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Learning to enjoy reading the Bible at an early age is a wonderful way to develop a lifelong habit of Bible reading. Loving reading the Bible spurs children on to read more and to look forward to reading time.
Today I wanted to share some wonderful ways of helping young children read the Bible purposefully. My prayer is that these tools will help your child enjoy reading the Bible and encourage their hearts to continue reading.
4 Ways for Helping Young Children Read the Bible Purposefully
- Use a devotional or perpetual calendar with supplemental Scripture readings.
For many years, our family has enjoyed the Jesus Calling devotional and last year we began using the perpetual calendar. One of the beautiful additions to these tools is the list of verses at the bottom of the page that provide children with the opportunity to look up verses and read them for themselves.
- Use a check-off Bible reading plan or app.
If your child has their own electronic device, then having an app for Bible reading is a great way to motivate them to read each day. There are many apps to choose from, ranging from a verse a day to a chapter a day. I’ve found that 10-15 verses is average for a 3rd-4th grader, but of course, you will want to adjust the amount of reading for the age and ability of the child.
If your child doesn’t have their own digital reading device, then allowing them to borrow yours can be a great motivational tool to develop consistent reading patterns.
- Print a Bible reading plan and use their favorite stickers to mark completed reading or color in the squares.
Posting a Bible reading plan to the fridge or hanging one right beside your child’s bed is a great way to keep the plan in the forefront of the mind. Associating the plan with an item they would normally do every day at the same time is a great way to develop the habit of reading. So if the reading plan is hanging beside the bed, they will be reminded before going to sleep. If it’s on the fridge, then it serves as a reminder to read before breakfast or even dinner. Reading at the same time each day is a wonderful way to build Bible reading.
- Offer a reward when the Bible reading plan is completed.
Rewarding good behavior is essential to encouraging continued good behavior. I’ve found that rewarding my children when they have completed a Bible reading plan is a tremendous encouragement to complete another plan.
Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it. – Proverbs 22:6
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Your Turn
We’d love to hear from you! How do you encourage your children to read the Bible on a regular basis?
