Enticing Young Elementary-Aged Children To Family Devotions

Starting a Bible reading program with elementary-aged children will be a little difficult if they’ve never received the benefit of being read to by a loving parent. The earlier you can start reading to your child, the easier the transition will be. By the time children reach their late elementary years, the pull of the world has become quite firmly embedded and creates another variable to overcome in holding family devotions.

Young children love being part of special family time. The creation of a cozy time of sharing, whether around the dinner table, seated on the family sofa or piled on the bed at night, will often be all you’ll need to entice your child to family devotion.

I can think of lots of ways to make it even more special as you try to get this new family tradition off the ground. Perhaps have cookies and milk or a special snack associated with coming together. Get a family picture of everyone sitting close together on the sofa, Bible in dad’s hands, and paste it on your computer’s background. Get goofy with the poses. Bible reading doesn’t have to be stiff and formal.

Have everyone pile into mom and dad’s bed instead of junior’s bed for nighttime devotions. Children love that luxury (remember how you loved it growing up?). Perhaps gather on the back deck or patio with lighted candles (and lots of mosquito spray) or sitting under a favorite shade tree in the yard.

Does your family like movement? Hold devotions at the same time but in a different place each time. Keeping your children guessing as to where the next family group time takes place may be just the excitement you need to create anticipation for devotions. After a while, you can let your child be the one who determines where to hold devotion time. You may find some interesting twists in his suggestions.

At this age it pays to get a little creative when you’re just starting a Bible reading tradition with your family. The goal is to make the practice a positive, self-reinforcing habit that you carry out through the years. Don't be afraid to stir things up a bit or to be a little unconventional. There’s nothing wrong with making the learning of God’s Word fun. It’s supposed to be!