I don’t want to take up your time. It’s the summer. Let’s make this quick!
Firstly, the essentials. Have you got a Bible in the house for each of your children? We recommend:
Under 5s: The Beginners Bible – it has stood the test of time, and apparently there are even some new pictures.
6-11s: The International Children’s Bible – a full, real Bible in simple language
Next, what is new and helpful for getting our children into the Bible?
Under 5s
Wherever you go, I want you to know – A really lovely book, with illustrations that leap off the page, that helps us to get clear with our child that there really is only one thing we want for them. If you’re not sure what that one thing is you should get this!
5-11s
This is not a book! It’s a subscription online content thingy. It’s great Christian TV for kids. It’s 10 minute family Bible times. It’s video biographies of great Christians. It’s What’s in the Bible? which is a creative video Bible commentary for children. It’s free for a fortnight, then less than a fiver a month. Perfect to check out over the summer, when you are fighting screen time and struggling for the routine of time in the Bible.
11+
Head Heart Hands – Bible reading notes aimed at teenage girls, taking them through Matthew’s Gospel. The aim is to get beyond knowledge and understanding (the Head bit) and into heart change that leads to changed lives (the Hands bit). There are Bible notes around that are shorter, but perhaps these work harder to walk with teenagers through these turbulent years.
Dig into Matthew – Bible reading notes aimed at taking young people through Matthew’s Gospel. That does sound remarkably similar to Head Heart Hands. Same publisher. Not necessarily aimed at boys, quite so tightly, but the author is a bloke, so if you’re keen to pigeon hole… The illustrations do a lot of the heavy lifting helping us to get with Matthew’s program.
