- Toddlers are full of energy and
- Toddlers are constantly learning and absorbing truth from all around them.
So, how do we make sure that toddlers are learning about God while they're also learning all about the world around them?
Believe it or not, you do it by putting their energy to good use. You use that energy to teach them through motions, songs, games, and movement.
As you work toward the goal of teaching toddlers the truth of the gospel, here are a few ideas for pointing Toddlers to Jesus that you can keep in mind.
- Repeat gospel truths throughout the lesson.
- Look for teachable moments - these often happen during discipline, where you can remind children of our need for salvation.
- Sing LOTS and LOTS of Bible truth songs. Kids at this age learn especially well with music and will remember the truths that they sing. The Ultimate Toddler Bundle contains many such songs.
- Use repetition. For example- if you are working on a craft where they are gluing a cross shape onto a piece of paper, ask each kid a similar but different question about the picture as they work..... who died on the cross? where did Jesus die? why did Jesus die on the cross? Who died to pay for our sin? etc.
And, another tip is to make sure your bookshelves are stocked with books that say the same things that you are. Toddler are naturally curious and when they pull a book off a shelf and you can tell them that it's about God, they'll start to make connections between the books, your words and the learning activities you are doing. Here are some of my (and my son's) favorite books right now.
Recommended Bible Story Books, Devotional Guides & Teaching Resources:
- Sing and Play Big Bible Truths: Teaching God's Word to Toddlers (by Bethany Darwin)- You only get to raise your children once and your little ones need to know the big truths of God – Christ, sin, salvation and the gospel. Sing and Play Big Bible Truths is the perfect tool to introduce babies and toddlers to the Bible truths they need to learn now and for later on in life.
- Leading Little Ones to God: A Child's Book of Bible Teachings - Using simple, conversational language, this classic volume discusses such matters as the nature of God, sin, salvation, the Christian life, the church, prayer, and more
- The Big Picture Interactive Bible Stories for Toddlers - Introduce early learners to the Bible with The Big Picture Interactive Bible Stories for Toddlers Old Testament Board Book, featuring twenty Old Testament Bible Stories in this fun, interactive and engaging new Bible storybook designed just for toddlers.
Recommended Board Books for Toddlers:
- Big Theology for Little Hearts Series (God, Jesus, the Gospel) - Each book in the Big Theology for Little Hearts series introduces a big idea from the Bible with concise definitions and engaging illustrations to help young minds gain a foundational understanding of God's word.
- Jesus Heals (and the rest of the Baby Believer Series) - Your family will love this unique board book! Using colorful, engaging artwork, Jesus Heals introduces little ones to different parts of the body through the healings Jesus performed, pointing to His ultimate miracle—healing our sin by His death on the cross.
- God's Big Big Church - Preschoolers will love learning that their time and place at church is important and that they are a special part of God's big, big family.
- The Biggest Story ABC - From Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden to Zion and the new creation world, the Bible is telling one big story―the story of God's promise to deliver his people.
For more thoughts on teaching the gospel to toddlers, check out this interview I participated in with Christian Focus Publications, entitled "Little Ones Belong to Him."