How to Teach Bible Journaling to a 5 Year Old

Do you struggle getting your kids into the Bible consistently?  Me too.  My little blessings are the reason I recently began Bible Journaling.  Bible journaling is so hands on and creative that it seemed like a great way to get them into the Word!  I want to raise them according to their strength (rather than my preference) and art is their strength.

So Many of you responded to my recent post (Bible Journaling to Slow Down My Quiet Time) with questions about how to teach young children to have a quiet time that I thought it best to answer publicly.

I used 3 things to teach my children how to have a Quiet Time with Bible Journaling

1. Boredom is a great tool to teach children to Bible Journal

I am not a morning person. I have tried for years (and failed) to get up before my children to have my Quiet Time. I finally decided to stop fighting a losing battle and I laid some ground rules for the morning time.

• There are no electronics during mommies Quiet Time.
• There is not much conversation during this time either.
  • This is partly because the Coffee has not kicked in, but mostly so it is quiet enough to listen for God.
  • I set out a snack before I begin in case they are hungry when they wake up.

Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Anxiety and Worry really go along with Motherhood don’t they?  I created a 40 Day Journaling and Reading plan through the topic of Anxiety.  I’d love to give it to you to help in your walk!

This creates boredom for my kids.

Can I just say I am a big fan of bored kids? A child that is not being amused will begin to use his/her mind to muse over life (and that beautiful imagination comes awake).

I never planned to teach my 5 year old to have a Quiet Time.  But in that bored space, she decided to mimic me. She began borrowing my highlighters for her story bible (which is hard to read at this point).

2. Being Interruptible and making the most of teachable God moments

Earlier this year she decided she wanted her own journal just like mine.  As she mimicked me I answered her questions about why I was doing certain things.  It could have been annoying, but I set that aside and planned to be interruptible!

At Easter I found coloring journals with Bible verses in them (This Link will take you to them on Amazon) and put them in the girls Easter Baskets.  These have small verses, pictures that go along with it and some lines for them to “journal”.

My youngest little blessing can’t read, so I read the verse to her and we talk for a few minutes about it. She will then color the picture or draw her own picture and “write” things.

There is nothing that fills my heart more than listening as she “reads” me what she journaled to God.  It reminds me of Matthew 19:14!

3. Humility is a great tool to teach children to Bible Journal

I can be very selfish with my Quiet Time. I had to learn to relax. Cultivating these teachable God moments (instead of quenching the Spirit) required humility.

• I must let go of some preferences to reach my desires.
  • My desire is that my children will grow in their personal walk with Christ.
  • That desire is more valuable than my preference of a private Quiet Time.

Every child is different.  Every family situation is different.  This is how Boredom and Interuptability (a cool new word!) and Humility are working together to help teach my 5 years old to have a Quiet Time by using Bible Journaling.

Discipling my children is my Calling in Life as a Mother

Biblical Motherhood is a journey.  We are trying to teach these little blessings how to have their own relationship with Jesus…  Praying they learn it early and develop the discipline to stick with it through the thick and thin of life.

Right now, the 3 of us are working through this cool Bible Journaling Kit from my new friend Sara at TheHolyMess.com.  She put together the whole thing on the topic of Trusting in the Lord.

If you are interested in starting up with Bible Journaling or trying to work it into your child’s routine I would highly recommend it. Click here to see what drew me to it!