Post 2 of the 7-day blog series

Blog Post 2: Making Faith Fun and Engaging for Kids

Because discipleship can be joyful — not overwhelming.

After we begin integrating faith naturally into our homes, the next step is helping our children see that following Jesus is not only meaningful — it’s joyful. Faith is meant to bring life, laughter, and curiosity. Children learn through experience, creativity, imagination, and play. When we make faith hands-on and engaging, we help their hearts truly connect with God, not just memorize information about Him.

1. Embrace Playful Discipleship

Kids engage most deeply when they are actively involved. Consider ways to include movement, creativity, and imagination in learning:

• Act out Bible stories with costumes, puppets (see freebie below), or stuffed animals.

• Include Christian-based activities into your morning baskets. (More coming on morning baskets soon, sign up for emails to be notified!)

• Use hands-on activities or art to illustrate Bible stories.

• Build the Ark out of Magna-tiles, or David’s sling with craft supplies.

• Use sidewalk chalk to draw things they see in nature that God created in the driveway.

• Let worship music turn into a family dance party. My kids personally love Forrest Frank – and I’m here for it! There’s something about hearing my six year old sing, 

“I can feel it in my bones, The day is coming close, Tell the world that they gotta know, Jesus is coming back soon.”

When faith is joyful, it becomes memorable.

2. Create “Faith Traditions” to Look Forward To

Children love routine when it feels special. Faith traditions don’t need to be elaborate — just consistent and meaningful.

Some ideas:

• “Thankful Thursdays” where everyone shares something God did that week.

• Family Worship Night once a week with songs, Scripture, and snuggles.

• A prayer walk around the neighborhood.

• Reading faith-building book series together as a family and maybe doing a craft or making a special treat to go along with the book once you’ve completed it together.
  
  
  

Traditions anchor faith into family culture.

3. Give Your Children a Voice in Their Faith

Encouraging ownership is one of the most powerful ways to grow faith that lasts.

You might:

• Let them choose worship songs.

• Invite them to pick the verse-of-the-week.

• Ask them who they would like to pray for.

• Encourage them to share what they notice about God.

• Talk to them about your faith, too! What are you studying in the Bible right now? Is there something you’d like to learn more about that maybe you’re having a hard time understanding? Have a prayer request you can share with them? Talking to your children about these things makes it personal.
  
  
  

When kids feel included, they feel invested.

4. Connect Faith to Real Life Moments

Faith becomes tangible when we help our children notice God in everyday things:

• “Look at how the sky is full of color — God is such a creative artist.”

• “I know that was hard. Let’s ask God to help us try again.”

• “Did you see how we forgave each other? Jesus teaches us to love like that.”
  
  
  

Faith becomes familiar when it is named, noticed, and celebrated.

5. Celebrate Progress, Not Perfection

Some days will be messy. Some moments will fall flat. Sometimes the Bible story gets interrupted by giggles or spilled milk — and that’s okay.

Discipleship is a journey of small, consistent, grace-filled steps.

Focus on:

• Presence over performance.

• Relationship over results.

• Connection over control. 

This is a tough one for me personally. It reveals the sinfulness of my heart to want control and perfectionism. Don’t give up because one day or week didn’t go well. Consistency is key.

Intellectual Knowledge vs. Experiential Knowledge

When our children grow up experiencing God as good, faithful, and personal they see the Bible not as a bunch of rules to follow — but as Words from a loving Father who deeply cares for them.

We are not raising children to merely know about God as intellectual knowledge.

We want them to also experientially know God through a personal, intimate relationship with Him.

I know a lot of facts about Joanna Gaines, I’ve even watched most of her episodes of Fixer Upper, but I don’t know her on a personal level because I have never spent time with her, talked to her, seen her interact with her children on a daily, off-camera basis. 

We must teach our children the goodness of God and how to personally get to know Him through time in His Word and prayer. 

Jesus, thank You for the joy and wonder of childhood.

Help us show our kids that following You is not heavy —

it is life and joy and goodness.

Give us creativity to make learning about You playful,

and patience to let curiosity lead the way.

Let our home be filled with laughter that points back to You.

Amen.

Next: Teaching Kids to Pray in Real and Relatable Ways