How to Spice Up Family Devotions so Your Kids Will Look Forward to It

Spending time in God's Word nourishes our souls and helps us grow in Christ. For families with children of any age, family devotions are especially important. They teach kids the habit of daily connection with God, something they can carry into adulthood.

Let’s face it. For kids, family devotions can feel like a chore, something they would rather skip. Preaching or nagging never helps. The good news is that devotional time can be fun, creative, and something children look forward to.

Before we jump into ideas, here is something you may not know. The word meditate, as recorded in the Bible, means more than just thinking about something over and over. According to BlueLetterBible.org, in Psalm 1:2 it also means to imagine. This intrigued me when I learned it because it opens up exciting possibilities for Christian devotions.

If we can imagine while we read the Bible, it can make the whole experience more delightful for children and adults alike.

Here are a few creative ways to bring imagination into family devotional time:

• Draw It: Take a portion of scripture and draw what you read. Stick figures are fine. You can add colour if you like. For example, drawing Noah’s Ark or Daniel in the lions’ den can make the story memorable.

• Write It: Compose a short poem or song based on the verse. You could even turn a simple verse like Psalm 23:1 into a rhyme or tune.

• Act It: Turn the passage into a skit or a game. Pretend to be characters from the story, or create a  game with questions about the passage.

You can also adapt these ideas based on the age of your children:

• Toddlers and preschoolers: Focus on drawing or acting out very simple stories with a few props.

• Early elementary: Add short songs, rhymes, or basic crafts connected to the verse.

• Older children and preteens: Encourage them to write their own reflections, short poems, or even perform mini skits together.

These approaches can turn Bible time from something routine into a memorable experience. Even a few minutes of imaginative activity will make Scripture feel alive and help children internalize the lesson.

If this approach appeals to you, my book Imaginative Biblical Meditations is designed around this very concept. It has 11 chapters of creative lessons that help families make devotional time engaging and fun. One reader said: "I just finished reading this book. It is a short read and very informative. It was a totally different take on learning from and studying the Bible. I highly recommend it." My editor said the ideas in this book were "so unique and would be of great value to those who read your book."

I trust you're now convinced that family devotions don't have to be humdrum. They can be exciting, memorable, and something your children look forward to every day. Try one of these ideas this week and watch your Bible time come alive.