Train up a child the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6 (I should simplify, even when they do depart, they will have always strong foundation and a map for a way back home.)

One of the benefits of teaching verses to children is having something to use as a reference and reminder with them throughout the day. It is a great way of teaching them respect for God, themselves and others. I once read about a mother, who uses verses to correct her son when he does something wrong. My husband also shared with me a story that he heard on K-love from a couple, who found their toddler reading the bible to her little brother, even though he doesn’t know how to read yet, because the couple spends time every day reading the bible with them. My husband and I have decided to do the same with our daughter, in addition to teaching her applicable verses that she can recite throughout the day. I want to share some verses I have added to her curriculum. Some she has memorized already, and some others I plan to teach her in the near future.

Here are 15 verses that are beneficial to the holistic development of toddlers. Some of the verses I shorten and use only one memorable sentence to facilitate faster learning. Remember, the key is not for them to memorize the bible, but to see it as a key of reference for their daily challenges and learning process. I call these holistic verses because they emphasize on love and respect for God, their mind and body and their environment.

Luc 2:52 “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

Psalms 34:8 “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Psalms 4:8 “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.

1 Corinthians 2: 16 “……..But we have the mind of Christ.” (short version)

1 Corinthians 6:19, 20 ” The body is the temple of the holy spirit. You are not your own….Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (Modified, short version)

Psalms 23:1 “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”

Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

Psalms 139: 14 “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Genesis 1: 27 “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

I love these verses because they teach the child about taking ownership of their mind and bodies as wonderful creatures of God. They inspire trust, self-confidence and provide a strong foundation and reasoning for respect of self and others.

Feel free to share your own verses with me. Of course, these verses are only starting point because there are thousand more verses that will benefit children’ development. My most important reason for teaching bible verses to my daughter is the fact that I will not always be with her to protect her when she is out in the world on her own. However, having memorized the love of God in verses, I pray that her heart always reminds her who she is according to the word of God.