12 Simple Tips for Teaching Scripture to Toddlers
Parents are always looking for ways to teach Scripture to toddlers. Learning the Bible at a young age creates a solid foundation for Christian living. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.”
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It’s never too early to start teaching the Bible to our little ones. Young children are very impressionable, and they are influenced by whatever is presented to them. This is why, as the gatekeepers of our homes, we have to be cognizant of what we are exposing our children to.
With prayer and by partnering with God, we can help our toddlers develop a love for Scripture in their early childhood. We can do this by proactively teaching our toddlers about the Bible in simple and creative ways.
Here are 12 simple tips for teaching the Bible to toddlers:
1. Teach the Bible with a cheerful spirit
Proverbs 15:13 says, “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” Teaching the Bible to toddlers should not be a dry, boring experience. Young children are more responsive to learning about Scripture when mom and dad are excited about it. Our attitude, words, and tone of voice set the tone for their Bible-learning experience.
Your attitudes and emotions influence your child’s learning experience because your emotions are contagious. A cheerful and encouraging learning atmosphere is conducive to learning and can motivate your toddler to learn about the Bible.
2. Choose a time of day to teach Scripture to your toddler
Psalm 143:8 says, “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.”
The best time of day to teach toddlers about Scripture is in the morning. They are full of energy and eager to learn. It is also much easier for them to retain information while they are still energized and alert from a good night's sleep.
However, if your mornings tend to be the busiest, morning time is probably not going to be the best option for you. The most important thing is to pick a time that works best for you and your family. Try to find a time that can stay consistent. It’s best to avoid teaching when you or your child are hungry, tired, or not feeling well.
3. Use visuals and physical objects to illustrate or demonstrate a Bible verse
One way to help toddlers learn and understand God’s Word is by using visuals and physical objects. You can get creative and have fun with this! For example, take a word or phrase from a Bible passage and have your child bring an object that represents that word or phrase.
I’ve had wonderful success teaching my daughter about the Bible while walking in nature, birdwatching, or harvesting vegetables in the garden.
“To the little child, not yet capable of learning from the printed page or of being introduced to the routine of the schoolroom, nature presents an unfailing source of instruction and delight. The heart not yet hardened by contact with evil is quick to recognize the Presence that pervades all created things. The ear as yet undulled by the world’s clamor is attentive to the Voice that speaks through nature’s utterances.”
If you’re looking for visual aids, I highly recommend the following resources:
Beginners Memory Verse Booklets by My Bible First
Beginner Memory Verse Cards by My Bible First
Beginners Memory Verse Picture Review by My Bible First
Interactive Bible Crafts by A Sketch of Faith — The printable crafts take the stress away from preparing for craft time. They’re perfect for home, school, or church!
Bible Coloring Pages by Starting with Jesus — The coloring pages correspond to the SeedPod Beginners devotional podcast (which I’ll talk about below), as well as the My Bible First Beginners lessons.
4. Listen to The Bible and Scripture songs throughout the day
Listening to Scripture draws us closer to God by helping us meditate on His promises. It's a powerful way for us to feel His presence and experience His love. Scripture songs can help children grow in their faith and make learning about the Bible fun and enjoyable.
Try the Dwell Bible app today
The Dwell app is my absolute favorite for immersing in the Scriptures and memorizing God's Word. It allows me to create personalized playlists of cherished verses and passages, making Scripture memorization an enjoyable and meaningful experience.
Dwell is also an incredible resource for bringing the Bible to life for toddlers and young children. With its engaging audio features and the ability to create playlists of favorite verses and stories, it makes God’s Word accessible and captivating for the little ones. It's a fantastic tool for instilling a love for Scripture from a young age and helping them grow in their faith journey.
Here are the Scripture song resources we absolutely love in our home:
Scripture Songs for Kids - 10 CDs and a companion book for each CD
Scripture Lullabies Albums - available for streaming and also in MP3 or CD format
5. Memorize Bible verses as a family during family devotions
Memorizing Bible verses is a great way to get the entire family involved in learning Scripture. The best time to do this is during family devotions and mealtime when everyone is together. You could sing Scripture songs before prayer. You could also take turns reciting your favorite Bible verses either during family worship or during mealtime.
