#ThursdayThings — My Favorite Toddler Resources
When I first found out I was pregnant, I was excited to become a mother, but I was also terrified. My husband and I would be responsible for the discipleship of our daughter! While only God can change hearts, it is His will that parents should spiritually lead and nurture their children. What a high calling!
One truth that helped relieve my anxiety was the truth that discipleship is not complicated. While my Type A personality likes a plan, discipleship in the home is not about a 14-step Bible curriculum. It is about incorporating the Gospel into the everyday rhythms of the home. Jesus did not spend His three years of ministry at a desk writing a grand plan; He ate, walked, and lived with his disciples. And in that eating, walking, and living, He showed them who God is.
Whilethis is definitely not easy, it is simple. When we first let the word of Christdwell in us, we then can allow it to dwell in our homes. By letting the Gospelinfluence even the mundane moments of our day, we can build a foundation offaith in our children.
Theseare a few resources that I use every day with my little one. They’re beautiful,fun, and, most importantly, incredibly simple.
Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
If I could give each set of newparents a gift, this would be it! TheJesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones is a retelling of forty-fourBible stories that show how every story in the Bible points to the climax ofredemptive history—Jesus! From God’s creation to John’s vision of the newcreation, each story ends with a paragraph reminding the reader of how thisstory fits into God’s Big Story. It points out the foreshadowing of Christ inthe Old Testament and the impact of Christ in the New Testament.
My daughter loves the colorfuland fun illustrations, but I love that this book helps us teach our daughterher part in God’s great Story. While this is obviously a storybook forchildren, hearing my husband read these stories to our daughter hasstrengthened my own faith. It reminds us that the Bible is not a book of rulesor of heroes. It’s a true Story:
Every Story in the Bible whispers his name.
Jesus Storybook Bible
"It takes the whole Bible to tell this Story. And at the center of the Story, there is a baby. Every Story in the Bible whispers his name. He is like the missing piece in a puzzle—the piece that makes all the other pieces fit tougher, and suddenly you can see a beautiful picture."
Scripture MemoryJournal for Kids by Daily Grace Co.
DailyGrace Co. creates some of the most beautiful journals and Scripture cards, andthis ScriptureMemory Journal for Kids is no exception! This is a spiral bound notebookthat I keep on our kitchen table. Each week, I flip to a new verse andsay/sing/act it out while my daughter eats her meal. What I love about thisjournal is that it’s a beautiful reminder to incorporate Scripture into ourday. While my daughter can’t say the words back to me, we are building aroutine of memorizing and meditating on Scripture. Sometimes, I see if there isa Seeds Family Worship songthat incorporates this verse, and we sing that throughout the week as well.
Don’t ever let the fact that your child is too young to “understand” what you are saying to keep you from practicing spiritual disciplines with them.
Don’tever let the fact that your child is too young to “understand” what you aresaying to keep you from practicing spiritual disciplines with them. Even atthat young of age, they are learning your habits and priorities. If praying andreading Scripture before each meal is the only thing they know, then thosehabits will become theirs as they grow older.
The Ology Album by Sovereign Grace Music
We allhave those annoying kid’s songs that plague us (for me, it’s “Stuff Mart” fromVeggieTale’s Madame Blueberry). Most children’s music I grin and bear, knowingthat my little one is enjoying it. But not so with The Ology bySovereign Grace Music. This is an album that kids and adults will bothenjoy. What I love about this album, more than any other kid’s music, is thatit combines theologically rich ideas with easy to comprehend lyrics and fun,danceable music. My daughter and I listen to this every morning, and it nevergets old. And I never mind if “Totally God, Totally Man”ends up stuckin my head throughout the day.
I alsolove it because it instills in our family some of the basic vocabularynecessary for teaching core doctrines of the Christian faith. Who is God?Who is Jesus? What is sin? Why do we read the Bible? While my daughter isonly 15 months old, seeds of faith are being sown into her heart by hearing thisevery day about God:
You’re never needy, how could You be? You made everything on Earth and in the sky and in the sea. You’re never lonely, the Trinity! Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet You’re reaching out to me, inviting me to come to You, inconceivable, but true!
You’re never lonely, the Trinity! Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet You’re reaching out to me.
"God of wow"
These are a few simple toolsI use every day as I disciple my daughter. But while these are helpful, youdon’t need anything fancy or expensive to begin teaching your children at ayoung age about God. Just love God with your heart, soul, mind, and strength,and let that love overflow into your interaction with your children. They willlearn more from those everyday moments saturated in the Gospel than from awhole summer of Vacation Bible Schools. Love God and love your children well;God will give you the daily grace to do the rest.