I always love it when a young mom comes asking for Family Bible Time help. “What materials would you recommend?” …”I’ve never done this and my baby is now two. How do I begin?” … “Can you help me know what a five-year-old should know?”
If you’re a young mom trying to mold hearts for him, I think age-appropriate informal time in God’s Word every day is your greatest tool. Today, I want to throw just a few ideas your way. Let me know if I can further help, because there’s no greater calling, Mom, than yours –to put the souls in those little bodies you’ve borne (or adopted, or fostered) around HIs throne for eternity. YOU are key in that forever accomplishment. You really are more than “key.” You are primary.
Here goes:
- The fundamental purpose of the book “Picking Melons and Mates” is to give parents a 21-day guide for beginning Family Bible Time. You can’t mess this up. It’s step-by-step instructions and they are in the back of this colorful story book. https://thecolleyhouse.org/
- Kids Sing cards. Kids love the drill and reward system. This is not wasted rote memorization. I know middle-aged people who routinely use what they have learned from these cards in their evangelism. If kids repeat, they retain. You can watch a video about how to use these cards here: https://westhuntsville.org/kid-sing/
- That They May Have Hope” and “That They May Believe” series by Caleb and Rebekah Colley.
One night, they got to jump on bubble wrap if they answered correctly. That was epic!
These have study guides, timelines, flash cards, a memory game, etc…And I have watched pre-schoolers get very excited about Bible characters and accounts when mastering this material. https://thecolleyhouse.org/
- Hannah’s Hundred for Bible memorization through songs. This one’s classic by now: https://thecolleyhouse.org/
- In my blog, search for “Family Ties in the Social Distance,” Created during the 2020 Covid isolation time, each of these segments are catered to rich Family Bible Time. They have step-by-step instructions. https://thecolleyhouse.org/category/bless-your-heart
- Use one night a week for service. Also in the blog, search Mama’s K.I.S.S. You will find just under 100 ideas for kids to develop servant hearts. You don’t have to fit all of a project in your short FBT. You can introduce it there and incorporate into your week.https://thecolleyhouse.org/category/bless-your-heart
- But in all of the doing and learning and getting, don’t miss the ordinary games like Twenty Questions, Charades, “Who am I?”, and scavenger hunts Kids love to play Bible guessing games and they are such great family bonding tools!
- Then turn your board games into FBT tools, too. Kids get to move or spin or collect or toss when they answer correctly. All the classic games can be turned into spiritual “play” that’s not really play at all. And you can adapt the questions/challenges to the age of each child.
- Those AP Discovery trading cards. I can’t really say enough good things about these for your elementary and middle-school kids. Each card can easily become a Bible Time. http://www.apologeticspress.org
This night was the lame man in Acts 3–out on the trampoline.
- Don’t discount the value of good sound Bible story books. Face it. Every now and then, we need a little chill time, and it’s pretty nice to cuddle up and read what someone else has put together for us. https://sainpublications.com/product/bible-stories-from-a-rocking-chair/
- Finally, check out the treasure trove at Families of Faith. This young mama is busy, but she’s packing this little store with very valuable tools for people like herself! https://familiesoffaith.store/?srsltid=AfmBOorzzIX_RPrqE8zX6KEWdw8JQuJ4wsZ54wl9p4g3N1FEKVKryTXU
Happy Holidays! To those who entered the holiday contest, let me say a big thanks. This successful contest yielded several ideas that I know will be helpful to parents, especially those who have younger children.