How to Make Bible Stories Relatable for Children
When children hear stories from the Bible, they often take the stories at face value. You can see this when they start to ask literal questions, like “Does this mean fruit is bad since Adam and Eve ate it in the garden?” or “Two of EVERY animal?!” To help children understand why the Bible is significant in their lives, you need to make the stories relatable. Here are a few ways to unpack Bible stories with your child:
Use Themes
Stories of men being eaten by whales, burning bushes and technicolor coats can sound like fantastical fluff without context. Before bringing a Bible story to your child, consider the story’s overarching theme. Highlight the points where that theme is present, and see if your child picks up on the purpose of the story.
Make it Relevant to Their Lives
Every Bible story has a lesson attached to it, but children don’t always connect with these lessons. At the end of each story, help your child relate to each of the characters. Ask questions, and let them ask questions, too. While some children find Bible stories fun and exciting on their own, the stories won’t stick with them unless they understand the relevance in their lives.
Choose Age-Appropriate Stories
Not everything in the Bible is appropriate for children to read, especially younger ones. Start with stories with clear lessons, like the creation of Adam and Eve, the birth of Jesus, and the story of Noah and the Ark. If you’re worried about stories like David and Goliath or Jonah, consider using videos like VeggieTales to adapt those often dark stories for younger audiences.
Offer Visual Aids
There’s no shortage of Bible picture books that you can read to your younger child. As your child grows, the visual aids can grow with them. From coloring pages and crafts to apps and cartoons, one of the best ways to bring Bible stories to life is through visuals. Reading stories to your child or having them read stories will only go so far. Pictures and video can bring the Bible to life in a different way.
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