Teaching your kids to follow a daily Bible reading plan is one of the greatest spiritual gifts you can give them. Whether you’re looking for a Bible reading plan for kids, a family Bible study routine, or simple ways to encourage daily Scripture reading, these resources can help your children build a lifelong habit of spending time in God’s Word.
Most of the Bible study resources on this page are for preschoolers and elementary-aged children, but many of the other posts on this blog can be used with older kids. Check these ones out!
“17 Scriptures About Self-Control to Grow Your Faith and Character”
God commands us in Deuteronomy chapter 6 “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
Let’s obey this verse together!
What are the best Bible reading plans?
The ones that work best for your family!
Whether you are here looking for a summer Bible reading plan, a verse for every day of the month, or just looking for ways to help your kids get into the daily habit of Bible reading, you are in the right place!
How to Teach Kids to Read the Bible
Habits are formed with consistency over time. This is why you want to start small and grow with your children. If you require them to read too much too soon, they will find it burdensome. On the flip side, you want to provide spiritual growth for your children as they mature.
Bible reading plans are perfect for this. They are usually short snippets of scripture that can be studied alone, memorized, or become the center of a life-changing discussion.
Some people prefer a chronological Bible reading plan while others enjoy reading a topical Bible reading plan, while still others prefer a book by book Bible study. No matter what your style, getting into daily readings of scripture is what is important.
I enjoy topical Bible reading plans, so you will find several of them here. I also like to deep dive into books such as the Gospel of Matthew, the Book of Romans, or the Book of Psalms.
Speaking of the book of Psalms, I have some great coloring pages (click image below). If you have a wide range of ages among your kids, it is helpful to have coloring pages to keep little hands occupied. Ask me how I know 🙂
Many people like to read the entire Bible in a year or two, which is not practical for younger children, but introducing them to key Old Testament verses, the Psalms, and Proverbs, as well as New Testament scriptures, is a great way to give them a basic understanding of scripture.
At What Age Should Children Begin Studying the Bible?
One of my earliest memories is sitting on my bed, praying with my mom before she tucked me in for the night. (If you are looking for bedtime prayers and verses, check out this post! “Night Prayers for Kids to Help Them Feel Loved, Safe, and Peaceful”) This began a life of praying before drifting off to sleep.
Studying the Bible is the same. Start young, before they can read, and then as they get older, encourage them to read the words aloud to you.
If your children are older, don’t worry, developing a Bible-reading habit can happen at any age. Again, I would recommend starting with shorter passages and increasing as your child is willing.
How Long Should Kids Spend Reading the Bible?
This is up to you and your child. One verse a day, one chapter a day, or even one Bible story a day is a good start and then grow as your child does. If they are interested in battles of the Old Testament, then read the stories of David and Goliath, Joshua and Jericho, Gideon, Samson etc. If they have doubts and fears, lead them to verses that will calm those, such as “7 Bible Stories About Anxiety to Calm Your Fears”.
There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Simply getting your child into God’s word is a win, no matter how long the session.
Free Bible Reading Plans
Emphasizing on God’s love is a great way to teach your kids the Bible and help them grow their faith! I have a free Bible reading plan all about God’s love for us as well as how to show that love to others. Check it out in this post.
30 Inspirational Bible Verses for Kids About God’s Love
The work of the cross is the cornerstone of our faith and sometimes it can be difficult to explain it to young kids. This post is a great free Bible reading plan for both young and older kids.
Easter Bible Verses for Kids: Short Devotions for Resurrection Sunday
If you are looking for a way to keep your kids focused on what is important at Christmas time, this free Bible reading plan is for you.
25 Christmas Bible Verses for Kids to Teach the Significance of Christ’s Birth
Click the image above to download the Bible reading tracker! A great way to encourage your kids to read the Bible.
Simple Bible Reading Plan
What makes a simple Bible reading plan? It can be simple in that the verses are short or that topics are simple.
I always begin teaching my kids about God’s love. This particular topic is dear to my heart and the basis of scripture. I have fond memories of singing Jesus Loves Me during Sunday school class. I believed with all my three-year-old heart that God loved me. This truth has been the foundation of my faith and has carried me through very dark times.
I want my kids to have that same foundation.
I already shared my Bible reading plan about God’s love above, but what other plans might be considered “simple”?
Short Bible verses 🙂 These are perfect for personal Bible study, family devotions, memorization, or copywork.
38 Short Bible Verses for Kids
Another great study is the Beatitudes. These concepts are far from “simple” but I have broken them down into a great Bible reading plan for kids. There are free coloring pages to accompany the study too.
Beatitudes for Kids Simplified with Coloring Pages
The Psalms are a favorite of young and old and they are well suited for kids because they are easy to understand and relatable. This Bible reading plan is only 14 days, but covers some Psalms that will speak to your children’s hearts and help them see God clearly.
14 Psalms for Kids Devotions and Memorization
Family Bible Time
Any of these printable Bible reading plans for kids is great for family devotions. What I want to talk about here is how to work family Bible time into your routine.
It can be challenging in all seasons of life. When the kids were very young, it was difficult to hold their attention or for them to hear me over the crying baby. Now that my kids are getting older, it is difficult with everyone’s schedules.
I know that in your heart, you want to prioritize Bible reading for the whole family, but it is difficult with everything else you have going on. I used to pray and tell God that it is difficult enough to keep everyone fed and in clean clothes!
That’s when I realized that my expectations were not realistic. I wanted everyone to sit quietly and attentively while I read scripture. That has never happened. They interrupt, ask questions, and sometimes fight. Seriously, argue right when we are reading the Bible! Ahhhhh!
My solution was to find shorter pockets of time to emphasize God’s word. We pray together at meals and then read a verse. Before bed, we read Bible stories. In the car, we sing songs about God. All of those little times throughout the day add up to faith-building habits. The time frame is less important than the action. There are different ways to teach your kids to connect with God.
You will find these family devotional posts helpful!
Bible Verses About the Power of Words: Hands of Devotions for Kids
20 Ideas for Teaching Our Kids To Connect with God Through Nature
Fruit of the Spirit for Kids (with free coloring pages)
Summer Reading Plan
My kids find summer to be an excuse to play on unlimited screens. This is a no for me and I created a list of activities such as chores, creative projects, and reading that they needed to accomplish everyday before they were allowed to spend time on their devices.
They accept this with no argument (score!). One of the items on the list is reading the Bible. This is a good opportunity for them to practice reading longer passages. Older kids should take this opportunity to begin journaling or keeping a prayer journal.
Another great option is the read, write, draw, speak, pray method. Read the verse, copy the verse, draw a picture about the verse, read the verse out loud, and finally pray the Bible passages.
One Last Word on Kid-friendly Bible Reading Plans
You don’t have to do anything elaborate. Small steps toward the habit of daily Bible reading will get you far.
Busy moms can read a Bible verse at breakfast every morning or pray the verse during bedtime prayers. You can practice reciting the books of the Bible together while driving in the car or listening to Bible memory songs.
You will never regret giving your children the lifelong habit of studying God’s word. You can go at a slower pace during the year, hit it hard during summer break, or encourage daily Bible reading during both family devotions and private study time.
I hope these printable Bible reading plans for kids help you! Is there a topic you would like to study with your child that is not included here? Let me know in the comments below. I would love to continue to add resources to this post.
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