By: Cherry Moriones Doromal
My two sons both enjoy reading the Bible and watching Bible
stories online. As they have both
developed this interest, I’m blessed enough for not having to exert extra
effort in convincing them to read what they call the “Super Book”.
Strategy, of course, is another issue. How to make kids understand the Bible is an
imaginative task. Here are some ideas on how to teach the Bible to the little ones:
1.
When to begin. Teaching the Bible to kids is not a
difficult job to parents who start early. As we say: “Early bird catches the
worm.” Begin exposing your child to the Bible as early as possible. As soon as
the child is exposed to Bible principles through applicable means, like Biblical
songs or kids’ praise, exposure grows into interest and interest forms a habit.
2. Where to begin. In teaching the Bible, start with the basic and most important
character—God, the Supreme Being. It is really important to start right because
this becomes the foundation of your child’s faith. This may be effectively
taught by starting with “creation” in the book of Genesis, where the power of
God was shown when He created the world and everything in it. The next step is
to introduce Jesus, which may be begun with a lesson on the promise of Savior
to Mary through Angel Gabriel; to be followed by the story of the birth of
Christ. For kids of all levels, the many miracles of Jesus Christ, which can be
easily imagined, are ideal sequence of lessons.
3.
Use visual aids to illustrate. Visual aids have three main purposes—to catch the
kid’s attention, for better comprehension and retention. If the kid is two to seven years old, use colored pictures to help
him understand the story better. Online
resources may also be used. For kids older than seven years old, any form of
visual aids, such as puppets, may be used.
4.
Involve the kid. After telling a story, you may
engage your child to helpful activities like games, creative arts, and drawing,
in relation to the story he learned, for enhanced recall. If you have more than
one kid, interactive activities may be done indoors and outdoors.
5.
Memory verse. Since kids have good memory, take
this opportunity to make them keep the Word of God in their hearts, while
developing their memory skills, by having them memorize Biblical verses. Start
with short verses, like Genesis 1:1,“In the beginning God created heaven and
earth.” As the child improves, you may
have him try longer verses.
6.
Helpful videos. One passive yet effective way to
teach the Bible to your kids is to leave them alone in the room while watching Bible
animation. To complete the feel, treat them with snacks, like what they would
have in a movie house.
7.
Bible story telling at bedtime. Instead of counting sheep before he
sleeps, share a Bible story with your kid at bedtime. It doesn’t have to be
long, and it doesn’t matter if you repeat similar stories many times. The logic
here is to make God’s Word a vital part of your kid’s daily life.
8.
Sunday School/Vacation Bible School. Since I’m a Sunday School baby, too, I
can attest on how this experience has influenced me. Those I learned 30 years
ago are still fresh in my memory. While not all churches offer Sunday School
sessions, when given an option to send your kid to Sunday School or Vacation
Bible School classes, don’t hesitate to have him join the class, even if you
feel your child won’t understand the lesson. Trust that God will have your kid
understand the Bible in due time. Isaiah
55:11 says, “so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to
me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I
sent it.”
Raising our kids in the knowledge of God is a wonderful
decision. Let’s take it from the great psalmist
King David who said: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm
119:105) May the Word of God enlighten
both our path and our kids’ today and everyday .
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Authored by: Cherry Moriones-Doromal
Authored by: Cherry Moriones-Doromal
More Posts by this Author:
Other Links:
"Cherry Moriones-Doromal, an educator at the Mahatma Gandhi International School (MGIS), is a proud advocate of high-quality global education."
Other Writings by Cherry Moriones Doromal:
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/316971/the-anti-stress-science-facebook
Ways to love your old newspapers
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/316497/ways-love-your-old-newpapers
Wow eating manners!
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/315715/wow-eating-manners
Freeze it!
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/302629/freeze-it
Journal of a Practical Mom
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/302131/journal-a-practical-mom#comment-7014
Honoring a decade of happy marriage
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/303986/honoring-a-decade-happy-marriage
Summertime ironies are cool
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/315042/summertime-ironies-are-cool
On Sowing and Reaping
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/324542/on-sowing-and-reaping
Leave the crab behind
http://www.mb.com.ph/node/325936/leave-crab-behind
