We’ve been homeschooling for around 17 years, since our oldest was little. Bible memory has always been a regular part of our homeschooling week. Over the years, we’ve faced our fair share of challenges with it. Memorizing Bible verses isn’t something that comes naturally, but it’s definitely achievable. I mean, with God, nothing’s impossible, right? Well, nothing except Bible memorization!
It’s kind of like preparing for a triathlon. You can’t just wake up one morning and say, “Hey, today’s the day I’m going to do it!” No, you’ve got to train your body for it. Similarly, we have to train our minds for Bible memory. It’s a journey, not a sprint, and it takes a bit of effort, but it’s so worth it. I start training mine from the early years using various strategies that make it easier. Here are a few of them!
- Meditate On It
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Joshua 1:8
I have found that early mornings are a good time for working on memory. We start our day by doing basic chores: make bed, get dressed, comb hair, feed animals. Then it’s to the kitchen for breakfast. We study our Bible verses at breakfast time. Everyone is quieter and their brains are fresh and alert! I have the kids just read and meditate on the verse and we talk about what it means. Then they can work a little each morning on memorization.
2. Post It
Write or type your verse and post it in a prominent place where children will see it often. This is especially good for younger grades. Kids are never too young to memorize scripture. We start when they are about 4 years old. Posting the verse up on the wall or the fridge keeps the verse in their mind, and also reminds ALL of us we need to be working on it. For younger children who cannot read yet, make the words different colors or even make a drawing above the word for understanding. Hand motions are also great for littles. They are so smart, smarter than we give them credit for!
3. Song or Beat
Get in the groove with your memory! Recite it with a sing-song beat or even use spoons or sticks to keep the beat. Try to always be consistent with your ups and downs and beats.
Make up a song! I have made up songs for many scriptures including John 3:16 and Proverbs 3:5-6. I used this technique when teaching children’s church also. Many kids come from homes where no one ever helps them learn their memory verses. But they can remember a song so well! This could be a melody that you make up or a popular tune that works with the verse.
4. Separate It
Divide the passage into smaller phrases. However small you need them to be. Slowly start to put the pieces together throughout the week. Each day they can say more and more of the verse! Start this when they are young and they will automatically use it as a memory strategy when they are older.
5. Memory Box
One of the challenges we have had through the years is the “memorize and forget” dilemma. Yes, they do great now after years of memorizing and finding strategies that help them. But a few weeks down the road, those verses are gone from their brains. Poof! Like it never happened!
The Bible memory box has changed that! I print their memory verses out on 3×5 cards, and we place them under tabs in an index card box. The tabs are labeled as follows (in order): daily, odd, even, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and numbers 1-31. We choose not to include the weekends. Each week I add a new scripture to the “daily” tab and move each of the other cards back a tab.
Each day, the child studies the “daily”(newest) verses. If it is Monday, July 5, they will also review the verse that is under the “Monday” tab, the verse under the “odd” tab, and the one under the #5 tab. We spend the most time each day on their new verse under the daily tab, and just review the others briefly.
(The memory box is NOT my idea, but I found it on a Charlotte Mason website. I can’t remember exactly which one, but if you search you can probably find it!)
Link to my Scripture Card Memory template (make a copy and save for yourself)! You can input your own verses if you like. These just happens to be the ones we are working on so far this year.
Don’t give up! Keep on trying to plant God’s Word in their hearts and minds. If one thing doesn’t work, try something else.
Check out: 5 Tips for Teaching Bible Verses to Children: Making Scripture Stick
