6 Great Devotionals for Children & Teens

Confession time: even as a pastor’s kid, I was terrible with reading my Bible every day. In fact, as a child I hated reading altogether and at nighttime, I would find myself drifting off to sleep as soon as I would open my Bible to the table of contents. That didn’t stop my parent’s persistence in making sure our family read and even memorized scriptures. There are strings of verses I can quote without blinking to this day!

If you want to encourage your kids to read the Bible more, have you tried daily devotionals? Children’s devotionals weren’t very common when I was growing up, but I wish they were!

Children who are reluctant to read the Bible might be more apt to read daily devotions, which open the door to digging deeper into God’s Word. There are still challenges when it comes to creating good devotional habits in our children, especially teens. There have so many distractions and temptations! Yet establishing a devotional for your family is an excellent way to get your children reading God’s Word every day.

Here are 6 great devotionals for children and teens that I’ve recently discovered. I recommend these devotionals for a wide range of ages!

Streams in the Desert for Kids and Streams for Teens
Adapted from the classic writings of L.B. Cowman, who is best known for her devotional Streams in the Desert, these devotions are single-page entries that won’t overwhelm your kids or teens. The devotions are nice and short and consist of a Scripture verse, the devotional, and a closing prayer. I found that these devotions were a little “deeper” – they challenge the reader to pay attention to everyday encounters with God and to trust His will and guidance for your life. The outdoorsy theme on the book cover appeals nicely to both boys and girls; it might be a great devotional to give your child before summer camp! Read more… Streams in the Desert for Kids and Streams for Teens

The Ultimate Boys’ Book of Devotions
My son really enjoys this brand-new devotional! While the cover seems very grown-up (which he likes), I love how it is catered to him and where he is as a young boy. It is totally relatable. My son has already memorized the scriptures from the days he has read. Read more…

Once-a-Day Devotional for Teens
I gave this one to my 12-year old daughter, as she now thinks that anything that says “teen” on it is cool! She definitely welcomed it since she started a new school and is in full swing of becoming a teenager. This devotional has a few interesting features, including space to journal or write notes following each devotion, an area with a check mark where you can check off your daily reading, and a list in the front of all the scripture references throughout the book. The scripture is all from the New International Version (NIV). Read more…

Finding God in Tough Times, 99 Devotions for Girls
My 12-year old daughter also enjoyed this devotional from the Faithgirlz! Series. Written by a Mom of three daughters, the book is designed to meet girls during the tough times, like situations of stress, peer pressure, perfectionism and even tackling heavier topics like divorce, bullying, and abuse. This 90-day devotional would be a great gift for your daughter or her hurting friend, providing Biblical wisdom straight from God’s Word. There are also activities, journal prompts, and stories from real girls throughout the devotional. Read more…

NIV Adventure Bible Book of Devotions (Revised Edition)
The NIV Adventure Bible has been around for years and is the #1 best-selling children’s Bible. This new devotional is a great companion to it! The back of the devotional says it’s aimed at ages 9-12, but even younger children would enjoy it if you’re helping them read. It’s a yearlong devotional filled with fictional stories about kids finding adventure in the real world, along with Biblical life applications and scripture passages. Read more…

Putting the Word of God in the hearts of our children is so very important. Those little moments you teach your children add up over time and make a great impact. Starting when they are little is the perfect place to begin their scripture journey. But even if you missed out on those early year, it’s not too late! Teens who start reading devotions and scripture are introduced to our almighty Father and his wisdom for us – this is a powerful source of knowledge that will help them through life’s most difficult challenges.

Your Turn

What do you do to help your children or teens learn God’s word?