Quiet Time Tips for Your Children

Deuteronomy 6:6-8 tells us that we are to impress upon our children the commandments of God. We are to “talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”

Children are like sponges. I am amazed at the way they retain information! It is during these early years that we have the opportunity to pour the truth of God’s word into their hearts both in formal and casual ways. First let’s talk about the formal ways we can teach our children scripture:

“Talk about it when you sit at home.”

1. Read the Bible one meal time a day. When my children “sit down” for breakfast or lunch I pull out our “kitchen Bible” and read to them. Often times I only read 2-3 verses and then we discuss it and move on to other chitchat. I don’t belabor the points or make it a drudgery. They love it!

2. Have your children write scripture. My children are beginning writers – they are 5 and 7. Rather than having them practice their handwriting by writing their ABC’s or meaningless sentences, we write out scripture. This summer we are tackling the book of 1 John together. Our goal is to write out the entire book. I am writing it out along with them. As we write, God’s truth soaks into our souls.

3. Young children can draw scripture. When my first was too young to write, we began drawing God’s word. It helped him memorize the passage in double time.

4. Memorize Scripture as a family. There are many ways to go about memorizing from charts and stars to index cards and memory notebooks. The method makes no difference, it’s the repetition.

Choose passages of scripture that will benefit them for life to memorize. Find verses on fear, worry, hope, joy, salvation etc. A good place to start is Genesis 1:1, John 3:16, Romans 3:23, Ephesians 2:8,9, Psalm 1 and Psalm 23. Be sure you are memorizing along side of them.

Next, Talk about it “when you walk along the road.”

To read ways to “talk about it along the road, when you lie down, and when you get up”- visit Muthering Heights where she featured the rest of this article yesterday!

Walk with the King!

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15 Comments

  1. I love the "drawing" Scripture idea. Fun!

    Your post a while back about Seeds Family Worship also definitely relates to this way of talking and impressing Scripture on their hearts.

  2. Courtney, Thanks, I too loved the drawing with Scripture idea. I never thought of this, but I think my kids would love it and its a good way to keep little hands busy yet still focused on the word.

  3. great ideas, thanks for sharing…love the idea of practicing writing by writing out scripture. my kids are only 2 and 1 now, but we plan on homeschooling so will remember that one!

  4. Courtney

    Love it!! Thank You so much for the great idea's. I myself is trying to learn the scripture, what a great way to do it together!!

    Michelle

  5. I LOVE these tips, Courtney! My little guy will only be 2 this August, but I am so happy to hear these things right around the time we need to start. He definitely IS soaking up a lot of things like a sponge. What a great idea to have a "kitchen bible". Thanks for the love, prayers, and loving advice, my friend. You are a gem!

    Lots of love,
    Laura

  6. This is so cool. My husband and I are memorizing this passage in Deut. right now. Great practicle ways to put this passage into action! Thank you!

  7. My seven year old daughter just memorized Psalm 23. I wrote it out – each verse in a pretty color – and put it by her bed. Each night, she read the Psalm before she said her prayers. It took no time!

    We are also memorizing a verse a week this summer. I wrote one verse on an index card and we have it on a photo holder on the kitchen table. She reads it at mealtimes, and every time I pass by the table, I read it! It's a constant reminder.

    I love the idea of having them write out scripture instead of other sentences. Our daughter goes to a private Christian school, so they sent home sheets with verses for the kids to copy!

  8. Courtney~ I just last night found your blog through DeNiece's blog and so far have really liked your blog. Wanted to send you an e-mail but being very illiterate when it comes to computers and such couldn't find and e-mail button!! Here is my e-mail(joann2009@sbcglobal.net) I just really had a lot of questions and some apologizing for some things I thought when I first came to your blog. I hate to admit it but when I first came to your blog I seen your picture. and instead of reading anything or listening to one of your videos I chose to decide what you were like by your picture. I am so sorry for that. I looked and seen this very pretty woman who looks like she has everything under control and so different than me I would have nothing in common with you. Then I played one of your youtube videos and I was just amazed at how Godly you sounded, and that you are very good at speaking so that regular people can understand you, do you know what I mean. Anyway to make a long story short (may be too late for that 🙂 I really love your blog and plan on visiting as often as I can.
    Blessings,Joann

  9. Love these ideas. I'll be passing them on to my sisters since I don't have any little one's of my own.

  10. I, too, love the picture idea! My children are 3 and 1 and this is a wonderful idea until they are both ready to write the scriptures out!

  11. Rachel – certain Psalms like chapter 1 or 23 are great. Also, Proverbs is excellent. If I were you I'd do it based on what you feel your child needs. I wanted to start with my children getting a good foundation for what we believe so I John seemed like a good place to start. But if we were working on them controlling the tongue we may have chosen James 3. If we were working on the character trait of love we'd choose I Cor. 13. So, think about what your child needs and modify it.

    HOpe this helps!
    Courtney

  12. Hi Courtney,
    I just found your blog through moneysaving mom and I am just so inspired by your posts! Especially this one because I was recently thinking about how to incorporate reading the Bible in my busy schedule and I think the kitchen is an awesome place to spend time in scripture. I feel like I spend the majority of my time at home in the kitchen (I work full time) and I will incorporate some of these ideas to my life at home with my family:) Thanks for all the time you spend on your blog, it certainly is reaching so many women who desire to please God, I'm in Phoenix, AZ :)Blessings*

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