How to Help Your Kids Memorize the Bible

Want to help your kids memorize the Bible, but you’re not sure where to start? In this post, I want to share some of the creative strategies our family uses for memorizing God’s Word together.

Why Encourage Your Kids to Memorize the Bible

I am passionate about kids memorizing the Bible, because I know what a powerful impact doing so had on me as a child, AND I know how much more difficult it is for me to memorize now that I’m an adult! ha!

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You, too? I’m glad I’m not alone.

In our home, my husband and I are wholeheartedly committed to fighting for the hearts of our children, and we believe that encouraging them to memorize the Bible is key. Our desire is not for our children to base their beliefs [and choices] on tradition…or feelings of heart…or personal experiences. We want them to know that traditions will bind them, feelings will mislead them, and personal experiences will confuse them. We want them to follow after God’s truth – viewing all of life through that lens alone.

As our children grow and mature and eventually leave our nest, we want them understand that there is one and only one thing that will bring true, long-lasting comfort when they face trials…and trials will come. We want them to know where to find peace during stressful situations, answers when they have questions, healing when their hearts are breaking, victory when they are struggling, freedom when they face addictions. We want them to know that God’s promises are true and they are flowing for them to embrace all throughout their life.

With that being said, we must stand prepared! Satan does not want to see families focused on God’s Word and working to memorize the Bible together. He knows the power that the Truth holds, and His goal will be to distract us – making it difficult to be consistent in this area. Our response? Let’s join together and commit to making Scripture memory a priority in our homes – even in the face of distractions. May we seek to encourage our kids in wisdom, challenge them to grow in their faith, and pray that they will long to know Jesus personally and live in a way that shows the world the Good News.

Why Help Your Kids Memorize the Bible?

Because it has the power to transform their lives!

How to Help Your Kids Memorize the Bible

Our Favorite Practice Ideas:

Read Aloud – Read your verse(s) aloud during breakfast…before bedtime…while you’re sitting in the car…while you’re waiting at the doctor. For many kids (even those who don’t usually feel confident memorizing things!), this kind of repetition will be enough for them to quickly memorize their Bible verse(s).

Sing – Search the verse reference on iTunes! There may be a perfect song download waiting to help your kids memorize their Bible verse. You may see Steve Green’s name pop up in the search results. His Hide ’em In Your Heart Collection is fantastic for Scripture memory.

In addition to searching iTunes, type the reference in to a YouTube search. My kids love when I find a video of other kids either saying or singing the verse they are working to memorize. We have found some great videos this way!

Get Movin’ – As you recite the words of the Bible verse with your kids, (1) make up motions to do – even if they feel a little silly, (2) bounce a ball back and forth, (3) speak loudly/softly or fast/slow, (4) clap a beat, etc. Think of ways to make it physical! Your active kiddos will love it!

Use Everyday Objects – Gather everyday objects and use them to help illustrate or demonstrate the meaning of a verse.

Be Creative – Our kids enjoy drawing pictures, setting words to music, acting out stories, putting on puppet shows, recording videos of themselves on their tablets. Encourage your kiddos to take their memory verses and do these kinds of things with it! We love getting creative with our Bible learning around here:

Use Technology – Our kids are always excited to call or video chat with their grandparents! As they learn new Bible verses, they love sharing them with their family in this way.

Awana – I love that our church encourages the kids to memorize their monthly memory verse, but our kids also attend a local AWANA program. If you have AWANA at a church near you, we highly recommend it! It is a fantastic incentive-based Scripture Memory program for kids of all ages, and my kids love at just as much as I did as a kid.

Make it personal – As you memorize the Bible together, insert your kids’ names into the verse making it as personal as possible for them. In addition, intentionally look for ways to apply the verse to every day situations you and your children face together. This is key – the whole point of memorizing God’s word: to take His truth and learn how to let it transform the way we live.

Two Other AWESOME Bible Resources We Love:

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name – I have never seen a children’s Bible written more beautifully. God rescued them—no matter what, time after time, over and over again—because of his
Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love. It’s truly beautiful. If you love The Jesus Storybook Bible, you may always like: Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing– written in a very similar way.

Adventures in Odyssey: Their broadcasts, their CD collections, their DVDs (also available as streaming videos) – We are fans of all of it! My kids love listening to these before bed and while we’re out and about in the mini-van.

If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy browsing our favorite faith-based resources for kids