I mean what do you use to study the Bible? Do you use a curriculum? Do you just pick out scriptures to read together as a family?
We plan to use Wisdom and the Millers for character studies this fall for school. However, we want to save Bible to do as a family in the evening with daddy instead of during our regular school hours. We will also save scripture memory time to include him also. What do you recommend? My husband will be leading and he prefers a sort of “guide” to help him out. I will be buying “The Family Worship Book” this week and myabe I’ll have more of an idea after reading but I am curious about what some other CMers use. Please share.
We use Balancing the Sword. Every Bible chapter is represented with fill in the blank questions and Scripture references. For the younger children, we have used The Greenleaf Guide to the Old Testament which has questions and discussion points with its reading plan. I also have collected A Beka Flash a cards…definitely a favorite here. In a pinch, we read the Daily Light and Proverbs of the day together (Proverbs has 31 chapters that can correspond to the day of the month).
Another but expensive option is the A Beka Bible flash a cards. These are large, beautiful pictures of Bible Stories including an accompanying booklet with the stories and Bible references. We use these with our Bible reading and The Child’s Story Bible by Vos. The younger ones enjoy the illustrations and get a lot out of these from A Beka Book. http://www.abeka.com/ABekaOnline/ProductSearch.aspx?grade=&subject=BIBLE+FACS%2cBIBLE%2cFOREIGN+BIB+FAC&title=&sbn=
These are similar to the ones Mr. Fix it uses when telling children Bible stories on this Moody DVD http://www.keepersofthefaith.com/product/MrFixItBibleDVD.html We don’t watch DVDs often…but this one is wonderful and demonstrates the use of the A Beka flash a cards for younger children. I purchased art portfolios to help keep the cards bound and protected…Mr. Fix It style. http://www.misterart.com/display-presentation/binders-and-display-books/itoya-art-profolio-storage-display-book.html
Bible was hands down the hardest curriculum for me to find! I prayed and prayed and searched and searched. Everything SCM had looks wonderful, but my oldest is only 6 so I want to wait on some of SCM’s until she is older. I finally found a wonderful fit for our family in Foundations by Anne Elliott –
-It can be used for multiple ages. There are coloring sheet options (you print from Calvary Chapel website) for little ones. ( We haven’t done this as my dd doesn’t seem to need them and I have a preschool Bible program for my littles. But, it’s a nice option if you wanted it.) There are also additional Bible reading assignments if you have older children. The curriculum as is is perfect for my first grader.
-The heart of the curriculum is getting you to read the actual Bible! I actually had a difficult time finding one that did this, which seems crazy to me! So, we read and then have dd narrate…keepin’ it CM!
-Then we do memory work – one thing I LOVE LOVE LOVE so much is that she is starting to memorize longer passages. For example, right now she is memorizing Exodus 20 – The Ten Commandments. I personally like to memorize longer passages to see verses in context rather than a verse scattered here and there…as good as that is too! Any Bible memorization is great! On each day (M-F) there is something to do with the verse – illustrate, make actions, write it down, etc.
-Then we are memorizing the books of the Bible – the first week it was the first five books, then the second week, they add a few more, etc.
-Then with almost each day there is some sort of assignment to do which have been meaningful. I’m just not the type of person who loves to make a craft for each story, etc. Just my personality. These assignments have been things like looking up words in a Bible dictionary, making a timeline of Adam’s geneology, mapping, etc. They learn Bible skills through these assignments…and they are enriching as well.
-On Tuesdays and Thursdays they include Bible drill. Since only my oldest can read, it is her vs. me! I read the reference and my 2nd dd says “Go” and we race to see who can find it first.
-There are three books total in this series – we are on book 1. The three books will take you through the Bible chronologically in three years. I also felt it was important to go through the Bible chronologically to see the continuity of the Scriptures. (I didn’t do this until college and then was so amazed that the Bible really is ONE book made up of smaller books! And I grew up in Sunday school and church so I really should have understood this.)
We do our Bible time during school time, but I think it would work great with the family like you are saying.
I’m following this thread. My two oldest kids are 6 and 4, and I’m looking for something to teach them God’s Word. Eventually, we will do Precept studies, but until my 6 y/o is ready for that I am looking for something age appropriate but not twaddle.
Erin, thanks for sharing. That study looks great, and it would take my DD through the entire Bible and then she could start Precept studies for kids when she is 9 y/o (almost 10).