Our children are so bright. They are able to memorize more than we may think. Just turn on the radio, and see how many songs they are able to sing from memory. If they can sing songs and quote nursery rhymes by heart, why not the scriptures?
Studies show that the core structure of a child’s brain is 85 percent developed by age 3. It’s great to have the backing of briefing papers and scholarly research, but we know our kids. We don’t need a scholar to tell us how smart our kids are. We see their potential every day.
Memorizing scripture is something my mom did with me, something I did with my kids, and now I’m privileged to do the same with my granddaughter.
Let’s start with a few verses that are short and powerful. They are easy to memorize and maintain. If your little one gets the memorization but is not ready for the explanation, don’t worry. Get the memorization down, and then go back and entertain the explanation when appropriate.
Begin with one scripture per week. Each week add on a new verse.
- 1 John 4:8 God is love.
- Psalm 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made, your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
- John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word,and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
- Psalm 150:6 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.
- Acts 16:31 Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.
- John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
- Psalm 119:9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity?
By living according to your Word.
The scriptures here are from the New International Version (NIV) of the Holy Bible. The NIV worked well with my kids because it is easy to understand. Find what works best with your kids. With my kids, we use to set the longer memory verses to song. The song doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to be something you can remember. My oldest child is 28 now, and she still remembers the tune we created for the Lord’s Prayer. Have fun and create a special memory with your babies.
BMWK, What do you think about memorizing scripture? Were you raised by an old-school parent who instilled this trait in you?