The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Children’s Bible
Wondering which children’s Bible is best for your kids? We’re digging into the options with questions to consider and real-parent insight to help you find the most engaging kids Bible for your family.
As parents, we all hope to grow a love of reading in our kids.
That’s why we cuddle up in a rocker with a slobbery baby and sturdy board book to say goodnight to the moon. It’s why we happily buy yet another early reader about Star Wars or let our kid stay up late when we spot him devouring The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
After all, the cliche is true: Reading takes you places.
If we could grow a love of reading the Bible in our kids? That’s a Christian parent’s dream!
Yes, reading takes you places but reading the Bible—God’s epic, true story—will take our kids on the best adventure!
The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a Children’s Bible
Wondering what to consider when choosing a Children’s Bible? Curious about parent favorites? Ever wondered what the research tells us about kids who learn to love God’s Word? Want to hear from some of those kids—as well as parents and Christian education experts? Then grab a comfy chair and let’s dive in. Don’t miss the children’s Bible bonus we share at the end of this post! You do not want to miss this!
Are you ready? Let’s dive in!
The Top 5 Things to Consider When Selecting a Kid’s Bible
Encouraging your child to enjoy the Bible requires long-term thinking. After all, the goal is for our kids to grow up to be adults who love, trust, and follow the Lord. A deep connection with His Word and a fuller understanding of how we might apply it to our lives can begin simply with a well-chosen children’s Bible.
To find the best kids Bible, you can ask yourself a series of questions:
- Is this Bible appropriate for my child’s age?
- Will this format be easy for my child to understand?
- Is the content rich and engaging?
- Will this Bible keep my child’s attention?
- Is it theologically sound? How do I know?
Digging into these questions about finding the best children’s Bible:
Your Child’s Age and Stage
When it comes to age-appropriateness: There’s the obvious: a toddler’s Bible shouldn’t include a graphic description of Jael delivering the Israelites from the King of Canaan. Less obvious: stories for younger children should be shorter and written in simpler terms, while stories for older children can be longer and introduce depth to the facts.
When it comes to easy-to-understand format and translations: Though beloved for centuries, King James won’t work for most kids. We’re big fans of any translation of the Bible that stays true to God’s Word while presenting the stories in a way that kids can actually understand. Our favorite versions include the New Living Translation, New International Reader’s Version, International Children’s Bible, Easy Reader Version, and the Common English Bible.
The Content
When it comes to rich and engaging content: For younger kids, this might include rhyming text or stories that garner a laugh or even a gasp. For older children, though, the content becomes much more important. Kids as young as fourth grade and certainly on into middle- and high-school crave complexity. When a children’s Bible braves both the beautiful and dark places of God’s Word (in still age appropriate ways), it reads as real. Which, of course, it is.
When it comes to being attention-grabbing: Check out the cover and flip through the pages of the book. Are the colors eye-catching? Will the illustrations resonate with the age and interest of your child? Does the design call out certain words, sections or ideas? Do any of the pages make you smile? Kids gravitate toward fun and a children’s Bible should be fun.
Theology
When it comes to sound theology: We all approach God’s Word with our own faith traditions and personal beliefs. With this in mind, check to see how the children’s Bible you choose portrays God, His role in our lives, and the overarching story of the gospel. You might also consider historical accuracy and context as well as how the Bible approaches topics like grace and salvation.
Find a children’s Bible that meets these key criteria and you’re more likely to have a kid reach for it, ask for you to read more, or fly through it themselves.
Our Favorite Children’s Bibles
Maybe you already have a Bible for your kids that meets each of the criteria above. If so, that’s great! If not, we’ve happily done the work for you. Below you’ll find a list of our favorite children’s Bibles, broken up by age.
We’ll tell you why we love each one, as well as why a real-life parent or child does too! Then we’ll share a sneak peak of the inside—every reader’s favorite part!
The Best Children’s Bible for Ages 0 to 4
The Laugh and Grow Bible for Little Ones
Why we love it: This board book hits the high points of the Bible with fifteen gospel-centered stories and cheerful, inviting illustrations, perfect for introducing little ones to God’s Word.
What Victoria, mom of one, says about The Laugh and Grow Bible for Little Ones: “We are so in love with this Bible. My son enjoys reading time and has been able to point to the amazing pictures. It helps us learn more about God.”
