Keeping Older Children Engaged in God’s Word

As I work with children, I know how hard it can be to keep older kids engaged in God’s Word. Motivating them to keep reading the Bible is challenging but also extremely rewarding. What a joy to witness Scripture changing lives and developing a child’s faith and love for God’s Word!  

The Bible is an amazing, life-changing book. Many of the accounts are relevant and applicable to young people today. It’s important to foster daily that develops character and helps kids understand that God’s love is always present, even during hardships and difficult circumstances. Scripture helps older children find purpose, treat others as they’d like to be treated, and learn about Jesus’ timeless love and forgiveness.

Children who are exposed to Bible reading often become fluent readers at school. That’s because they encounter harder words at an early age, providing extra reading practice.   

One of the best ways to guide children to read the Bible is for parents and teachers to set a good example and model daily reading. Sharing how your reading personally impacts your life shows children God’s Word’s relevance. 

But the obstacles are numerous, from busy lives and peer pressure to homework, extracurricular activities, and many other distractions. 

Ideas to keep older kids involved and engaged with God’s Word.  

• Use a modern translation or children’s Bible that’s easier to read. Our blog post on the best Bibles for children provides an in-depth look at the many options available.  
• At home, set aside family time for Bible reading and study. Create a cozy reading area. Then make Scripture part of the daily routine, keeping the time together lively and age-appropriate.
• Begin with a short prayer and ask some questions before the children read. That helps with comprehension as they look for the answers. Alternatively, ask kids to list any repeated words and then discuss why they may be important.
• Have children act out certain parts of a Bible passage or lesson. They can also create and perform a skit.
• Discuss the Bible story together. How is it relevant to us today? How can it grow our faith? What lessons can we learn?

• If the family doesn’t usually read together, create an incentive for children to work independently at home on an assigned passage. For homework from youth groups or children’s ministry, assign interesting challenges. Then offer small prizes and rewards or let kids accumulate points for an event or activity.  Provide art supplies so children can create artwork using Bible verses that speak to them.
• Provide materials to make a comic strip on the assigned passage.
• Guide kids to write out any questions they have. They can take those to a parent or grandparent, or to the youth leader the next time they meet.
• Set out a Bible map book so kids can locate areas referred to in the lesson. Challenge them to find the same area on a current map to see which country it is today.
• To support kids to read Scripture during worship services, provide Children’s Worship Bulletins for each day’s reading. Children can solve the puzzles to reinforce their learning.
• Choose a Bible verse for kids to learn by memory. To aid memorization, they can write it out or illustrate it.  
• Some kids might enjoy creating a scene from the Bible reading using LEGO bricks.

Remember to be joyful and offer positive reinforcement for accomplishments and progress along the way. We can hear God’s voice in even one Bible verse a day, and it can grow like a well-watered garden!

We wish you God’s blessing and grace as you encourage older children to stay active in God’s Word!