Kids and the Word

Most parents agree that biblical literacy and knowledge is an important part of their children’s spiritual development. Over the past few years, an explosion of children’s Bibles has appeared on the market, with a vast array of kid-friendly translations and designs available. Entertainment-savvy kids are demanding more visually appealing formats and interactive features, and publishers are listening. According to one source, the sale of children’s religious products increased a whopping 22% between 1997 and 1998 alone. Hopefully this trend indicates that more children are reading and enjoying the Word of God than ever before.

How can parents navigate through the growing assortment of options?

Several questions must be asked before making a choice. What is the reader’s age? What translation will the child most enjoy and understand? Is it important to have a gender-targeted format? Is it necessary to have the full text for study purposes, or just selected stories? Will the child use this Bible for bedtime reading with Mom and Dad, personal devotionals, or a Sunday school class? What is the child’s personality and interests? Answering these questions carefully will help parents make the best choice possible.

Bible story picture books containing paraphrases or re-tellings of well-known tales are best for young readers. Preschoolers identify easily with characters and stories, and learn to know their heavenly Father through rich biblical narratives. The simple language found in these books draws kids back to the stories again and again.

Primary readers are ready for the full biblical text. They love the challenge of memorizing verses. Many beginning Bibles highlight key verses and provide helpful memorization tips.

At this reading level, several translations of the biblical text that use simple sentence structure and basic vocabulary are available. The key difference between these Bibles is format and design. Some are filled with colourful illustrations, while others contain appealing devotional themes. Some target scientifically-minded kids, while others attract those who prefer magazines or comics.

Whatever Bible you decide to buy, remember that the investment will have eternal value! Here is a sample of some great choices available.

• The Toddlers Bible (Cook, 2004). Written by V. Gilbert Beers, this Bible storybook introduces babies and toddlers to many beloved stories found in Scripture. Young children will ask to read this Bible with bright cartoon pictures and simple sentences over and over again.
• On-My-Own Reader Bible (Standard, 2004) is beautifully crafted with colourful illustrations. The text is in large font, just like an easy reader picture book. With selected stories based on the New Living Translation, this Bible is perfect for beginning readers.
• The Adventure Bible for Young Readers (Zonderkidz, 2000) is a bestseller filled with interesting facts. Popular verses are highlighted for quick memorization. The New International Reader’s Version translation (the New International Version for kids) is perfect for kids ages 4–8.
• Hands on Bible (Tyndale, 2004). Kids love to put their hands all over things and make new discoveries. This Bible encourages kids to get “hands on” with the Word of God using experiments, discussions, life application and much more. The New Living Translation is best for older elementary school children.
• Magnify (Tommy Nelson, 2005). This full-text Bible comes in a glossy magazine format, perfect for girls or boys. The International Children’s Bible is an easy-to-read translation, and the quizzes, articles and games make it exciting to dive into Scripture.

Laura Kalmar is editor of the MB Herald and former children’s pastor at Bakerview MB Church, Abbotsford.