The Beginner’s Bible
Why we love it: This Bible is gentle and approachable, with colorful three-quarter page illustrations and short, but richly-told stories. Preschoolers can easily hold, carry and flip through the smaller-sized book, as well as understand what’s being read to them.
What Hope, a preschool teacher and mom of two, says about The Beginner’s Bible: “Even though each story was short I felt like it still conveyed the messages really well! I also liked that it covered so many of the stories in the Bible, not just your typical Sunday school stories.”
The Best Children’s Bible for Ages 4 to 10
The Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids
Why we love it: This Bible packs rich content quick reads that are actually laugh-out-loud funny. But it’s not just that: The Laugh and Grow Bible helps kids connect the dots between stories into how they fit into the big picture of the gospel and even how they might apply to the reader’s own life.
What Zori, English teacher and foster mom, says about The Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids: “It is well organized, generally following the order of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and includes enough explanation to make the content accessible to a young child’s developing mind. And it’s funny. It has been one of [our six-year-old’s] favorites, requested day after day.”
The Adventure Bible for Early Readers
Why we love it: This acts as a great first real-text version of the Bible for kids. They can read the stories verse by verse, just like an adult, but in a translation that’s easy to digest. And while the scripture itself appears in black and white, each page has one or two sections with a question to ponder, a fact to learn or a verse to remember.
What Jennie, mom of two, says about The Adventure Bible for Early Readers: “We love this Bible for our kids (son, 8 and daughter, 6). The simple language means they can both read with ease and understand it. But it stays true to Biblical text.”
The Best Children’s Bible for Ages 8 to 12
The Action Bible
Why we love it: The Action Bible brings God’s Word to life in comic-book style. You’ll find full-page illustrations from cover to cover that don’t shy away from the truth, but instead share the story of the gospel in an engrossing and page-turning way.
What Amanda, high school English teacher and mom of four, says about The Action Bible: “I love the Action Bible! It has really clear applications and information for kids.”
Hands-On Bible
Why we love it: The Hands-On Bible delivers on the title’s promise, offering activities and experiences that bring the lessons of God’s Word from the imaginary to the tangible—from the page to real life! We’re talking science experiments, crafts, snack ideas and so much more!
What Kinleigh, age 10, says about The Hands-On Bible: “I like how it talks in a way that I can understand. And it has fun activities to do and stories that make it relate to what you read.”
The Adventure Bible
Why we love it: The Adventure Bible continues what the early-reader edition started by offering growing kids a way to engage with Scripture that is easy to understand but also sticks with them—challenging thoughts and encouraging Christ-like behavior.
What Barb, Sunday School teacher, says about The Adventure Bible: “As a Sunday School teacher, I have seen that introducing a child to an actual [full text] Bible at an early age brings great results. This Bible is good for ages 8 and up.”
The Best Children’s Bible for Ages 12+
Teen Life Application Study Bible
Why we love it: This Bible understands teens—the questions they have and the information they need to grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and in relationship with Him. Each book begins by offering teens the key points they’ll encounter, a quick synopsis of the setting of the story to come and any context clues that help to explain what they’re reading.
What Todd, dad and church leader, says about Teen Life Application Study Bible: “Easy to understand interpretation of the Bible. Great for teens looking to read and connect with scripture.”
BONUS: Children’s Bible Content for the Audio-Visual Learner of Any Age
Your child might also enjoy watching the scriptures brought to life in the new Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids show.
Each episode offers a short, sweet and fun snippet of a Bible story. You can check out the first four episodes now—and stay tuned for the next 20 episodes rolling out this year. The show will hit many Biblical highlights including the stories of Jesus, David and Goliath, Jonah, Esther, Abraham, Paul and many more.
Want more children’s Bible help?!
5 Tips to Enhance Your Child’s Bible Reading Experience
Use these tips to make Bible reading something your kids look forward to!
- Make it a part of your daily routine.
- Pair Bible storytime with your child’s favorite snack.
- Ask questions to inspire curiosity.
- Leave their favorite Bible out in plain sight. They’ll get in the habit of asking to read it.
- Reinforce what you’re learning with a fun show like the Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids series on Minno!
What Leo, age 6, says about the Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids show: “It is really good! I think the show is fun and I’m learning in a way that kids will like. It’s funny too!”
