Teaching Memory Verses to Children

When we were growing up (I remember far back as elementary school), my mom would walk into our rooms at 5am clapping so loudly and chanting "morning devotion, morning devotion". If you delayed in waking up, the clap will turn into a slap on your butt or legs, whichever her hands reached first or she'd use an object to hit the metal edge of the bed, so we would wake. It seemed like pure "torture." My dad would be in the living room waiting to lead the devotion while we all scrambled out of our beds to make it safely there. Our devotion was usually long. My dad made sure of that. However, one highlight of of it was the memory verse aspect. Dad would ensure that everyone - child and adult - recited the memory verse for the day exactly as it is written in the King James Version - EXACTLY as it was written, and then he'd give us points in percentage. It was always interesting. Amazingly, many of the memory verses I now know, I learned during those days as a kid.

Fast forward more than two decades later, I became a mother and decided to pass on the culture. I began teaching my daughter, Grace, memory when she turned two, and it has been amazing. In the few years that I've taught her, I have learned a few things about teaching children memory verses that'd make them stick and be meaningful to them, and this is what I'd be sharing with you. I hope they help you.

1. MAKE SURE IT IS AGE-APPROPRIATE

I have heard/seen children teachers try to get very little children to memorize long verses in King James Version, just because that's what's quoted in their Sunday School manual. Talk about futile effort. It’s always funny to watch. It’s a struggle already for some adults to cope with “thy” “thou” “wouldest”, etc. of the King James Version, let alone children.

To teach children memory verses that will stick, you'll need to simplify the verse. Use a version with texts that are easier to read/understand. Pick out the important words, and leave the rest for when they’re older.

For example, when I taught Philippians 4:4 to my daughter, Grace, when she was 2 years old, all I taught her was “Rejoice in the Lord always.”

Now that she’s 4 years, she knows the whole verse. We built on it; and it paid off.

(Below are posted some age appropriate bible verses you can teach your children or Sunday school kids).

2. RELATE IT TO EVERYDAY LIFE

There are some verses we quote at home everyday to deal with life issues. I’ll teach them to Grace first as a memory verse, and then start using them at home. For example, Grace gets scared easily. So we have 2 verses to deal with fear.

She learned Isaiah 43:5a when she was two years old. It says, “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” And she learned 2 Timothy 1:7 when she was 3+ years old. It says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” So when she says, “Mummy I’m scared”. I’ll ask, “What does God say about that?” – and she’ll quote either of the two verses depending on the situation.

Something interesting happened one day. We went for the Calgary Stampede and got on the open cable car, as it went high up, I said, “O my goodness, I’m scared.” I was laughing. But Grace said quite frankly, “Mummy, do not be afraid, God is with you.” She basically gave me back my verse. That blessed me! And I see her quote scripture to her little sister too.

So relate it to everyday life. It’ll stick faster than any formal recitation.

3. KNOW THIS: THEY WILL FORGET. SO, BE CONSISTENT AND PATIENT

Oh, they will forget! You know, they have many things they’re doing. They’re so busy playing with one another, watching TV, doing schoolwork, running little errands, and talking about their friends, and not to talk of all the numbers and letters they have to remember. They are so busy. Hahaha. So, they will forget.

This is why CONSISTENCY is key. Be very very very very consistent. Don’t do it once and leave it. Do it every time. teach them as often as possible. Sing those verses like a song. Talk about it every time. As you’re dressing them for school or daycare, ask again, “What’s your memory verse?” On the drive from school, ask them, “Can you remember your Philippians or Genesis or John memory verse? Tell me!"

And be PATIENT with them; especially with the very little ones. They only just began to form slightly coherent words a few months back. So it’ll take time to pick up the words AND remember them. So remind them again. And just be consistent.

4. EXPLAIN THE VERSES TO THEM

This is important because the verses can then move from just “words” in their ears to something meaningful. For example, when you teach your child, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength,” Explain to them that it means nothing is impossible to them because they can rely on Christ’s strength.

In the mornings when I ask my child to take off her clothes for a shower, she’s still half-asleep and she’s lazy to take off her clothes, so she goes “Mummy, I can’t take off my trouser, it’s stuck”. I turn and see that the trousers are indeed stuck, but rather than help her, I say, “You can do…???” and she’ll complete it and say, “...all things through Christ, God gives me strength.” EACH TIME, after she quotes it, she’ll have this burst of energy that gets her to take off those pants (or whatever the situation was) and she’ll go, “Mummy I did it!”

The words in that verse aren’t just words to her anymore. They are now strength & life; and she can apply them.

This should be the reason you teach them the word and verses to memorize.

5. SPACE THEM OUT

They are little children. One verse per day or one verse per week may be too much. So try one verse per month; or one verse in 2 months for the really little children.

What you’re trying to do is get the word of God in their hearts… and not send them for a memory verse quoting competition (unless that’s your aim 😊). So, take your time. Don’t compare your children with other children who know more verses. Some of us are overachievers, and we like to put so much pressure on our children like we do on ourselves. (Temi, she just called your full name – HAHA).

When we see they’re not coping, we begin to get frustrated and tend to give up.

Patience is key. You want them to love the word, not loathe it.

Age Appropriate Memory Verses

AGES 2-3 YEARS OLD

Deuteronomy 6:5 – Love the Lord your God with all your heart.

Isaiah 43:5 – Do not be afraid for I am with you.

2 Timothy 1:7 – God has not given you the spirit of fear.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things.

Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always.

Genesis 1:1 – In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Psalm 136:1 – Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.

Psalm 145:9 – God is good to everyone.

Proverbs 3:5 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart.

John 3:16 – God loves the world.

AGES 4-5 YEARS OLD

Deuteronomy 6:5 – Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your might.

2 Timothy 1:7 – God has not given you the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind.

Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:4 – Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say rejoice.

John 1:1 – In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.

Genesis 1:3 – And God said, "let there be light", and there was light.

Psalm 136:1 – O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good; for His mercy endures forever.

John 3:3 - Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 1:4 – In Him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Galatians 5:22-23 - The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

AGES 6 YEARS OLD & UP

Deuteronomy 6:5 – And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish but have everlasting life

Philippians 4:19 – But my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus

John 10:10 - The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

John 1:4-5 - In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Galatians 5:22-23 - But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Psalm 145:9 - The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

THERE YOU GO! Please, get started on teaching these little ones scriptures.

Never think they're too little to learn.. My theory is this - if they can learn the words of their favorite cartoon theme song and they can learn numbers, alphabets, math, science, etc., they can learn scripture. Begin to teach your older kids too (preteens & teens), if you've not started. It's not too late .

All the best!

Nourish Your Spirit