Kay Arthur, who popularized inductive Bible study methodology, has worked with various co-authors (particularly Janna Arndt) to create a series of twenty Bible study books for children about fourth grade and up. Books will work well one-on-one or with a group of children.
Children learn to identify key elements and themes of each chapter of a book of the Bible. Identification and marking of key words with colored pencils, a critical component of the adult inductive study methodology, is also taught to children. Fill-in-the-blank questions, charts, questions requiring full-sentence answers, and word puzzles are used as learning tools. Children work on reprinted text of the New American Standard Bible that is found at the back of each book. Books are divided into about five chapters each with each chapter generally covering a group of chapters from the book of the Bible being studied. You might spend a week on each chapter, but it is up to you to set your own pace. Students learn a memory verse for each chapter.
Molly, Max, and their dog Sam are featured in most books to create a story within which each study is presented. The latest book in the series, God Has Big Plans for You, Esther, adds an interesting wrinkle with the story line. It integrates a visit to Washington D.C. to learn about the U.S. Government. It actually teaches a significant amount of information about the three branches of government along and our founding documents. It’s hard to see the connections between the Washington D.C. story and the study of the book of Esther at first, but it sort of ties together at the end by stressing themes of faithful and courageous leadership. The story lines in other books are more closely connected.
Books vary in length--generally around 175 or more pages. Black-and-white cartoon illustrations liven up the presentation in each book. Answer keys are at the back of each book.
The variety of activities and story format make these studies more interesting than many other Bible study resources or curricula for children, and these studies are a great way to teach students how to really study the Bible.
