Many parents want to help their kids learn to read and understand the Bible. This will help them learn to trust and love the teachings. While many think of it as a very significant event, it can also be daunting for kids. The Bible is complex and big enough to intimidate even adults. But if you want to get your children interested in the most important book ever, you need to take one step at a time. Help them develop habits of enjoying this book regularly. While there can be no single formula to assist you here, there are different ways you can get your children interested in the subject. Some of them can be effective. Here are a few tips to help you get started.
Start with a bible they can enjoy
If your children do not own a bible, they might not feel like reading it. Invest in one for them. Pick the best one you can afford and your children will enjoy looking at it and learning from it. They will learn how valuable and special the book can be. There are different Bibles available at KJV Bibles among others with beautiful quality paper and covers. Pick an illuminated one so your child likes to flip through the pages, hold it, and eventually read it. When you give them a Bible, you are giving them something of value, something that carries a powerful message.
Lead by example
Even some of the best Bibles can end up lying on a dusty shelf if your children never see you reading your Bible regularly and with joy. Your children will follow your actions, and you need to take the lead here. If they see you wake up before everyone else only to read your Bible before you go to work, they will be interested in doing what you do. As a child, your actions will build an impression on their minds, and it will affect them consciously or unconsciously.
Give them a manageable plan
After you give your child a Bible to read, you also need to provide tips on how to go about it. You need to help them go about it, where to start, how much to read each day, and whether to read in the Old or the New Testament. Whenever you get the Bible for your children, you also need to help them with the how and why. Have a clear plan or else children will just go from one page to another without any progress or purpose. When this happens, they often give up. Hence, create a plan that takes them through some of the most important teachings of the Bible in manageable readings. There is no need to hit the perfect plan immediately. Ask for guidance and learn to experiment until you find something that works for you and your children.
Let them ask questions
An effective strategy to get children engaged in reading and understanding the Bible is to let them ask questions. You can give them a simple question related to what they are reading and then lead into a discussion. This will allow them to open up and ask you questions while you will be able to see how well they’re doing. The aim is to build a habit of interacting with the Scriptures so that you know your children are not reading passively but actively. Initially, the questions will only be about the content in the book but later, as they grow up, they will understand its meaning better. Let your children raise as many queries about the text as they can. Do let them know that you want them to raise questions and come to you. Whatever they ask, take it seriously and answer them in the best way possible.
Keep encouraging them
It is not going to be easy for children to pick up the Bible and read it every day for a few minutes. However, you need to keep encouraging them to keep going. You can make it a family activity where you gather for 15 minutes before dinner or on a Sunday morning and discuss your readings. Have an open discussion where there are questions and answers easily flowing. Talk informally about what they are reading and show interest in their understanding of the subject. This will encourage your children to keep going.
One of the best things you can do for your children is to get them interested in the Bible. It can be easier said than done and will need a lot of encouragement, help, and guidance but it will be worth it. As your children grow, they will realize the importance of the Scriptures and will engage in it more often. As a parent, you have to give them the right direction and push when necessary.
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