FAITH AT HOME!

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Faith by Hearing: Reading the Bible with Your Children

Faith comes by hearing — and it starts long before a child can read. This post shares a simple, practical rhythm for making Bible reading a daily habit at home, age-by-age tips for 0–12, where to find a Bible if you don't have one, and the illustrated and bilingual Bibles our own family has loved.

Mary Nyonda

8/28/20262 min temps de lecture

boy reading Holy Bible while lying on bed
boy reading Holy Bible while lying on bed

Do you have a Bible in your home? Do you read it to your children — and with them?

"So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." — Romans 10:17

Children learn in many different ways, but hearing is one of the most powerful. They react to soft words and to harsh ones long before they can read a page for themselves. Faith, too, is caught this way — through hearing the Word spoken over them, again and again.

Reading the Bible together is one of the easiest, most practical ways to transmit faith to the next generation. We already read story books and tell our children stories every day. Make Bible reading part of that same daily rhythm at home — as normal as homework, as normal as dinner.

You can read aloud at any age, with whatever Bible you already own. Illustrated Bibles are especially helpful for younger children, giving their eyes something to hold onto while their ears take in the Word.

Two Simple Habits to Start Today

  1. Keep it within reach. Place a Bible somewhere your child can easily find, open, and look through on their own.

  2. Actually open it and read together. It really is as simple as that.

Reading by Age

  • 0–3 years: Read to them. Use illustrated Bibles so their eyes can follow along with the story.

  • 4–7 years: Introduce parables and simple stories. Keep it interactive and inquisitive — illustrated Bibles still help here.

  • 8–12 years: Children at this stage can read the full text themselves. Introduce a concordance, teach them to connect verses across Scripture, and let them ask questions.

If You Don't Have a Bible at Home

You don't need to buy one to get started — you can borrow or rent one from:

  • Your child's school library

  • Your church

  • Your local public library

Bibles Our Family Has Loved

Our children are raised bilingual — French and English — so this list reflects both.

French Illustrated Bibles

Bilingual (Non-Illustrated)

English Illustrated Study Bible for Kids

  • A great option for children ready to move from picture Bibles into their own study Bible.

Bible Apps Worth Using

  • Blue Letter Bible — word study and concordance tools. Take the time to teach your children how to use it themselves.

  • YouVersion / Holy Bible app — create simple, cute memory-verse cards and send them to each other as a family. It's a small habit that keeps Scripture moving through your household all week.

The Command Behind the Habit

"And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up." — Deuteronomy 6:6–7


Faith by hearing isn't a program. It's a posture — one that fits into the ordinary moments of a day: at the table, in the car, at bedtime. Open the Book. Read it out loud. Let your children hear.