As parents, we all want our children to grow up in the ways of the Lord. We are obligated to place within them a desire to follow Him, with at least a working knowledge of the concepts and tenets discussed throughout Scripture. However, in the age in which we live, kids have to deal with more issues today than in decades past.
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” It is easier for them to become seduced by the world’s charms without a firm foundation based in Scripture. Memorization is key to hiding God’s Word in your child’s heart. Here are some ways to help your kids enjoy memorizing Scripture:
Create an incentive program
If your kids commit to memorizing scripture, give them prizes (a small prize, like making their favorite dessert) if they memorize a certain number of verses by the end of the week. Reward extra prizes for those who can recite whole chapters of scripture (like a movie night, for example).
Explore the dramatic arts
If your kids are young, playing dress-up can be a real treat. Provide costumes and props for kids to dress up as their favorite bible character and let their imaginations run wild. Help your kids create skits out of the verses they choose to memorize. They will remember the verses better if they can apply them to situations in which they have played an active role. Go one step further and help the kids create a theater out of cardboard boxes so they can step behind it and pretend they are on a stage while performing their bible skits.
Role play
For older kids, this is especially important. Memorizing Scripture is good, but if a child doesn’t possess the skills to apply it to real-life situations, what good is it? Think of a situation, and let your child tell you what they would do in that situation using Scripture and biblical application. Doing so will help them open their eyes to the opportunities to draw closer to Him in everyday situations.
Set it to Music
If you or someone you know is musically gifted, allow them to set tough-to-remember Scriptures to music. Create a melody and chorus with the words of the verse. Continue within the same bible passage until the song is done. This is a great way to help recite long passages of scripture with little difficulty.
Be a role model
Kids will be more likely to want to engage in memorization if their parents are doing it too. Set the example by reciting your verses during dinner as part of your devotional time, or as a way to start the day before school. Adults who set a good example in the home are more than likely to have kids who follow in their footsteps.
Place them everywhere
In every room of our home, we have Bible verses. Some are painted on colorful pieces of canvas and wood, creating a decorative accent to the room. In other places, like the bathroom, I simply write verses on index cards or type them on pieces of paper and tape them onto the mirror. During the time when kids are doing mundane chores like brushing their teeth or cleaning up, their eyes will be attracted and want to read it. The more times they read it, the more likely they are to commit it to memory.
Write it down
Every child learns differently. Some are visual learners, others are auditory, while others learn by doing. Figure out how your kids learn and cater to their strengths. If your kid is a visual learner, encourage them to write the verse down or journal about it. If they are auditory learners, let them listen to the bible read to them by an app or a website like Audible.com.
If they are doers, help them put the action into practice. For example, if they are learning Ephesians 4:29, which says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Challenge them to go the whole day by saying nothing negative. If they find themselves falling into a negativity trap, tell them to write it down or discuss what is holding them back from choosing language that builds up rather than tears down.
Memorization may seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to be. By allowing your creative juices to flow and catering to your kids in the way they learn best, the higher your success rate of turning something they may dread into a fun activity everyone can enjoy.
Written by Michelle S. Lazurek
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Christian Grandfather Magazine
Featured Image by Unsplash
