Scripture Memory for Kids

Pre-schoolers have crazy-amazing memories, have you noticed?  They can pick up anything!

I was talking to my mom a while ago about possibly having the boys do an AWANA-type program.  (Do you remember those?  I went to AWANA for years!)  Mom said that if she had it to do over again she would not have put us (my sibs and I) through AWANA, because there was too little flexibility and too much pressure. 

Maybe the programs have been changed since I was in AWANA (20 years ago!), but they were pretty darn conservative back then.  Maybe that was where I learned that in order to be a good Christian you have to vote Republican.  (Just kidding.) (Only kind of.)

Anyway, my mom said something forehead-slappingly obvious which had never occurred to me.  She said, "You know, you could just help them memorize some Bible verses at home."

Doh!

(I'm actually slightly nervous about outing myself as a parent who would like her kids to learn Bible verses from memory.  Though I am pretty darn honest about myself and our family, somtimes as a blogger I avoid being "too" anything-- too judgemental, too opinionated, too religious, too political, too pro or anti adoption, etc, etc, oh give me a break, no one can be all things to everyone! I don't think I'm one of Those Parents, though.  Hang in there with me.)

So, we started with an experimental memory verse:

"Jesus said, 'I am the Beginning and the Ending.' " Revelation 22:13

They had that down in about five minutes.

So every few weeks we've been working on a new verse, practicing and talking about it before bedtime each night.  And, hello?  My kids are doing awesome!  I'm bragging on them just a little, but mostly I think they're just at an age that it comes relatively easily for them. 

The next one had to be:

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right." Ephesians 6:1

That took maybe two evenings.

We stuck with just those two for a while, then added:

"Do not be afraid, because I am with you.  Do not be dismayed, because I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you.  I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

They continued to surprise me with how easily and how well they memorized this.

Since then they have also learned:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son.  Whoever believes in him will not die, but will have everlasting life.  God did not send his son into the world to punish people, but to rescue them." John 3:16-17

and

"Dear Zion, don't give up; the Lord your God is with you.  He is a strong warrior to win the battle.  He will take great delight in you.  He will quiet your fears in his love.  He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:16-17

Pumpkin is fastest to learn them.  Sparkle would be mostly uninterested, I think, except that he wants to do as well as Pumpkin.  Mostly, we just practice saying them together, talk about what they mean, and cheer for ourselves.

Some cool conversations have come out of this, too. 

One night I told Pumpkin (about something totally unrelated), "I'm so proud of you!" and he asked, "Do you take great delight in me?"  (from Zephaniah 3:16-17).  I told him, "YES!  Yes, you are a wonderful boy and I DO take great delight in you!"

We talked about what it meant when God said he would "uphold us with (his) righteous right hand." Sparkle's idea is that it's "just like holding hands" and gave the example of holding his Dad's hand when walking in a parking lot or on a slippery sidewalk. 

Oh, my heart!!

I do want their pictures of God to be like that-- someone whose hand you hold when you need to be kept safe, a hand you can grip tightly when you slip to keep you from falling.

Comments

[louise]

Amazing!

I was an awana kid, too, all the way from Cubbies to Chums.

It was pretty laid back for me, we got candy for all the verses memorized, LOL. Ah, I can really out myself by remembering some of the AWANA songs...and, "approved workers are not ashamed!"

LOL.

Good for you and your brilliant sons.

[Sam]

ok - lurker coming out of the woods here. I first came across your blog when my wife and I were considering international adoption last year. That didn't end up happening but I still subscribe to your blog posts because I've found them to be so thoughtful and touching that I still read (most of) them.

Now fast forward to this post and I just had to say "Way to go momma!" - we got our 4 boys involved in Awana last year for the first time and can't say enough about the value that impressing truth into their lives has. Not that Awana is the ONLY method - you're well aware of this. I just wanted to thank you for once again connecting so personally with your audience by just sharing :)

Keep it up. Be bold. Be salt and light - the world sure needs it.

[Angela]

OK...have NO idea what AWANA is (will google it in just a bit) but if it makes you feel any better about outing yourself, I just started doing some Bible verse memorization and home-spunned Sunday school stuff and I'm an Agnostic (heavy athiestic leanings!) - HA! Ya'll can stop laughing now! ;)

My daughter has always had a fascination w/ religion (goes futher than that...she has faith which is the key ingredient I lack) and since I can't stomach taking her to church just yet I decided to teach her myself (I happen to "like" reading the Bible although mostly to pick it apart...sorry). Much of our modern writing/fiction is filled with biblical allusions so I think it would be beneficial for her anyway.

Most of my friends and relatives are confused though (which is funny to me)...although I have to admit (and this is where I understand you not wanting to out yourself) that my athiest friends have been the worst so I'm more careful...I got into a big argument the other day because a friend said I was warping her mind and that he felt betrayed...oh well..I rather she has it and repudiates it than not have it and crave it...who am I to get in her way. Besides...I knew she needed the classes when she got Noah confused with Moses!LOL

Besides...memorizing verses will keep their minds sharp. My mom used to make me memorize poems and this helped me later on in school!

[Katie]

How awesome is that?!

I am really impressed by Pumpkin! What an articulate boy!

And I agree, those are some great God-pictures to have - something they can relate to in a real way.

Way to go MayhemMama!
Way to go Sparkle and Pumpkin!
And way to go GOD!
That is so encouraging to me!

[steph]

I think the art of memorization needs reviving, whether it's scriptural verses or poetry or both. :)

[Leigh]

That's great that they remember so easily. I think the way you are teaching it is a fun way, relaxed and at home. Who better than mom and dad anyway.

[Heidi]

Let me just say YOU ROCK! I am inspired, and impressed! I love it, and I feel just like sparkle, what a blessing!

I know what you mean about the worrying about being too this or that. but really it's just blogger world lets be us, what better place? well the better place would be if I had the nerve to speak my mind all the time, but I don't so I'll try it in blogger world!

[Kohana]

Ha, I'm afraid of being "too anything" as well and shunning readers. :) Kind of ironic when I started my blog to have a place to speak my mind and test out my thoughts. :) Remind us again how old your boys are? I wonder if Small Sun would be ready for something like this? He does have a sharp memory.

Congrats to your boys and to you for having the discipline to teach them!