FORGOT YOUR DETAILS?

 

Bible Memorization For Little Hearts

/ / Articles, Blog

No Christian homeschool can afford to journey far without Bible memorization. As a homeschooled young woman, I’m so grateful my parents taught my siblings and me how to store God’s word in our hearts early. The Scriptures themselves teach nursing babies should already be hearing the Word (Isaiah 28:9) and that through it a child becomes wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15). Here are some ways that have helped our family memorize Scripture.

Title Graphic

Commit To Small Bites

The brain learns best in small, consistent bites and this is very true of memorization. You will also be more faithful if you aren’t stressed, trying to master twenty verses a week. Be willing to start with one verse a week, or even every two weeks. With little ones, your success hinges on joy, so focus on delighting in the verse rather than the number.

Calendar It

It has been said, “What doesn’t get scheduled doesn’t get done”. In our family, we’ve learned we need a deadline for when this verse should be memorized, and then we carve out daily time to work on it. Associating memory time with an activity, like right after meals, will help keep the verse fresh in the children’s minds.

Consider A Short Passage Over Individual Verses

There is nothing wrong with individual verses, but if your children are struggling with keeping references straight, why not try memorizing a short passage one verse at a time? I first tried this method as a teen and instantly fell in love with it. The Bible is meant to be read as a whole and my understanding of it deepened when I began memorizing in context. Besides, it does something for a child when he can say, “I have this whole chapter memorized!” Even if the chapter is only four verses long, it makes the accomplishment seem more heroic. Thumbing through Psalms will give you some short, but rich chapters to begin memorizing.

Little Girl Graphic

Convert To Song

How is it you can’t remember what you ate for breakfast, but can quote that cartoon theme song from twenty five years ago? Rhyme and music! Leverage the power of music to your advantage. Putting verses to music helps our family memorize like nothing else. To this day I sing Leviticus 19:22 to “Father Abraham”, Proverbs 10:12 to “Peter, James and John” and 1 Kings 2:1-4 coupled to the hymn “And Can It Be?”. Ask your children for suggestions. My favorite part is finding a tune that matches the mood of the verse. You know you are doing it right when everyone is giggling over awkward endings and mismatched meters before stumbling onto one that sticks.

Teaching littles to memorize takes dedication and faithfulness, but it is also a precious time you will reap fruit from for years to come. Remember, you are sowing the eternal seed of the word and God has promised that seed will not return void.

Kenzi Knapp desires to proclaim the reconciliation of Mankind through the blood of Jesus Christ. A homeschool graduate currently enrolled in God’s Great Course of Faith, Kenzi lives with her family on an Ozark homestead. She enjoys writing, biking, playing the piano and mountain ocarina, studying history and encourages young women to build mission-centered businesses at her blog, Honey Rock Hills.

2 Comments to “ Bible Memorization For Little Hearts”

  1. I love seeing my children hide God’s word in their hearts! This year my daughter memorized her first chapter out of Psalms. You’re correct that it really does something for the child. She was so encouraged, and seeks to learn more.

  2. This is a wonderful article! It encourages me so much!! Knowing God’s word is the BEST form of knowledge we can teach our children!!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).
TOP