Here are some practical ideas to help your child develop a personal devotional life with God. Regardless of their age or how they do their devotion, always plan a time at the end of their personal devotion to share with you what they've learned and how they can practically apply it to their lives.

Preschool Age:

1. Listen to the Bible being read on CD (without dramatization). This helps your child be guided by the Holy Spirit rather than human interpretation. Ask them to draw a picture while listening to the text to illustrate the story they heard.

2. Listen to Bible verses set to music on CD – this is a great way to engrave God's Word in their memory and heart.

3. Read a Bible story to them and ask them to color a picture based on the story.

4. Spend time daily with your children, teaching them to pray in a way that expresses their feelings. For example:

“Help me to obey quickly and cheerfully when Mommy or Daddy ask me to help them.”

“Help me always to be kind to my… brother… sister…”

“Thank You for the dear family You gave me – my daddy, my mommy,…”

“Thank You for the special friends we have…” (Ask them to say the names).

“Thank You for all the good things You give us – please help children who don’t have much so they don’t go hungry.” (Here you can implement the “self-denial piggy bank” idea. Choose a non-profit organization – e.g., ADRA – and sponsor a child each month with the money from your child’s self-denial piggy bank. When you go to the store and your child wants something extra, remind them of their special friend who doesn’t have much and ask if they are willing to deny themselves that item and give the money to help their friend who needs clothes and food. When you get home, let your child put the money they would have spent into the piggy bank, and each month, take it out and count it. Then write a check to the organization. This is a good way to teach altruism and compassion for others. Don’t be surprised if your child challenges you by asking if you really need certain things.)

School Age/Youth:

1. Ask your child to choose a book of the Bible they would like to read during their personal devotion time. You also need to read it so you can discuss the story and what they learned from each chapter. Encourage them to underline their Bible with a personalized color-coding system for Bible marking.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Color-Coding Suggestion

1. Yellow (light) = Principles that guide us in all aspects of life.

2. Brown (dust) = Natural heart (the ME first, my way – heart far from Christ)

3. Red (blood) = God’s love and sacrifice, His suffering for us, His blood.

4. Orange (warnings) = God’s calls and appeals to my heart.

5. Blue (law) = My part – what God wants me to do to cooperate, obedience.

6. Pink (His righteousness) = God's part, what He will do for me personally.

7. Green (principles of obedience) = Walk of faith, Christian growth.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2. Ask your child to read a book (Life of Jesus, the story of a Bible character, or another character-building book, real Bible stories). Ask them to share with you what they are learning and why they liked it. Observe them during the day to see if the message is being applied to their life.

Teenagers:

1. Ask your child to choose a doctrinal topic (e.g., baptism, tithe, authority of the Bible) that they wish to understand better and conduct a thorough Bible study, comparing scripture with scripture.

2. Let your child choose a topic they are being challenged by (e.g., music, friendships, entertainment, influence, or responsibility for what they say) and ask them to research the Bible to find principles and guidelines that will help them make their own decisions based on God's Word – not based on what others have done or what seems acceptable.

3. Ask your child to choose a Bible-based book appropriate for their age (e.g., Messages to Young People). Help them apply the reading to their daily lives.

4. Encourage your child (regardless of age) to share during family worship what they have learned and why they want to share it with others. This helps the family become interested in each other's spiritual growth, in addition to making worship more engaging.

Written by Alane Waters, from Restoration International. Used with permission.

Other suggestions for young children:

CD – Good Morning, Jesus!

Devotional – Growing with Jesus

Blog – Little Light

Other ideas Video – Children's Personal Devotion

‍