Bringing the Bible into your Homeschool Curriculum
Per the Bible, it is a parent’s job to deliver God’s word to their children. It is this tradition that helps children grow both in their faith and, consequently, as individuals. However, scripture can be complex and, although vital and inspirational, its heaviness can be overwhelming for many to digest. Teaching a child about His word can be a daunting task. With so much energy bundled up inside your little one (or even your oh-so-grown-up teen), you’ll need to employ creative approaches to make scripture stick. This post will help you bring the Bible into your homeschool curriculum in practical ways.
Bringing the Bible Into Your Homeschool Curriculum
For little ones (Ages 4-6)
● Don’t start with handing them the Bible. Especially if your child is young, it can be overwhelming to introduce the physical Holy Book right away and begin assigning passages for reading comprehension. Ease them into it by setting aside time in each day where you can read a story to them aloud. This will begin to get them familiar with certain biblical terms, the overall style of the Bible, as well as provide interaction that will benefit your own personal relationship. Switch up reading times between passages of scripture and children’s versions of classic tales– there are so many to choose from that will bring the His word to life.
● Get musical. Help develop your child’s fine-motor skills and coordination through your favorite hymns or upbeat Christian children’s songs. Have your child mimic the beat of the music using their hands or by banging on a simple percussion instrument such as a tambourine. In addition to working on their motor functions, listening to faith-based music will surround them with God’s messages while offering additional developmental benefits! Tie in scriptures associated with each song to draw their awareness to the songs’ significance.
How to Incorporate the Bible into Your Homeschool Curriculum
For older children (Ages 7-11)
● Allow for some screen time. Yes, those electronics can actually be helpful! As your little ones begin to grow up and find their legs (and curiosity for nearly everything around them), you may find it harder to get them to sit still. Allow their brains a small break between lessons by turning on a fun-filled Christian movie as an alternative way to teach them about the many stories within the Bible. Movies are a great way to provide a captivating lesson that your child will want to sit still for!
● Be the director of their play. Children love to find ways to express themselves. There are so many ways your child can benefit from including drama into their curricula, such as a greater awareness of their emotions (and development of some important ones, like empathy!) as well as improved focus and communication. Choose a story in the Bible and read it through with your child, discussing its messages to ensure that they’ve understood. Help them create a play representing these messages- or simply reenact them to work on cognitive skills like memory retention and reiteration-in order to get them to really interact with the Bible.
Helping Teens Learn the Bible through your Homeschool Curriculum
(Ages 12 and older)
● Cook with the Bible. Although the Bible may be more focused on life lessons rather than eating, it doesn’t go unnoticed that its books are rife with descriptions of food! There are so many possibilities for meals you can make with your child using Biblical ingredients like honey and dates, lamb, lentils, and grape leaves. The practice will additionally help math skills as they ration out precise measurements of each ingredient. Additionally, they will strengthen their ability to follow instructions. Take their study one step further and attach a specific Biblical story to the mealtime experience, which can help your child better visualize His word.
● Switch up their scenery. Teenagers can have difficulty remaining engaged if something isn’t exciting for them- they want adventure! Look into your local ministry and see if they have a youth group that your child can be a part of. If they are hosting retreats or off-site functions, you can plan this into your child’s curriculum as a field-trip. They will welcome the socialization and ability to get out of the house, and you’ll love that they’re having fun while engaging with God’s word. If you don’t have access to a youth group or have one that doesn’t offer many outings, you can still indulge your child in a little fun beyond the home. Set up service trips to nursing homes or shelters to help your child understand God’s teachings of selflessness and giving back.
The Bible and Special Needs
Teaching the Bible to special needs children can be hard. You cannot see or hear God, so many children struggle with the concepts about God, heaven, and the resurrection. I particularly like The Bible App for Kids and Faith in Action Bible (comic book style).
Something everyone can enjoy
● Start Bible journaling. This practice has become increasingly more popular throughout the year, allowing individuals to utilize artistic practice similar to scrapbooking and coloring to really delve into the Holy Book’s messages. As your child becomes more comfortable with the Bible, you can give them their own to keep so you can Bible journal together. Each session, focus on one passage to read into. Provide sticky notes, colored pens and markers, highlighters, and other art supplies so that your child can jot down their own interpretations and take-aways in the margins. This practice will allow them to document their journey of Biblical understanding while strengthening their close reading comprehension. Plus, you two will have a blast being creative together.
Your child’s relationship with the Bible doesn’t need to be separate from their relationship with education. After all, God is one of their greatest teachers! Get creative with integrating His word into your child’s curriculum. From sharpening mathematical skills and cognitive abilities to writing and reading comprehension, you’d be surprised by how much benefit they will receive from learning about the Bible. Best of all, you will get to see their relationship with faith flourish with every lesson.
