He said,
“With its efficacy and power [sacred Scripture] sustains and invigorates the Christian community. All the faithful are called to drink from this wellspring, first and foremost in the celebration of the Eucharist and the other sacraments.”
Today, I am sharing 7 simple ways to help children learn and enjoy scripture, and write it on their hearts!
Repetition and Routine
First, the best way to incorporate scripture into children’s lives is to routinely expose them to it in a predictable way. At Mass, we hear lots of scripture so discussing the Sunday readings each week is a great place to start. Or, you can simply open your Bible each night and read a passage!
No matter what your routine is for reading scripture together, be as consistent as possible and make it part of the routine.
Liturgy of the Hours
A great way to expose your kids to scripture regularly is by praying the Liturgy of the Hours. For example, if you pray Evening Prayer everyday, the scripture repeats in the weekly cycle and they will be familiar will many beautiful verses that they can recall and pray with.
Attend Daily Mass
In addition to Sunday Mass, attending Daily Mass with your children will allow them to hear God’s word in the context of the Mass even more often. The readings are read during Mass in order of the Bible, and each liturgical season has its own special readings that you will hear year after year.
Focus on the Psalms
Each week, you could focus on memorizing or meditating on the Psalm for that Sunday. Help your children memorize the response so that they can participate on Sunday when the Psalms are sung or said.
Learn the Bible with Songs
There are many resources for Catholic kids to learn the Bible through song. Here are 3 favorite:
- Catholic Songs for Kids – These are cute, catchy, and Catholic! They are available for free to listen to on most streaming platforms including YouTube and Spotify.
- Chalk and Block Children – This is a beautiful kids’ show on Formed where a group of talented kids sing all about Scripture, the catechism, and more! They have both lessons and songs to reinforce the different topics.
- Christine in Action – She sings about the catechism and Bible in her videos. We love the one about the Beatitudes!
Listen to or Read the Daily Mass Readings Together
Each morning during breakfast, I play the Daily Mass readings on the free Amen app. Then, we listen to the reflection by Dr. Timothy Gray. Here is a great quote he shared about writing scripture on our hearts:
“Put God’s word in our heart – that it may generate what we think throughout the day.”
Pray a Scriptural Rosary
If you already pray the rosary everyday, try praying a scriptural rosary. Here is a favorite that I found out about from our pastor.
Memorize and Share You Favorite Scripture
My husband and I each have a few favorite verses that we use to remind, teach, or inspire our kids. Study and learn scripture yourself, and then incorporate your favorite verses into your day with your children.