Best Bible Curriculum Options for Kids
The Importance of Bible Curriculum for Children
Before diving into some of the best Bible curriculum options for homeschoolers, let’s talk about our why. Why is studying the Bible important for kids? If you don’t have your why solidified, here are some ideas that may help.
Bible Education to Learn Their Faith
As parents, our primary role is to model and teach our children to live under God’s rule and grace. They look to us for every need, big and small. Our own Bible education guides us in the curiosities of children. We help them see God in nature and right in their own little hearts. As we share the fascinating Old Testament stories, children begin to learn that a great God loves them so much.
Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Bible Education to Live Their Faith
As kids understand the concept of a loving God, they can see their own sin and need for forgiveness. Jesus becomes not just a friend but a Savior. They may want to receive the grace of God and salvation, which would delight any parent. This is a season of gaining wisdom and studying the Word for deeper understanding and transformation.
Bible Education to Defend Their Faith
Once they have a strong grasp on their faith through walking with the Lord, it is wise to study other belief systems. Staying keen on how to identify false teachings will help lead to a lifelong devotion to God. Ultimately, we want our children to be able to defend their beliefs.
Where do we start? April Lesh, veteran homeschool mom, talks about how to incorporate family devotions in your home in practical ways in this video:
Criteria for Selecting the Best Bible Curriculum for Kids
Age Appropriateness
When you have a large span of ages in your family, it is easy to miss the mark on this one. I have been guilty of this. I tended to cater to my oldest, so there was a year when my youngest was bored out of her mind with our Bible study. It is important to consider your children’s ages and comprehension levels.
The whole group can seem most efficient, but just make sure it is a curriculum that everyone can follow. If you have pairs of children close in level, maybe consider combining those students. When your children are older and can read and write proficiently, they may be ready to take on an independent Bible study.
Doctrinal Alignment
Take a look at the curriculum’s website and spend some time on it. Learn about its mission, vision, and values, and make sure they align with what your family wants to teach.
Engaging and Easy to Use
View samples on the curriculum’s website. Does it seem attractive and interesting for your children? Are the instructions for you as the parent simple to implement and understand?
Parent and Student Reviews
Reading reviews from homeschool moms in the trenches and using the curriculum will be so helpful. Check social media for video reviews, flip-throughs, and real-life moms working with the curriculum daily. Some of the easiest ways to see if it is the right fit is by seeing the curriculum in action and getting a closer look.
Top Bible Curriculum Options for Kids
Bible Curriculum for Preschool and Early Elementary
The Word in Motion Bible curriculum takes the intimidation out of teaching Scripture by combining streaming video instruction with vibrant illustrations, fun-to-read narratives, engaging discussion questions, and memorable character profiles. It tells the story depicted in Scripture in an easy-to-follow, chronological format that equips your student to know, live, and share the Word of God more. Developed in cooperation with Walk Thru The Bible, this curriculum also gets kids up and moving to help them remember the key people, places, and events from every book of the Bible!
By offering students opportunities to learn in different ways (including movement), abstract concepts click, and learning sticks in new ways. Each lesson incorporates multiple learning styles—seeing, hearing, moving, talking, and repeating—in a way that engages your student’s head, heart, and hands. When they complete the course, students can tell the story of God and His people using keywords, memory verses, and hand motions.
The Word in Motion Bible curriculum includes:
- The Old Testament
- Student Textbook
- Notebooking Journal
- Free Streaming Video Lessons
- The New Testament
- Student Textbook
- Notebooking Journal
- Free Streaming Video Lessons
A homeschool parent recently submitted this curriculum review:
Today I want to introduce you to a great Bible curriculum by a trusted publisher – Apologia! I know of so many families that love Apologia’s Science curriculum, and their Bible one is just as engaging and trustworthy in content. . This curriculum is aimed at children from K-8th Grade and can therefore be used in a family setting! The textbook is a high-quality, full-color, 300-page textbook. Included are 30 lessons that take you through the entire Old Testament. The curriculum is split up in two parts: The first 15 lessons cover the historical events in the Old Testament narrative. The second part of the curriculum, lessons 16-30, is set up in a similar manner yet the focus is learning about all 39 books of the Old Testament. In addition, each of the lessons also contains “Book-About Cards” that give an overview for each book. . Each student will also have their own “Notebooking Journal” as a creative outlet with lots of space to write and process what was learned. The curriculum will help your children connect with the Bible in special way. It offers a deep-dive into the books, characters, and events of the Old Testament and the way it is set up the entire family will be able to get something out of it! Also available for purchase is an audio book of the entire textbook.
Apologia’s The Word in Motion Old Testament is the first volume, covering Creation through the book of Malachai. As kids understand how the books of the Bible work together to tell the larger story of God’s love for people, they begin to understand God better and read the Word with purpose, passion, and real understanding.
Apologia’s The Word in Motion New Testament is the second volume. From the events leading up to the birth of Jesus to the apocalyptic vision the Apostle John received on the island of Patmos, this course tells the story depicted in Scripture in an easy-to-follow, chronological format that equips your student to know, live out, and share the Word of God more.
Bible Curriculum for High School
Here are more Apologia Live Classes for your high school students:
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- A Survey of Competing Worldviews: During the first semester, students will examine society’s six most prominent worldviews—Christianity, Islam, Secularism, Marxism, New Spirituality, and Postmodernism—and how each views man’s relationship to God, himself, and one another. During the second semester, students will examine how the influence of the six major worldviews manifests itself in America’s institutions of higher learning, specifically in courses on theology, philosophy, ethics, biology, psychology, sociology, law, politics, economics, and history.
- Christian Apologetics: Explore what it means to really learn, live, and defend the Christian faith in Apologia’s Live Class: Christian Apologetics Training: Defending Christianity Against Atheism & Evolution, led by Larry Blythe, M.A. Apologetics, Theology, Philosophy, Pastoral Theology.
- Logic and Defending the Christian Worldview: Students will learn to respond to and refute arguments. They will also develop critical thinking skills and learn how to apply them in all areas of life. Students will examine various objections to the Christian worldview and learn how to defend it.
Additional Considerations for Bible Study
If you prefer to keep things pared down, simply read the Bible with your children. Share your own experiences in the faith, and let the Lord lead your discussions. A Bible curriculum is available to you merely to guide, focus, and ignite critical thinking in your study.
At Apologia, we aim to share the Gospel in all that we do, which is why a creation-based curriculum is what you’ll find on our website and in our live classes. Hear more of our heart behind this with Davis and Rachael in this episode of Let’s Talk Homeschool.
