Emerald has started her Christmas list. Thankfully, she can’t write yet, because if she could her list would already be taking up all of the paper in our house. Every toy that is advertised on TV is a toy that she wants in her possession on Christmas morning, and her list just keeps growing and growing and growing.
I really don’t mind because I love, I mean LOVE, Christmas shopping. Of course, Emerald will only actually receive about 5% of her Christmas wish list, but in the end it always works out just fine, because kids are so amazing and so easy to please.
This year I’ve been trying to think more in terms of gifts for my kids that will not only make them smile, but will also help them grow in their faith. That’s one reason I love gifting books and Bibles at Christmastime. There are so many great options out there for kids that are fun or adorable or funny that also teach them more about Christ and help disciple them.
So, if you’re looking for some gifts for your little people that will nurture their minds and their hearts, I have some good ideas for you!
1. The Radical Book for Kids
This is the book that the kids and I are going through right now. We read it at night before bed, and I’ve never seen a devotional-type book quite like it. It’s almost like an in-depth Bible history lesson combined with a collection of life hacks. For instance, one night we read about some of the great reformers and a few nights later we were reading about how to make a sling like David’s. Last week learned about how we know the Bible is true, based on the different kinds of manuscripts that have been discovered, and we also read about what to do when you get angry, and how to clean your room. It’s a great resource for starting discussions with your kids about deep spiritual matters and also thinking through some basic life skills that will help them succeed as human beings.
2. The Action Bible
If you’ve ever wished that you could get your kids to take a little more interest in reading the Bible, this will do it. This is basically a comic book version of the Bible. Kids will sit and read this thing cover to cover, and they never get tired of it. I remember when Sawyer first got his hands on one of these, he was fascinated by the Valley of Dry Bones from Ezekiel 37 because of the cool illustrations. Of course, I wouldn’t rely on this as the kids’ main copy of the Scripture, but these do bring to life a lot of stories that may otherwise be difficult for kids to get into.
3. The Big Picture Story Bible
I think I mention this book every time I recommend books for kids. It’s my absolute favorite. I think I might have a soft spot for it because it did such an amazing job of teaching my kids (and me, actually) how the entire Bible is one big story. That’s a hard concept to grasp when you’re in Sunday school classes where you learn an individual story each week–sometimes it’s hard to see how all of the stories fit together. This book has pretty illustrations and is broken up into chapters to make it easy to digest a little bit of the story each night. Anyone can benefit from reading it, but this one works great for preschoolers, too. This is one you need to have on your kids’ bookshelf!
4. Don’t Check Your Brains at the Door
This book makes a great devotional for preteens and teens. It covers all kinds of myths about Jesus and the Bible and encourages kids to think through their faith. It’s a great primer in apologetics for Christian kids who want to know what they believe and why and how to explain that to someone else. Sawyer is only eight, but he stayed interested in this book, although we read it together and discussed it as we went along. I think it will be a good one to pull out again in another year or two to go through again.
5. Train ‘Em Up Books
This book is one of an entire series about different elements of Christianity, like prayer, baptism, worship, and faith. These books are cute, and Chad has used Tell Me About Salvation and Tell Me About Baptism in his office when he’s counseling kids who want to be baptized. They also come with CDs filled with fun songs–Emerald loves the music.
I hope these suggestions will help you disciple some kids in your life this Christmas. Throw in a good book or two with all those toys, and watch your kids grow in their faith. Happy Christmas shopping!
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Great ideas!