Tell and Retell
There are lots of resources out there for those looking to read Bible stories to kids. Many of them mention being mindful that story time is not boring – the same old stories, told the same old way, over and over. This week, lean into the magic of repetition!
Child development researchers have learned that kids need to hear a new word 15 to 20 times to incorporate it into their working vocabulary. Imagine how that applies to stories! We also know that kids LOVE hearing the same story over and over – many adults have had a story enthusiastically “read” to them by a child who is pre-literate, but has heard their favorite story so many times they can recite it word-for-word as their grownup turns the pages.
In this spirit, this week we invite you to pick a Bible story and tell it every day. If reading the same words each time is engaging enough for your family, do that! If you’d like to mix it up and approach the same story in different ways, here are some ways to capitalize on the benefits of repetition while also enjoying the excitement of novelty:
Watch the story, Sunday School-style, on the Godly Play Foundation’s YouTube channel. They have recorded dozens of Bible stories told the way we tell them here at Desert Mission. Some stories are even available in mulltiple languages – The Ark and the Flood, for example, is available in English, Spanish, and French. Try watching a familiar story in a language you don’t speak, and see how much you can understand!
Grab your Bible and read the story straight from its source. Capitalize on opportunities to talk about the meanings of unfamiliar words, and lay the groundwork for your kids to be able to read the Bible on their own.
For simpler language, read it from a Children’s Bible. If you don’t have one at home, BibleHub has an online version you can read. Pre-read your chosen story because this version may still include words that are too challenging for younger kids.
Draw the story. Give everyone a piece of paper and some crayons and let them draw while you read. Share your pictures when you’re done and see what images stuck with each person. This one is fun even if you don’t have children at home!
Once the story has become familiar, retell it without using your Bible, then go back and see what you left out (and what you added). Talk about the parts you got right, and the parts you got kind of right – why do you think some things stuck with you more than others?
By the end of the week (maybe even longer – remember, for new words it’s 15 to 20 times!), you will hopefully find the story you’ve chosen is part of your “working vocabulary.” You might find that you understand it in a new way, or that you relate to different parts than you did before. If nothing else, you will have spent the whole week intentionally sitting down with each other and your Bible, reading and learning together, and that’s not a bad way to spend your time!
What story is your family telling and retelling this week? Share with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
