WFMW: Bible Question for You
Posted By Melissa on May 4, 2010
This year, for a formal Bible study program, the children and I have just been reading through some books for kids. The kinds with short stories, a bible verse, a lesson built in. It’s been good. But I’d really like to do something more.
We have done Bible Study Guide for All Ages before. My boys hate it. Sam liked it fine. I did buy some devotionals one year where we were all doing the same verses each day, but with books that were designed for each person’s age level. That worked out fine for a while and I am considering those again.
I’m curious as to what you use if you do use a formal Bible study program for your children. Let me know! Thanks!!
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Good question but I’m more needing the answer myself. My B just turned 2 and I’m starting to look into these things as well.
Well looks like we have been doing similar. We played around with the lifepacs you gave us, they were ok. For awhile we did the proverbs of the day. Sometimes i pick out a scripture or scriptures to help with a charector trait that needs some help. Right now Antonio is reading to us either at dinner or before bed and tonight we added confessing our sins to each other. We do this based on James 5:16, and tonight it was so sweet to see Devin thinking of things He did today that he needed to confess. Oh and we also have almost read through this book called “Leading Little ones to God” by Marian Schoolland. I liked this book because it really got down to heart issues that kids can struggle with. We have about 10 chapters left and hopefully we will finish it at some point LOL.
Not sure how old your kids are. Susan Hunt has a book “My ABC Bible Verses: Hiding God’s Word In Little Hearts”. I used this curriculum. Each week we did one verse – in order of the alphabet. Each bible verse had a story that would make the verse applicable in your child’s life. We really enjoyed this book. BUT – if you’ve got older kids – it will be young for them. Then we also learned the books of the bible – by way of song. Hope this helps.
I’ve heard great things about the Jesus Storybook Bible, it’s supposed to be awesome.
There’s only two of them so far, but I like the new series “What’s In the Bible.”
I finally just started reading straight from my ESV every morning and discussing with the kids. We don’t have a pre-set goal, like a chapter a day or anything like that. Some chapters are so meaty that I might break them up into 3 or even 4 reading/discussions.
The 11-year-old and 8-year-old get a lot out of this. The 6- and 4- year old get less.
But I just discovered a pretty decent Bible section in our library with a variety of picture books on varying Bible stories. I will start pairing one of these in the afternoon for the girls to get more benefit.
Tina
We have been loving Grapevine Studies’ Stick Figuring Through the Bible. (We’re currently doing the OT Survey, and will do the NT one next.) As long as they’re old enough to have some pencil control, they can do it (’cause they’ll be copying stick drawings), and it goes all the way up through high school/adults. (They just add complexity – to a degree – to the drawings, and “layers” to the study. So little ones just draw the figures, but the oldest children are also looking things up using Bible study tools like a concordance.) The content is very foundational and practical, IMO, but because they’re doing something, it’s not boring.
And it sticks. My 7yo just asked something during our Bible reading the other night at bedtime (we are in 1 Kings, I think) about why the other kings (after Solomon) aren’t on the timeline. When I pointed out to her that they are on there, just not as individual “entries,” she identified the split between Israel and Judah, because she remembered the images. And we have not even been very faithful about using the program consistently.
Hi Melissa, I’m here from WFMW.
I’m not certain how old your children are, but if they are K’s or up to 6th grade, I recommend going to this site: http://rotation.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x and scroll down and check out a particular Bible story. (They are organized according to their location in the Bible.) For instance in the Genesis section is stories about Joseph. If you click on lessons that I have written (posted under CreativeCarol) you’ll see a variety of activities and questions to ask your kids. These lessons are written for Sunday school but would work just as well in a family setting. (Except for perhaps the drama lessons where lots of characters are needed.)
Hope this helps.
I really tried to make Bible Study Guide for all Ages work for us. I haven’t gotten rid of it yet because I may still give it another shot. In the meantime…
My 4 older ones are reading through the Bible in a year. The big girls are using the NIV (I know, I know…) and Peter is using this:
My younger kids use this:
http://www.amazon.com/Day-Kids-Bible-Readers-Tyndale/dp/0842355367/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1264876378&sr=1-1
I have an easier reading one for Ben. Also, I have the bigger 3 doing Kay Arthur studies and I do Leading Little Ones to God with the younger 3.
Melissa,
Have you seen the fairly new “Who is God” that Apologia has put out. It’s very good, IMO. They will have a total of 5 books in the series. We have “Who is God” and while we have previously covered much of what is in there, I like the way it is presented. It has great illustrations and stories to explain everything. CBD is the best price I have found for it.
Praising Him,
Kim
Another one that we have done and I LOVE is “Creation to Christ” The subtitle is “Foundations” I think. Here is a review of it on my blog http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/blessed2bamommy/296347
Praising Him,
Kim
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