If you know ahead of time what you will be reading for family worship, you can pick a short supporting verse for your family to memorize together. Keeping things short and simple will make it easier for your toddler to learn Scripture. Since repetition is key to memorization, you might consider memorizing a verse or two per week.
Ask God to help you think of creative ways to teach Scripture to your child.
6. Make it personal by inserting their names into Bible verses
Children love it when they hear their names included in songs and Bible verses. One way to do this is to mention your child’s name in a song or verse that is being sung or read to them. Not only will it make them happy, but it will also make them eager to hear and learn more!
Here are a couple of examples:
“The Lord is Tyra’s shepherd.” (Psalm 23:1)
“The Lord is near to Brandon who calls upon Him.” (Psalm 145:18)
“God is Sophia’s refuge and strength.” (Psalm 46:1)
7. Listen to audio devotionals or audiobooks for toddlers
According to LiteracyTrust.org, “Children are able to access a wider range of stories through audiobooks, where difficulty understanding a written text is a barrier, with stories beyond their reading level made accessible.”
“Audiobooks can be the key to unlocking a child’s love of reading. Their very nature enables all children, regardless of their reading ability, to access and explore the incredible world of stories, which are brought to life by a range of exciting voices, different accents and sound effects.” - LiteracyTrust.org
My toddler loves listening to audio devotionals while she quietly plays with her toys. Our family favorite is an audio devotional podcast by Starting with Jesus.
SeedPod for Beginners (3x/week)
8. Read books with Bible stories and Scripture
The Bible is God’s lesson book for His children. It is impossible for children to learn about the Bible without learning more about geography, literature, and history.
As toddlers learn more about the Bible, they get to know more about God and His ways. The Bible teaches toddlers (and older children alike) an accurate understanding of the Creator of the universe. God’s Word begins informing their thoughts, words, and behaviors.
Click below for my favorite Bible story set for young children:
My Bible Friends by Etta B. Degering - A 5 Volume collection of character-building stories taken from The Bible for children from birth to age 6. This is also available in audio (CD) format.
“The beautiful lessons of the Bible stories and parables, the pure, simple instruction of God’s Holy Word, is the spiritual food for you and your children.”
9. Display Bible verses where your toddler spends the most time
As your toddler gains more independence exploring various areas of your house, pay attention to which places they spend lots of time in. If you’re potty training, your toddler is likely spending lots of time either in the bathroom or in a ‘mini’ potty in a designated spot.
Make a habit of hanging Bible verses on the wall above the toilet, above the changing table, or even on your refrigerator — if your little one loves playing with magnetic wooden animals on your fridge!
10. Memorize Scripture throughout the day
Deuteronomy 6:7 says, “And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”
Memorizing Scripture is an ongoing integrative experience. If you normalize talking about and memorizing the Bible throughout the day, it will remind your toddler that God is near and they are never alone. When children memorize Scripture at an early age, they are better equipped to conquer fears and resist temptations.
11. Make learning fun and engaging
Toddlers are naturally curious. They love to learn and explore. They naturally gravitate towards what interests them the most. You can help your child learn by understanding what he/she finds interesting and how you can use that to your advantage.
Here are some ways you can make learning the Bible fun and engaging for your toddler:
Letting your toddler experience nature (e.g., go birdwatching, visit a botanical garden, plant a seed and watch it grow)
Giving your child a chance to be creative with art projects (e.g., visit Bible coloring pages, do Bible activities together)
Making Bible character hand puppets for Bible storytime
Singing Scripture songs and stopping to let your toddler finish the phrase
12. Keep it short, sweet, and simple
Start teaching your toddler the Bible by keeping sentences and lessons short and simple. Use a lot of repetition. It's tough to pay close attention and learn so many things all at once. Young children need ample opportunities to learn Scripture. Be creative and resourceful, and use things you already own.
We love reading the My Bible Friends books because of the short and simple story format.
Conclusion
You can teach Scripture to toddlers by integrating the Bible into everyday life. You can read a Bible story or verse, listen to a Scripture song, recite Scripture during family devotions, or learn about nature while spending time outdoors.
“The teaching of Bible truth is the great and grand work which every parent should undertake. In a pleasant, happy frame of mind place the truth as spoken by God before the children.” - Ellen White
