{"id":444154,"date":"2024-03-08T13:40:16","date_gmt":"2024-03-08T18:40:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/growcurriculum.org\/go?p=444154"},"modified":"2025-06-06T14:23:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T18:23:12","slug":"10-ways-to-help-kids-memorize-scripture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/growcurriculum.org\/go\/10-ways-to-help-kids-memorize-scripture\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Engaging Ways to Help Kids Memorize Scripture"},"content":{"rendered":"

What was the first Bible verse you memorized? If yours was John 11:35, you’re not alone. And if it wasn’t the first<\/em> verse you memorized, this two-word verse\u2014”Jesus wept”\u2014 is at least among your first bank of verses. Why is that? It’s simple.<\/p>\n

That’s it. There are so many well-known verses when we first learn to read Scripture. John 3:16, Romans 5:8, Genesis 1:1…the list goes on. But the simplicity of John 11:35 is what made it great. No matter how long they’ve been reading the Bible, going to church, or following Jesus, anyone could memorize it. It was so simple, which made it fun not only to memorize but to share with our friends. John 11:35 broke the idea that memorizing Scripture needed to take hours and hours of practice. That’s why when you tell a kid they can memorize Scripture with only two words, their eyes will light up with excitement.<\/p>\n

We want kids to memorize Scripture because it will help them grow in their faith. <\/strong>We probably tell them that all the time, but that’s not a huge motivation for them to actually crack open their Bibles (or, let’s be honest, open their Bible app<\/em>). Kids want to do stuff that’s fun and enjoyable. They want to be engaged and connected to the activities they’re invested in.<\/p>\n

And we share this goal. We want kids to invest in their faith because they find it worthwhile. We want them to memorize Scripture because we have our own stories of the times when a verse we memorized helped us take a step closer to God.<\/strong> We want our kids to know God’s words deeply so they can grow their relationship with God and cultivate a thriving, vibrant faith. But there’s a difference between telling someone it’s worthwhile and showing them<\/em> it’s worthwhile.<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the ways we can make memorizing Scripture worthwhile for kids is to make it more engaging. Think about it \u2013 how often have you lost interest in something because it didn’t connect with you? Maybe you wanted to learn a new language, so you downloaded a popular app to help you. Things started great, but then you reached a point where it was actually pretty difficult, or worse…it got boring. If we continually hit pockets of difficulty or disinterest, we’ll get frustrated and consider giving up (or actually<\/em> give up). What could help us out? We need someone to come alongside us and remind us we can do it. We need a few wins under our belts. We need reminders that what we’ve invested in is fun, worth our time, and something we’re good at. So, that’s what we do to help kids memorize Scripture<\/a>, too. We keep them motivated.<\/p>\n

So, what does it look like to keep kids motivated? Well, there are a couple of ways to get started. First, keep it simple.<\/strong> Don’t throw five Bible verses at your kids, expecting them to have each verse memorized by the end of the month. Sure, some kids love<\/em> an extra challenge, but most of your kids won’t. Not only is this a lot of pressure to put on your kids themselves, but it’s also a lot to ask of parents. Instead, focus on memorizing one or two memory verses each month. Choose a translation that’s easy to understand and uses language the kids are likely to use themselves. Just remember John 11:35, and know the more we can simplify things for our kids, the more inspired they’ll be to learn and memorize Scripture.<\/p>\n

Next, set realistic expectations. <\/strong>You’ve probably dreamed of a moment when your church leadership walks into the classroom, and one of the kids stands up to recite a long passage of Scripture. We get it. We’ve read that story about Jesus in the temple, too. But that’s the dream! That’s a story we’d remember forever, but, most likely, that’s a really high expectation of our kids. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, but it may not be the most practical goal for our ministries\u2014especially for our preschoolers. Set small, achievable expectations for your kids that are in line with their stages of development. As they grow, you can expand your goals, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get your “Jesus in the temple” moment. (We hope you do!)<\/p>\n

Now that you’ve got a plan to keep things simple and set your realistic, developmentally appropriate expectations, it’s time to get to work!<\/p>\n

Here are some of our favorite ways to help kids memorize Scripture.<\/p>\n

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