Knowing the Ten Commandments - the spiritual bar God holds us to - is a vital step toward admitting sin, and therefore our need for Jesus Christ. That's why the Ten Commandments are such a vital thing to teach our children. But how can we do this in the simplest, most effective way?* Choose a translation that's easy for children to comprehend. Why make it more difficult by choosing a version with archaic language?
* Explain what the commandments mean. This page might help.
* Regularly read a children's book about the Ten Commandments. My favorite is The Ten Commandments for Little Ones by Allia Zobel Nolan. This book not only states the Commandments in easy to understand language, but it explains how it applies to a child's life. Adult themed Commandments are wisely explained. For example, Nolan explains adultery this way: "When a man and a woman get married, they promise to only love each other, and not to love anyone else in that same special way. Joseph worked for a married man. The man's wife wanted to love Joseph the way she loved her husband, but Joseph said, 'No!' and ran away. You should run away from people who want you to break your promises to God and to others."
Another well rated book on the topic is Ten Good Rules: Counting Book. (But I have not read it, personally.)
* Try learning a Ten Commandment song. Here's an easy to learn version from Garden of Praise; DLTK offers one that's sung to the tune of "Jingle Bells;" and Ministry to Children offers a free music video for kids to watch.
* Read "Are You Good Enough to Go to Heaven" with your kids - or paraphrase it for them. Or have your kids take this interactive quiz "Are You a Good Person," by Ray Comfort and his Living Waters Ministry.
* Make this easy Ten Commandment Train craft. (Here's another version.)
* Print out some Ten Commandment Bookmarks - and use them.
* Refer to the Ten Commandments as they come up in life. For example, if you accidentally forgot to pay for the dog food sitting on foot of your shopping cart, as you head back to pay for it, talk to your kids about stealing and lying and God's Commands against them.
* Remind children, when they break a Commandment, that God forgives us and will help us to do better next time, if we trust in Jesus.
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