just randomly select some verses here and there. Yes, this is spending time in the Word, but it is an incomplete overview of the whole story. When you read little snippets here and there, it is harder to see and understand the connections between passages. Instead, read whole books of the Bible together over a period of time. This allows you and your children to dive deeper into the meaning of Scripture, establish connections between the many books and even between the two Testaments, and help everyone come to know God better. And last, but certainly not least, reading Scripture this way shows your children that the whole Bible points towards Jesus Christ, our Lord, and Savior. Luke 24:27 says, "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself."

Make it Interactive

Simply reading Bible verses to your children is good, but if you want to make the experience even more enriching, make it more interactive. Asking questions increases the chances of your child understanding and remembering what they have read. By actively engaging them, you are increasing the probability that the lesson and its message will stick. Asking questions is also a great way for family members to interact with one another. Questions often lead to meaningful discussions as everyone has a different viewpoint that they come in with. It’s also important to let your children ask you any questions they might have as well. If you know the answer, respond in a thoughtful and sincere way. If you don’t know the answer, be honest with them. Look for the answer and pray to God for wisdom and guidance.

You can also make it interactive by spending time in the word of God in different ways. Switch things up a bit: one day, have everyone pass the Bible around and each read a portion of the Scripture. On another day, have each person act out a character in the story. Or encourage their creativity by having them draw scenes from the lesson, memorize scripture, play charades; anything you want! Each child is special and uniquely created by God and as such, they will connect with the Word in different ways.

Resource

If you are looking for a specific reading plan to follow, I highly recommend “Exploring the Bible: A Bible Reading Plan for Kids” by David Murray. This book is the perfect fit for kids ages 6-12 and includes daily Scripture readings, prayer prompts, memory verses, discussion questions, and much more!

Weekly Challenge

There is no place to start like the beginning, right? For this week’s challenge, start your Scripture reading with your children in the book of Genesis. Once you have found a good time of day to set aside for reading God’s Word, decide how much your family will read in a day. Go at a pace that your kids will enjoy and understand what they are reading. The hardest part is getting started. Once you establish reading Scripture as a part of your daily routine, it will get easier and easier until it becomes another part of your lives.