Helping Kids Fall in Love with Reading the Bible

Growing up, I was the kid who would stay up late, reading past my bedtime. Glancing at the clock on my bedside table, I’d convince myself that I had time for just one more chapter… over and over again. How could I sleep without knowing what happened next?! If I heard my mom’s footsteps coming down the hall, I’d race to put in my bookmark, turn out the light, and wait in suspense to see if she would come in and scold me for being up too late, or if she would turn around and call it a win that my light was finally out. I can only remember a handful of times I got in trouble for this – my mom loves to read too and understood the pull to read just one more chapter.

A love for reading has served me well over my life – academically, personally, and spiritually. Looking back, I can see three things my mother did to pass her love of reading on to me.

• She modeled it. Instead of watching TV at night, she would read before going to bed. If we wanted to, she would let my siblings and me read in bed with her. You could usually find at least one of us reading with her at night.
• She provided access to books that fit my interests and reading level. Frequent trips to the library were the norm, and she bought most of The Saddle Club series during my horse phase.
• She was interested in what I was reading. My mom would often read a book after I finished it. It made for easy conversation and connection and helped her keep tabs on the content I was reading.

Kids often adopt the habits and interests of their parents, whether reading, sports, or music. This is also often true of children as they learn to read the Bible. We see this in the life of Timothy. The apostle Paul says this when encouraging young Timothy in his role pastoring the church in Ephesus:

“I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. … continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” – 2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14b-17

Paul gives us an interesting insight into Timothy’s childhood. Both his mother and grandmother were women of faith who raised Timothy to know Scripture. This propelled Timothy to become a young man of great faith who was equipped to join God’s work in sharing the gospel and building the Church.

How can we follow the example of Lois and Eunice? How can we help our kids fall in love with God’s Word?

We can model it. Our kids will see the value we place on the Bible by both our words and our example. Show your kids your rhythm of reading the Bible or work to establish one together as a family.

1. Find a Bible that’s Understandable for their Developmental Level

First, we want to make sure that kids have access to a Bible that is understandable for their developmental level. For example, we love The Jesus Storybook Bible for littles, The Bible Made Easy for Kids, and the NIV Bible translation for kids as they get older.

2. Provide Tools for Understanding and Studying Scripture

We can also help by providing kids the tools they need to study Scripture. The SOAP Bible study method is one easy way to study the Bible. It looks like this:

S – Scripture – Begin your time in prayer, asking God to teach you from his Word. Read a verse or passage of Scripture several times. Write down part or all of it.

O – Observation – What does this passage say? What is happening? Who is speaking? Where and when is it taking place? How did the people respond? Look for keywords and phrases. Write down what you see and any questions you have.

A – Application – How can I apply this to my life? How could my life look different based on what I learned? Write it down.

P – Prayer

3. Recommend Specific Scripture to Study

Third, be ready to share suggestions for books or passages of Scripture to study. The length and breadth of the Bible can feel overwhelming, so suggestions for where to begin and some context for that book (easily found in the beginning of a study Bible) can be very helpful!

We can learn together. Take an interest in the portion of Scripture your kids are reading. Allow this to be a natural point of conversation and connection. Ask them questions about what they are learning and what they might need help understanding. You will probably find that they have a unique perspective which can help you in your faith and understanding as well!

Helping our kids fall in love with the Bible is one of the greatest gifts we can give to them! Above all else in our efforts, we can pray, asking God to guide us and to help our kids fall in love with Him and His Word.