As a Christian, homeschool mom, I have one goal in mind: to teach my kids to love the Lord with all their heart, soul, and mind. Your goal may be different than mine, and that’s fine, but I have realized through the years how important our Bible studies are. Bible is not just another subject to get through like math or science…it really is the core of our life. It gives us a special opportunity to explore faith together, answer questions, and build a strong spiritual foundation. I have learned so much from my kids, and have really been amazed at how our studies affect their daily life. They affect my daily life too. Anytime we spend time with our Creator affects our life in a mighty way…
1. Set a Regular Time and Space for Bible Study
Consistency is important. Choose a quiet, comfortable spot in your home where your child can focus. Whether it’s a corner with a cozy rug and pillows or a favorite spot at the kitchen table, having a designated “Bible study space” makes it feel special. For many years, that spot was our kitchen table. Reading and discussing in between bites of breakfast and lingering after the food was gone.
Finding a consistent time for Bible study can help keep us focused and not be tempted to skip it for more “important” things. We usually choose to do it in the mornings before the day really gets going and busy. Do what works for you!
2. Don’t underestimate your kids when choosing a Bible.
Many people pick out the Bible with the “easiest” language. Why would you pick a diluted, watered down, imposter for the most important teaching moments in life? I don’t want an imposter…I want the real thing! Most Bibles in our society are not truly the inspired Word of God. We use the King James with all of its “thee’s” and “thou’s”. It teaches so much even aside from the moral attributes of the scriptures. Yes, even those slightly peculiar, out of date words teach them deductive reasoning, inference, summarizing, making connections…and many more good reading and thinking strategies! And they have no trouble memorizing it…another lie of Satan!
Using the KJV in Homeschool Bible Studies: Pros and How to Simplify
3. Ask Open-Ended Questions
Open-ended questions require more than a yes or no answer. It’s not your typical multiple choice type thing. For example:
- “How do you think David felt when facing Goliath?”
- “Why do you think Jesus chose fishermen to be his disciples?”
- “If you were in that story, how would you have felt?”
Open-ended questions allow kids to express their thoughts, make connections, and deepen their understanding of the Bible. They also challenge mom or dad to be ready to respond to their answer and help them along in their thinking.
4. Make It Relevant and Personal
Connect Bible lessons to real-life experiences. We know our kids better than anyone. If your child is struggling with friendship, use Bible stories about kindness or forgiveness. During Thanksgiving, read about gratitude in the Psalms. Relating lessons to their daily life helps them see the Bible as a practical guide for life, not just a storybook. I truly believe God’s Word has the answer for every situation in our life.
5. Teach them to pray.
I guess I’m a little slow…it took me a while to realize that we have to teach our kids to pray. Otherwise, it becomes a habitual “Now I lay me down to sleep” style prayer, that really has no meaning…its just a nice rhyme. You may want to make up some prayer cards to remind your kids of things to pray for or just talk about prayer needs as a family. My teenager has a cork board in her room as her prayer board. She puts up pictures of missionaries our church supports and has it sectioned off with prayer requests in little envelopes. Anything that helps them learn the importance of prayer in their daily lives is a good thing.
6. Make it fun & applicable to their daily life.
There are so many exciting stories, people, places, and events in the Bible…there’s no reason for it to be boring. Add in simple visuals, craft, games, and maybe even a field trip to let your kids know the Bible earns an important place in their learning. (We loved the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum.)
As children get older, it’s important for them to be able to document their studies by notebooking, taking notes, or some other form of graphic organization. Bible maps are also a great way to bring the Bible alive. It’s important that they can remember and apply the lessons to their daily lives.
I also HIGHLY recommend the Mystery of History if you have a child/children who are interested in history. This allows you to study history along the timeline of God’s Word. For example, when you study about King David…do you ever wonder what was going on in the world at that time…in China, Spain, etc.? It’s great for multiple ages also!
Do you have any goals or tips for teaching your child Bible? Leave me a comment…
I would love to hear from you!
