Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Studying God's Word With Your Preschooler



Paul reminded Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:14-15: "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." 
 It's never too early to begin planting God's Word into the hearts of children. Preschool-age children can learn powerful Biblical truths that will impact their lives. Timothy was taught the Scriptures when he was very young. God used these lessons to help shape Timothy's character and prepare him for the man of God he was to become.  In much the same way, you can help your child become all God intends for him to be.
As we all know, sometimes it takes creative Bible lessons to keep little ones interested. Teaching young children the truth of God's Word can be both challenging and fun! Here are some things to keep in mind:

· They are curious - they want to learn! Answer their questions. Choose one simple Bible truth or verse for each lesson and repeat it often. Ex. "God made everything."
· They are imaginative - they want to create!  Be creative. Don't just read the story; become the Bible character. It's time for "pretend" mode! 
· They are full of energy - they want to do! Keep them active. Use a variety of activities that stimulate all five senses.
· They openly trust - they want to believe! Share your heart and model what you teach. Show your enthusiasm and excitement for God’s Word.

Here are some suggestions to help guide you in finding fun and engaging Bible Lessons for your child:
· Plan preschool Bible lessons with plenty of short, but meaningful, activities. "Hubbard's Cupboard" offers an entire year's worth of free preschool Bible lessons along with crafts, games, and Bible memory tunes! (http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/christian_resources.html)

· Object lessons are also effective for capturing preschoolers' attention and imparting Bible truths in simple, memorable ways. (http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/christianobjectlessons.html)
· Preschool Sunday School Central offers great preschool Bible crafts including five free preschool craft ebooks! You can also find free Bible verse memory cards for preschoolers with simple memory verses and Bible pictures that correspond. (http://www.psscentral.com/index.php?pr=Preschool_Crafts)
· Preschoolers are capable of learning so much. There are many creative ways to help them memorize simple Bible verses or the Books of the Bible. (http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/Biblememory.html)

· Preschool printables for games such as Memory Match or Bible Bingo, along with crafts and verse cards are great for reinforcing a story or concept. ( http://www.christianpreschoolprintables.com/MiniBooks.html) and (http://www.christianpreschoolprintables.com/ChristianGames2.html)
· Bible Timeline for small children can help them get a glimpse of the "big picture" and how the Bible all fits together. This one has pictures along with the most familiar Bible stories and the dates in which each occurred. (http://www.psscentral.com/index.php?pr=Bible_Timeline)
· Preschool is a wonderful time to read aloud to children too! Try our children's Bible lessons written to go along with these great Christian children's books and picture books. (http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/christianchildrensbooks.html
· In addition, here are some Christian Bible lessons which correlate to Dr. Seuss books. (http://www.creativebiblestudy.com/Dr-Seuss-books.html)
We know that we’ve given you a lot of information, but hopefully not so much that you are overwhelmed. Our prayer is that you will continue to study God’s word with your children, and learn alongside them.  You won’t know all the answers to their questions and that’s okay! May God bless your journey!