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How to Teach Scripture Memorization to Children

It is never too early or too late to begin teaching children to memorize scripture. Scripture memorization is a learned skill which benefits the youngest of children to the oldest of adults. Some find memorizing scripture much more difficult than others, but some creative memorization methods might help make scripture memory a little easier. Scripture memorization doesn’t have to be dull and boring. It can be fun.

Make Scripture Memory a Family Routine

Make scripture memorization part of your daily family routine. Sit down together and decide on a few shorter Bible verses which are easier for children to understand. You might choose from the following suggestions:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him will have eternal life. John 3:16

Children, obey your parents in all things for this pleases the Lord. Colossians 3:20

Wherever your treasure is; that is where your heart will be. Matthew 6:21

Be kind and loving to each other. Forgive each other the same as God forgave you in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 4:32

But the fruits of the spirit are these: Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. There is no law that can say these things are wrong. Galatians 5:22-23

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Once your children memorize a few shorter verses, they will feel successful, realizing that scripture memorization is not as difficult as they might have thought. Then, you can add a few more challenging memory verses to your family scripture memory list.

Make Scripture Memorization a Game

Children love games and the matching game of concentration is a favorite.

Make a Scripture Memory Concentration Game

Choose a scripture memory verse. Cut several index cards in half. Write the words onto the index cards, one word per card. Don’t forget to include the scripture “address,” the place in the Bible where the scripture is found, such as “John 3:16.” Write several other random words onto extra cards so that you can mix up all the words and lay them all out face down to create a square. For example, you will have four rows of cards with four index cards in each row – or more, depending on the length of the verse.

Tell the first child to flip over a card. If the first flipped card reveals the first word in the Bible memory verse, he may leave the card right-side-up and then flip over a second. If the second card reveals the second word in the verse, he may leave it right side up and collect two points, one for each card flipped. Then, the next person gets a chance. If the first person flips over a card which does not reveal the first word in the verse, he must turn the card back over, collect no points, and let the next person try. The game continues until all the words are revealed in order, but each child can only turn over two cards at a time and collect no more than two points for each turn.

If your children are memorizing longer, more challenging verses you can opt to write short phrases on the cards instead of individual words.

Both adults and children can get their creative juices flowing and create other scripture memory games. Some games might be based on already well-known games and some games might be completely made up from scratch. Either way, children will love the games and memorize scripture verses while they play.

Use Music to Teach Children to Memorize Scripture

Add music and movement to your scripture memory routine. Check your church library for DVDs and CDs which use music to encourage scripture memory.

Encourage children to make up their own memory verse songs. They can use the tunes to songs they already know, substituting the words from their Bible memory verses. They might even like to make up a dance or movement routine to go along with their memory verse song.

Make Scripture Memory Booklets

Help your child create a scripture memory booklet. Create a booklet which suits your child’s personality. Your child might benefit more from a small booklet made from index cards with only a few simple embellishments and bound with a single ring. If you have an especially creative little Bible scholar, she might like to create her Bible memory booklet from a full sized three ring album or scrapbook. She can write her memory verse on each page and then decorate the page to correspond with the verse. The process of creating the pages, whether simple or elaborate, will help children memorize the verses. Then, get out the books each day and spend time going over the verses together. Encourage your child to share her booklet with other children, family members, and friends. The more often she reads and shares her memory booklet, the better she knows the verses.

Add Scripture to Crafts

Add scripture verses to your child’s artwork and crafts. When your child draws a picture, write a favorite Bible verse at the top. Choose one that relates to the picture in someway. Display the picture on your refrigerator or in another visible location to aid in scripture memorization. When your child completes a craft project, choose a scripture verse that goes along with the craft and write the verse somewhere on the project.

Bathe Your Home in Scripture

Posting sight words around the room is a good way to teach children to read. For example, write the word “chair” on an index card and then tape it to a chair. Write the word “book” on a card and tape it to a book. You get the idea. Use this method to teach children to memorize scripture. Once you pick out the verses you want your child to memorize, write the entire verse on several cards. You can decorate the cards and make them all cute or you can just write the words. Then, tape the cards all around the house. Tape a card to the bathroom mirror so that your child sees the card as he gets ready for school in the morning. Tape another one to the breakfast table, the refrigerator, the snack cabinet, his bed-post, and any other place he might look during the day. The more often he sees the scripture memory card, the faster he will memorize the verse and the more deeply he will know it. Learning to memorize scriptures gives children a solid Bible-based foundation on which to build their faith into adulthood.

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