How To Establish A Family Bible Time

The Bible is the living Word of God, and it is the very foundation of our faith. It teaches us the truth of who God is, how much He loves us, and His grand plan to redeem and rescue us. It only makes sense, then, that this should be where we start when teaching kids about Jesus. We don’t want to start with songs or videos or other books; no, we want to plant them in the Word and let their roots grow deep. Implementing a family Bible time refocuses your family each day and sets a solid foundation for your kids to grow upon. 

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Morning or Night?

It doesn’t matter! Not one bit. I have friends that are dedicated to morning Bible times with their kids, while we personally do ours between supper and bedtime. No matter when you read, your kids are hearing, experiencing, and learning the Word of God. Want to implement it during lunch time? Go for it! Snack time? Great! Middle of the morning? Whatever works for you!

Children’s Bible or Adult Bible?

There are benefits to each, but before we discuss this, let me make this disclaimer: there’s no right or wrong here. If all you have is an adult Bible, start there. Your kids (even little ones) can learn from it. If you only own a children’s Bible, start there. You might learn something from it along with your kids. In any format, God’s Word never returns void.

Children’s Bible

• Pros: Written on a child’s level. Short stories for short attention spans. Includes pictures to look at. 
• Cons: May water down stories or leave parts out. Does not include all Bible stories. Does not challenge kids to learn new vocabulary.

Our favorite children’s Bible for young kids are Jesus Storybook Bible and Beginner’s Gospel Story Bible. For elementary-age kids, look into the products from Kaleidoscope to transition your children into reading full books of the Bible on their level.

Adult Bible

• Pros: Many stories to choose from. Includes direct commands, teachings from Jesus, and prophecies. Gives opportunity to teach children new words and concepts they may not otherwise be exposed to.
• Cons: May not keep a child’s attention. Very few, if any, visuals. Can be hard to decide where to start reading.

I personally use and love the NASB translation (this is my Bible). My husband uses the NKJV, and we also appreciate the ESV translation.

As you can see, this is a multifaceted issue, and that’s not even an extensive list of pros and cons. We could debate this for days. Thankfully, we don’t have to. Just make the choice that is right for your family in this season. We tend to go back and forth between an adult Bible and the Jesus Storybook Bible, and our kids learn from both.

What Else Do I Need?

That’s it; just a Bible and a few minutes each day. You can even use the free Youversion app on your phone or tablet if you don’t own a physical Bible, or there are videos on YouTube of Bible passages being read. God does not make it hard to learn about Him. 

What Does Family Bible Time Look Like For Us?

Our Bible time varies by season. For the month of December, we do our Advent candles and reading plan each night. During the rest of the year, we pick a book of the Bible and work our way through it, or we choose a children’s Bible and read one story each night.

Many nights, we turn on a worship song after Bible reading, then pray. Some nights, we just pray. There are times when we read on the couch. There are times when we read at the table with a special candle lit. One time, we read on our front porch. I cannot say this enough: find what works for your family! Then, stick to that rhythm until it’s time for a new one.

“My Kids Won’t Sit Still”

Anytime I speak on topics like this, I hear from moms saying things like, “Well my kid would never sit still that long” and “That just won’t work for us because of our schedule.” Those are valid concerns! That’s why you have to find what works for you. Maybe your kids need to color while they listen, or use a sensory bin. My kids don’t – they sit on a blanket or next to us on the couch – but that doesn’t mean you have to do it the same way. If your schedule doesn’t allow for nightly readings, maybe morning is a better option for you. If you have older kids, have one of them read aloud while you get breakfast ready. Or turn on an audio version of the Bible while you eat. There are so many ways to make it work, and the only right way is to read the Word of God – everything else is flexible.

Family Bible time is a critical part of teaching your kids about Jesus. If they aren’t hearing the Word, and reading it themselves if they’re old enough, how will they learn about God? His Truth is in His Word; one of the greatest gifts we can give our kids is to share that with them, daily. Our rhythms and routines will create a guide in their mind for what’s normal, and I certainly want Bible reading to be normal for them.

When does your family read the Bible? What are you studying right now?

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