Nora, also age 6, first expressed that watching a show about the Bible sounded boring but after just one episode, she quickly changed her mind, saying, “I actually really like this! Let’s watch another one!”
An Expert Shares What She Looks for in a Children’s Bible
Jess Wolstenholm, Director of Education and Faith Formation at Minno, and children’s ministry veteran, says she looks for a children’s Bible that will share God’s epic story of love and redemption in a way kids can easily understand and become curious about.
“With my own children (now 14 and 11) and the hundreds and hundreds of children I’ve taught in 25 years of children’s ministry leadership, I’ve learned that kids love stories in which they can picture themselves as part of the plot. This is why so many kiddos love to reenact what they see on screen or read in books. The best children’s Bibles “break the fourth wall”, as we say in media, to invite kids in and along the journey through God’s incredible, life-giving, love-oozing, epic true story.”
What Does The Research Tell Us About Kids Who Read the Bible?
We all trust that God’s Word will change first our hearts and minds and then our lives. Years of research, studies, and surveys back this belief. In fact, there may be no more important step you can take as a parent (besides prayer) than to encourage your child to read the Bible.
Let’s look at what the research tells us about the importance of reading Children’s Bibles.
Kids Who Read the Bible Early and Often Become Adults Who Keep the Faith
In 2017, Lifeway Research reached out to parents of 3,472 adult children. They asked these parents to consider their child’s spiritual upbringing and faith involvement as well as current behaviors and beliefs.
Researchers wanted to know what factors may have influenced kids to become adults who not only still believe in God, but remain involved in church, serve in the community and support missions. The top influencing factor? Kids who regularly read the Bible. That’s it.
Teens Who Understand How to Approach the Bible Use it as a Guide for Life
A 2022 study by Barna Group looked more specifically at how today’s teens view the Bible. While most teens admit to not reading the Bible with any regularity, researchers found that parents who take the time to show their teen how to read, study, and enjoy the Bible are much more likely to see their teen end up a willing and eager Bible reader in their own right.
The distinction of willing reader matters as the study also shows that Bible-engaged teens are more likely to say that scripture makes them feel loved and encourages them to look for ways to make a difference in the world around them through both words and actions.
Bible Television Programs Offer an Opportunity to Reinforce Bible Principles
Experts agree that while screen-time should be monitored, especially for young children, there is a real potential for educational growth when a parent engages a child in conversation about what they’re watching. And these findings are especially true when a show discusses moral issues and character development.
Programs like the Laugh and Grow Bible for Kids series on Minno reinforce the lessons taught in the children’s Bible and can lead to meaningful conversation, reflection, and learning.
Questions Parents Ask When Selecting a Children’s Bible
We’ve talked a lot about children’s Bibles, but maybe you still have a few lingering questions. We’re happy to help!
Frequently Asked Questions About Children’s Bibles
Which children’s Bible is best?
The answer to this question is, well, it depends. We all have different backgrounds, beliefs and goals. As long as the one you choose is theologically sound, interesting to your child, and age-appropriate, you’re on the right track!
Why is it important to start reading the Bible early?
There’s really no time quite like the present to introduce your child to the awe and wonder of the gospel. By starting early, your child can begin his or her faith journey on a strong foundation. And you can encourage that faith to grow over the years as their ability to understand, grasp, and apply God’s Word grows as well.
What makes a children’s Bible good?
We’ve got strong opinions about this one. The gospel is a story of love and adventure and a Bible for kids should reflect that. Choose one that your child will find funny, intriguing, or maybe even suspenseful. The best children’s Bibles draw kids in and keep them coming back for more.
Is a children’s Bible the same as the Bible?
Not exactly. A Bible you’d read as a grownup will contain the translated words of the original text. Children’s Bibles typically distill these words into digestible stories and lessons. As your child gets older, he or she may enjoy reading a more traditional, full text version of the Bible, although one that comes with sidebar information and guidance will likely engage them more.
What age should kids start reading the Bible?
If you read to your child at all (and we hope you do!), they’re old enough to enjoy hearing you read a Bible story. You can easily add Bible reading to your regular reading routine. And when your child learns to read on his own, consider giving him a Children’s Bible that’s approachable and enjoyable.