Tips for Teaching Kids to Read the Bible

 

#1 Start with Structure

 

Show students how the Bible is organized. Explain that the Bible is actually a collection of books written by different people who listened to God’s voice and recorded his working in the world. Show how it is arranged into Old and New Testament, and separated into chapters and verses. Teach children how to look up verses and refer to a table of contents. 

 

#2 Age-Appropriateness

 

For young children, start them with a children’s story Bible that has compelling illustrations. There are also great apps you can point them to, such as the “Bible for Kids” app and YouVersion App Kids Devotionals that read Bible stories aloud and have interactive features. 

 

#3 Developing Habits

 

Provide a reading guide that kids can follow to develop a regular habit of reading God’s word. Here are a couple from Choose Your Own Adventure and Foundations for Kids

 

#4 Where to start?

 

Recommend a place to start. Kids can struggle to get very far if they begin reading in Genesis and try to read the Bible through in the order it is arranged, especially if they are new to Christianity and don’t have much background on who Jesus is. A great book to get started would be one of the gospels, or James, which is a book with lots of practical applications for kids. 

 

#5 Connect them to resources

 

Kids are highly visual learners and tend to love watching YouTube videos. Share with them online channels where they can access resources that reinforce the stories they read in God’s word. Here are a few YouTube channels with high-quality Bible storytelling: Saddleback Kids, Crossroads Kids Club, Gospel Project. 

 

#6 Find a Friend

 

Encourage kids to find someone who can be their reading buddy as they read the Bible. It could be a parent or someone else at home. Maybe your small group at Crossroads is going to go through a reading plan together and talk about it. The habit of reading God’s Word, no matter what age, is always easier to stick to when you are doing it alongside others.