“There is no substitute for books in the life of a child.” — May Ellen Chase

Reading the Bible is a common practice for adults but can be a bit tricky for children. Often adults wonder: what Bible publication should I use? What stories should I introduce? And how do I answer the inevitable questions that arise from these stories? A good place to start is with more picture books for younger children. The visual images give them an entrance point into the stories. Also read Bible stories that your children have heard in Godly Play. They will already be familiar with the story and might be able to add their own insight into the storytelling. There are suggested Children’s Bibles in the “Adult Resources” section but ultimately, find a book that your child enjoys. Story time will be enjoyed by all.

Tangibles:

Bible Bookmarks One project that is related to your story time is to make bookmarks for your Bibles. Use a heavy card stock paper and cut it into a five by two-inch rectangle. Have your child decorate it with markers, stickers, paint, or any other kind of art medium they might like. You can then punch a hole in the top of the card stock to thread a piece of ribbon through. Your child can even make several bookmarks to use for all their books.

Resources for Kids:

• “The Parables of Jesus” by Tomie dePaola

• “Let there be Light” by Archbishop Desmond Tutu

• “Children of God Storybook Bible” by Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Resources for Adults:

• HarperCollins Study Bible or Oxford Annotated Study Bible — both have lots of historical notes to help readings make more sense, but without being too long or complex to get a quick sense of things

• There are lots of apps to make it easier to read the Bible more regularly, like “Bible in One Year”

• Working Preacher is a great resource for unpacking the lessons week by week, with a short commentary essay on each reading.