Bible journaling is a pretty popular activity—but the perception seems to be that it’s only for women. And while it might seem like a female-only practice, all Christians can benefit from Bible journaling!
Kids, especially, can learn a lot through Bible journaling. It will certainly look different from how adults might journal, but the same principles can be applied in a kid-friendly way. Through journaling, children can grow in a variety of ways:
- Learn new words
- Memorize Bible verses
- Connect words with images
- Practice handwriting
If you’re looking to start journaling with your family, here are a few key steps to get started in teaching your kids how to journal in their Bible.
Gather supplies
You might already have a craft closet or drawer, but it can be fun to create a special Bible journaling kit. Consider decorating an old shoebox to house all your items, and select or purchase items that will only be used for this special time.
In your kit, put all of the art supplies you need to do some crafting and drawing. You’ll definitely want to include a journal of some kind (decorated by your child!), but you can also include gel pens, crayons, glitter, washi tape, construction paper, craft scissors, glue sticks, or stickers.
Pick a verse
You can easily incorporate journaling into your family’s already established devotional routine. Whether you read from a Bible story book, a chapter from Scripture, or a daily devotional like My Devotions or Portals of Prayer, choose a verse from the portion of Scripture you read. Pick a verse that shows your child a characteristic of God, reminds of one of God’s promises, or teaches something new.
If you’re looking to start doing regular family devotions, journaling is a great place to begin! The Everyday Faith Calendar is a perfect tool to jump-start your devotion time—you’ll easily be able to pull out a verse to journal with your family, plus there’s a discussion question for each day!
Draw or write
After you’ve chosen your verse, it’s time to get creative! Bust out your journal and craft kit, and start doodling. Your kids might want to draw a picture of what’s happening in the verse or story, or they might want to practice different handwriting (cursive, bubble letters, etc.). Encourage them to do some practice rounds on scrap paper and play around with colors, sizes, and placement of words!
As you both color and write, talk about what’s inspiring your children to choose colors and writing styles. Explain big words they might not know, and talk about what the verse means in the greater context of Scripture. Conversation often comes more naturally when you’re doing an activity together.
Memorize
Depending on how often you’re able to journal as a family, choose one verse per week to memorize. Journal out that verse, and talk about what it means. Or, if your child already has a memory verse from church or school, journal that verse to aid in memorization.
Scripture memorization has fallen by the wayside for many believers, but committing Bible verses to memory at an early age solidifies them and provides a lifetime of knowledge and meaningful recall.
I hope you’re able to draw your family into the Word through journaling—even the youngest members of the family of faith can benefit from it!
Download the free Portals of Prayer Calendars for April through July to give your kids a space to write, doodle, or draw a picture each day.
(And be sure to tag @portalsofprayer in your Instagram photos of your family’s journaling journey!)
