One of the most significant things we can to as mothers to teach young children about the Lord is to live out our faith in everyday life, sharing Biblical truths along the way through our words and actions.
As Sally Clarkson shares in Desperate
Today I would like to share with you four things that I try to do every day to help my toddler begin her journey toward authentic faith and a personal relationship with Christ.
How to Teach Little Ones about God Throughout the Day
1. Pray with your kids. You can do this in the morning, at mealtime, during family devotions, before bedtime, or all of the above. Whenever you choose, it is important for your little ones to hear you pray so they can learn to pray themselves. Understanding that God listens to our prayers it an important lesson for young children to learn in order for them to grow in their faith.
2. Read faith-based books. Setting aside time each day to read Bible stories or other inspirational tales can be a great way to introduce toddlers to God and teach important character qualities. And there are so many great Christian books for you to choose from! I especially like Biblical resources that incorporate academic learning.
3. Sing and listen to Christian music. Teach your littles popular Christian children songs, hymns and praise songs. Play worship music while doing chores or in the car. Singing is also one of the best tools to use for memorizing Bible verses
4. Talk about God. Incorporate God in your everyday conversations. When taking a nature walk, mention how God created everything they see. Discuss how we should be thankful to the Lord for providing the blessings we have in our lives. Remind them of God’s commandments when they are dealing with temptation. Although little ones won’t completely understand all that you say, they will be hearing to the truth of God, which will take root in their hearts.
As you begin to make these simple actions a part of your daily routine, I believe you will be amazed at how much your children begin to pick up. My daughter (currently 19 months) is often the one initiating prayer before dinner and randomly begins singing praise songs while helping me with the dishes or riding in the car. Little moments like that make this mama’s heart full of joy!
What are some ways you teach your children about God throughout the day? Share in a comment!
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My girls got “Songs for Saplings ABC” for Christmas, and we have all been learning Bible verses and working on our ABCs! Very catchy and easy for young children to pick up on. They also love “Wee Sing Bible Songs” and “Music Machine.”
In the mornings, I try to have a Bible study time as a family. I read my Bible while my young girls look at theirs, color pictures of what they see, etc. Then, we share a story together, pray, and sing Bible songs. We take nature walks, as you suggest, and talk about the wonders of God everywhere we go. It’s so simple yet perfect for little ones.
Thanks for sharing your ideas.
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I will have to look into Songs for Saplings ABC. It sounds great! Thanks for sharing, Keri.
I love these ideas, Jenni! We pray at meals, but we also try to incorporate prayer when something happens. When we see an ambulance or fire engine, we pray for the people who need help and for the helpers. When we see a beautiful moon, we thank God for creating it. The other day, my 5-year-old got marker on his hands, and he said, “Mama, can we say a prayer to ask God to help it rub off?” So we did. And I was so happy that he sees God as someone we should be conversing with, and someone we can count on for assistance, even in the little things.
That’s so sweet, Rita! Thank you for sharing.
I do all of these things (except praying, you can read about that here http://wifethenmama.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-books-we-are-reading.html )everyday with the kids that I baby-sit
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My girls adore Bible songs and kids Christian music. I keep hearing about Songs for Saplings and will have to try it. Great advice here for raising Godly kids. Thanks!
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Thank you, Vicky!
These are such important things to share. Thank you, Jenni!! Have the most wonderful day!!
Judith at WholeHearted Home recently posted..Unshadowed Joy & WholeHearted Home Wednesdays LINKYUP
Thanks for your comment, Judith!
We use “The Children’s Discovery Bible” by Cook Communications. An example in this post – http://happyandblessedhome.com/preschool-alphabet-games-k/ Thanks for these great ideas. BTW – I’d love it if you’d link this on Family Fun Friday happening this Friday – for details see this post: http://happyandblessedhome.com/family-fun/
God Bless! In His Grip,
Monica
http://happyandblessedhome.com
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Thanks for sharing, Monica!
Great post! I do all these things with my 3 year old and 20 month old. My 3 yr old’s favorite band is Newsboys!
That’s awesome, Stephanie! Thanks for your comment.
Always so great to see what other moms are doing!
I love this post. I work with this age group at our church and more than focus on what the children can do, I try to encourage families to do things together. The church is only going to be able to influence children so much. Parents don’t realize how very important they are in the spiritual growth and maturity of their children.
You are so right, Mikah! I think a lot of people don’t realize how much little ones pick up just by watching others. A parent living out their faith each day can make a huge impact on their children. I remind myself of this quite a bit, especially when I tend to get lazy about it. Thanks for sharing your insight!
I do all of these things daily. In fact, just yesterday my son learned three new words. Jesus, naughty, and sin. Any guesses how church went yesterday? Haha.
Melissa Ryan recently posted..Oh My Garden
Haha! I am daily amazed at how much (and how quickly) young children pick up on things. Thanks for sharing, Melissa!
We sing Bible songs in the car(all the time really), read a Bible story book before bed, I tell a Bible story at lunch everyday and at dinner we all take turns saying our memory verses. I write the scripture references on a dry erase board in the kitchen. Don’t ever forget the power of God’s word in itself. Our kids need to hear “God loves you”, but they also need to see it illustrated in the pages of the Bible. As they grow, they will naturally question the “truisms” we taught them as children (ex. God loves you). If they know the stories in the Bible that show His love it will be more real to them. Have a blessed day!
Great ideas and a wonderful point, Heidi. Thanks for sharing!