The Best Kids Bible for Your Children’s Ministry

Choosing the best kids’ Bible isn’t an easy task for many reasons.  There are so many options out there. There are dozens of translations if you want a word-for-word Bible. Illustrated or not? Are you looking for a storybook style, a story-based Bible? Are you searching for your preschoolers or lower elementary kids, or even your preteens? Whole Bible or New Testament? Are you offering this Bible to first-time kids, or is this for use in your weekend experience? So many factors come into play like your budget, planned use, age groups, and the list goes on. It can be a little overwhelming.

Let’s bring clarity and simplicity to your decision-making to find what you want and really need.  Here are the best kids’ Bibles sorted by age group, as this will recognize two essential considerations:  the child’s reading level and how it can spark interest to read.

BIBLES FOR CHILDREN OR FAMILY DEDICATION SERVICE

This event might have various titles attached to it, one of which could be “baby presentation.” The concept: have a parent come to the front of the church auditorium with their child(ren) so the pastor can pray a blessing over them in front of attendees, family, and friends.

Most churches give parents their “first” Bible. Actually, grandparents probably gave them that but we, as pastors, like to think we gave the family the first one!

• THE TINY TOTS BIBLE STORY BOOK is an excellent option for such a family dedication. It is reasonably priced, offers easy shipping, and contains good colors that children would like. This could actually be the FIRST Bible a child gets. 14 well-narrated Bible stories are included.

• TINY TOTS BIBLE is also a very good option. The characters are very smiley; the pages are colorful, and it contains 20 stories from the Bible. This one is a little more expensive, yet, worth it.

• THE BIG PICTURE STORY BIBLE is the more expensive of the three but has more stories (26) and it covers the whole Bible!

Which one to choose? The first one is $5, the second is $13 and the last one is $20. One has more Bible stories. Each of the three would be a great free gift. This is really a matter of preference and price.

NURSERY MINISTRY

The Bibles noted in the previous point could all be very useful and be great tools for your ministry. You can even mention to the parents you use the same Bible!

Here are some additional ones.

• BABYS FIRST BIBLE BOXED SET will allow rotating books between rooms and/or weeks. Can you imagine a loving teammate rocking a baby while reading?!

• MY FIRST BOOK OF BIBLE STORIES is filled with beautiful colors and priced very reasonably. You’ll have 12 essential stories to tell your babies.

• 365 BIBLE STORIES PRAYERS BIBLICAL has a very wide range of Bible stories. A great feature is that there are prayers included.

PRESCHOOL MINISTRY

Preschoolers don’t read yet. But they do love books. If you want to inspire them to “read” their Bible and show them the importance of it, here are a few Bibles that will prove to be valuable to your ministry.

A great idea would be to have as many as you have kids. If that is budget-impossible, make sure you can have one or two per small group. You already know this: if a preschooler can’t touch, see or feel the book, they’ll go about doing something else, so set aside some of your budget to buy some of these!

• 365 BIBLE STORIES AND PRAYERS is an excellent choice for preschoolers to tie a prayer into your Bible stories.

• MY FIRST BIBLE STORIES PADDED TREASURY BOOK is the perfect size for kiddies’ hands, yet, big enough to show them the pictures while you read from it.

• THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE: EVERY STORY WHISPERS HIS NAME is a God-centered, nicely illustrated storybook worth your money and you can even find DVDs with it!

• THE BEGINNER’S BIBLE – STICKER ACTIVITY BOOK Did someone say stickers?! What if they’re reusable? Even better, right? The activities are focused on the life of Jesus.

• PLAY THROUGH THE BIBLE: A TODDLER’S INTRODUCTION TO GOD’S WORD is the most expensive one ($around 25) but its relevance to all learning styles is phenomenal. Sensory tools, games, crafts, and more are included with this one.

Preschoolers have a great memory when it is well channeled. This age is when children can start memorizing scripture. You may love the King James version, and it is great, yet your children won’t understand a word of it. The ICB, NIrV, or NLT versions may be a better fit for that age group. Obviously, preschool-aged kids won’t read the Bible; those versions are intended for elementary-age kids. But since you’re building up your ministry, start using the same tools in your preschool ministry that you will be utilizing with your school-aged kids.

After all, the ability to read is not as important as the ability to “keep Your Word close, in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 CEB)

Keep on reading to discover the seven best Bibles for the older kids in your ministry.

ELEMENTARY MINISTRY

Storybook Bibles are still, with this age group, an important instrument in a well-rounded children’s ministry. Here are probably the best two on the market.

• THE ACTION BIBLE is a comic-style illustrated Bible will draw your kids in, as well as the adults! You can even find it with NIV and ESV texts!

• THE EPIC BIBLE is absolutely a must-have. You’ll find 840 pages of professional graphics designed to relate to more than 150 bible stories. Many other storybooks are available.

These kids now go to school; they’ve learned to read and understand the meaning of sentences and words. It is a great time to begin “Bible in hand” practices if you desire.

Your church may prefer a specific version of the Bible.  If so, you may want to pick the same. If you want your children to comprehend what they read intuitively, these translations will be perfect.

• THE INTERNATIONAL CHILDRENS BIBLE  (ICB) is directly intended for your elementary kids, as the title suggests. It has illustrations, is a word-for-word translation, and offers reading plans, among many other features.

• NEW INTERNATIONAL READERS VERSION ADVENTURE BIBLE FOR EARLY READERS, the NIrV as it is affectionally named, is an easy to read version, edited to help young readers. Not “babyish” at all, it adds some well-thought tools like “how to pray” or “get to know Jesus.”

• HCSB ILLUSTRATED STUDY BIBLE FOR KIDS is often used in Christians schools around the U.S. It has some excellent illustrations, and it possibly boasts the best studies for kids like “How to Have a Quiet Time” and a “Bible Dictionary.”

• NEW LIVING TRANSLATION CHILDREN’S BIBLE (NLT) was “designed with kids in mind, … (they) will be excited to read God’s Word in a way that’s easy for them to comprehend” as Tyndale puts it. If discipleship is your thing, it has the best guide to a kid’s first steps with Jesus.

• NIV HOLY BIBLE FOR KIDS is the least expensive Bible for kids on the market at $2! It is paperback, uses the NIV, and has all the practical tools it should have like reading plans, guides and maps. You will enjoy the section that includes subjects like fear, disappointment and many others in parallel to “The Promises of God.”

Now you’ve got it: the best Bibles for your children’s ministry. In addition to living out your own ministry with these Bible tools, you can help parents be spiritual leaders for their kids by recommending these to use at home as well!