If you are a Christian, you might begin introducing your preschooler to the Bible this new year.
There are many lessons within the pages of this historic and fundamental text that teach us to be kind to one another, to forgive, to love our neighbors, and to respect our parents. These are great Bible verses for preschoolers — and all of us! — to learn and understand, as they instruct us to be better people, more capable of living together in harmony and understanding.
But it can be tricky to approach the content of the Bible, with its many translations, books, and parables, through the eyes of a preschooler. Christian understanding should never begin with fear or anger.
That’s why we have chosen some of the simplest, most fundamental verses, for you to get started.
Here are some of the top Bible verses for preschoolers:
John 13:34: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”
As we go into a new year, there is nothing more important than reminding our children that they are loved and should love in return. In this verse, Jesus is leaving his disciples with a few final words of wisdom, just days before his crucifixion — his ultimate act of love.
Of all the Bible verses for preschoolers, this one is the most simple and the most impactful. With love comes kindness, empathy, and joy.
Luke 6:31: “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
This is a fundamental Bible verse for preschoolers! The Golden Rule, as it’s often called, teaches Christians to act with kindness and compassion even to those who scorn them.
Young children will understand it applied to the context of their lives. For example: “You wouldn’t want Tommy to hit you, right? So why would you hit him?”
Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other.”
This Bible verse for preschoolers is about something very difficult: forgiveness. Holding onto grudges is unhealthy for all involved. That’s why forgiveness is a skill best learned early.
Remind your preschooler that no one is perfect. You can even point to the many times in the Bible when Jesus forgave humans of their sins.
Genesis 2:15: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
Whether or not you have begun to explain the story of Creation to your child, this Bible verse about the relationship between man and Earth is useful when talking about the responsibility we have as stewards on Earth.
There are other Bible verses about the environment, and about pollution, but none so simple as this: We should not be destroying the habitat God has given us. We should be working to keep it clean and to care for the other creatures that live here. That is why we were created!
Exodus 20:15: “You shall not steal.”
All of the Ten Commandments are good lessons (especially that one about honoring thy mother and father!), but this one is a great place to start.
Proverbs 19:20: “Listen to counsel [advice] and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.”
You may need to further explain this Bible verse for preschoolers. The Book of Proverbs contains many pieces of advice about being a wise person with integrity. This one means that a person should be humble and open to the advice of others and should not be afraid to admit when they are wrong so that they can grow wise.
These are some great Bible verses for preschoolers to get the year started with wisdom and encouragement. Don’t forget to practice what you preach!
