How to read the Bible with your kids
We all know that we should be reading our Bible with our kids, yet surveys have shown that just 10 percent of Christian families read the Bible together. Family Bible reading can be intimidating for many parents – but you don’t have to have all the answers to start faithfully learning from God’s Word together.
Now is a great time to establish new rhythms of Bible reading or resurrect old ones that got pushed aside during the school year. Here are a few helpful hints to get your family reading the Bible this summer!
Find a time
While most people typically read the Bible in the morning, that isn’t the only time you can learn from God’s Word! If mornings are busy, set aside some time before your kids go to bed to read together, or make it a part of your evening mealtime routine. The most important thing is to find what works and then stick with it. It can take 6 to 8 weeks to build a new habit, so don’t get discouraged if it takes a few tries to find out what works best for your family. Don’t be afraid to start small – 10 to 15 minutes per day can be a good place to start!
Explain the “why”
It’s every kid’s favorite question – but the answer can help your child be a more engaged participant, especially if Bible reading is new for your family. If you’re not sure how to respond to “why,” you can say something like, “We’re reading the Bible to learn more about God and how He teaches us to live.” Every family can have their own purpose statement, and you can regularly repeat it to remind your kids why Bible reading is important.
Establish a system
The Bible is one unified story from God to us, but settling for the “lottery” method – flipping open to a random page and reading a few verses for the day – can make for a disjointed, confusing experience for your and your kids. Try working through whole books of the BIble, or select a reading plan (Bible Gateway and Youversion are two great resources) that breaks down passages into measurable chunks.
Age-appropriate children’s Bibles are also a great way to approach God’s word at a level that’s easy for kids to understand. Here are some of our favorite Bible recommendations for every age group:
Nursery: The Big Book of Bible Stories for Toddlers
Preschool: The Deep Blue Bible Storybook
Elementary: The Adventure Bible (NIrV)
Ask questions
After you read, ask a few questions to get everyone thinking. They can be as simple as “What does this verse say about God?” or “How can you live out this verse today when you’re around others?” If you have older kids in your family, have them come up with the questions and you can answer them! Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer – questions can be a great opportunity to discover what God says in His Word together.
Pray together
As parents, we know we’re completely dependent on God’s help as we lead our kids to know and love Him more. Before you crack open the Bible, pray that God would open everyone’s eyes to His Word. After you read and discuss, wrap up your time with prayer, and ask God to help you live out what He taught you through the reading.
Set realistic expectations
You may start out with lofty ambitions to read through all of Romans together, but that can be challenging with active young kids who aren’t fond of sitting still. Set bite-sized goals, and don’t be afraid to adapt lofty goals into more realistic ones that fit your children’s needs. When it comes to family Bible reading, just remember this: you don’t have to be perfect. You just need to be faithful and point your kids towards Christ!