5 Ways to Help Your Young Child Pursue God Deeper

Okay, your child is interested in going to church. Now what? Here are five creative strategies for helping elementary-school-aged children pursue a deeper relationship with God and make faith a vital part of their everyday lives.

Jesus loved kids. In fact, He held their faith up as an example to adults. Even the Old Testament speaks to the strength of faith that the young can possess. Our kids can have deep belief, and it’s our privilege to help lead them there.

Church and Sunday School are wonderful opportunities for children to meet Jesus and learn more about Him, but the intimate growth of their relationship with God can be shaped by the everyday moments you share with them.

If you have been hoping to encourage your kiddo to make their faith a key element of their lives, here are five steps to get you started.

Adventures

God is a Creator, and He made an amazing world that speaks of who He is. Get your child outside to meet God in all that He made. Go for a hike—a long one requiring perseverance, visit a river, take a road trip, camp under the stars, go backpacking, play in gentle waves, or watch mighty ones roar. Let them feel awe, wonder, and curiosity. Let them ask questions and help them find the answers. Connect their outdoor experiences to Scripture.

Romans 1:20 tells us, “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (KJV).

God put His truth into the world He created, and He made children naturally curious and energetic. Put them into His world so that they may better know Him.

Cheat Sheets

Did your parents ever use a Rolodex or an alphabetized recipe card box? Find something similar for your kiddo and fill it with themed scripture. Make tabs for sadness, joy, doubt, fear, school, and any topic you think would be applicable to them. Fill it with scriptures, and then teach them to use it. If they come to you with an injury, a math problem, drama with friends, or anything else, take them to their scripture cheat sheets.

Learning to seek God and His truth first in all situations is an invaluable lesson for kids. They may even begin to memorize Scriptures that can help them when they are away from home, helping them stay connected to Jesus in all their everyday moments.

Prayer Pauses

Prayer can be a tough habit to create, so teaching it to our kids at a young age is a great way to help them feel a stronger bond with their Savior. Teaching kids that they don’t have to wait for meals to pray is an important piece of their faith journey. Whenever a question or conflict arises, pause and pray with your child. This could be before a sporting event, school test, doctor’s appointment, sleepover, or many other events. You can apply the same prayer pause to moments of strong emotion or disagreements, teaching your child to seek God’s wisdom during hard moments. Modeling this for your child will show them that God is concerned about all aspects of their life. There may be moments when they roll their eyes at you but keep up the habit!

Faithful Friends

Helping your kids find relationships with other believers isn’t a new concept but try thinking of a few new ways to foster these friendships. Consider hosting a Bible study, worship night, or book club. Make it fun and faith-filled. Prepare snacks, crafts, discussion questions, games, or whatever goes best with the event. Provide an opportunity for friendships to grow, rooted in faith in Jesus. This will help your kids feel comfortable talking about their faith with friends. Having like-minded friends can encourage them to pursue God more deeply.

Beauty Seeking

Life can be busy and sometimes moves so fast that we can miss the simple yet miraculous signs of God all around us. Beauty is a sign of God’s love and noticing it can be a means for a deeper faith. Everyday moments are excellent opportunities to point out beauty to children. This can be the smell of the earth after rain, a sunset or cloud formation, a flower in a garden, or the sound of trees rustling. Beauty can also be a kind act, a delicious meal, or a cozy blanket on a rainy day. Take the time to point out the joy and goodness of life to remind your children of God’s goodness and the joy that can be found in Him. Especially when it feels hard to find, try to make beautiful moments for your children so that they can see God in them.

Psalm 33:5: “…the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord” (KJV).

The hearts of children are ripe for a rich relationship with their Savior. The best part of revealing this truth to them is the way that it will lead us closer to them and our Father as well.