# Best books for teaching kids doctrine?



## thistle93 (Oct 29, 2013)

Hi! What are the best books to help teach kids reformed theology, such as depravity, God's attributes especially His soverignty & providence and how God keeps us once we are His.

Obviously being that I am reformed baptist I may have to modify sections on baptism and sacramants but that is okay. Thanks!


For His Glory-
Matthew


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## Jack K (Oct 29, 2013)

A prediction: someone here will suggest you use a Reformation/Puritan-era catechism.

But assuming you're already familiar with those...

For younger elementary kids, my favorite series of doctrine books is probably Sinclair Ferguson's Big Book series. Each lesson is appropriately brief for little ones, yet includes some Scripture, some prayer, some discussion and an activity. It's both kid-friendly and substantive.

My second choice would be the Children Desiring God series by Sally Michael. It also combines a concern for good theology with an understanding of kids... and one of those books is specifically about providence while yet another focuses on the attributes of God.

If you want to get still more serious, there's Beeke's Bible Doctrine series. It includes books for both younger and older children as well as teens, but be aware that even the "younger children" books will challenge many of today's older elementary kids. The material covered is first-rate, but I don't find the activities to be terribly kid-friendly. Be prepared to deal with some boredom.

For older kids, I very much like Steve Smallman's _Understanding the Faith_ workbook. Just be aware that it is not Baptist-friendly. Likewise, Starr Meade's books guiding families through the Heidelberg and Westiminster Catechisms are an excellent resource, but not Baptist. For parents who want to think through how to teach theology to their kids, I recommend _Big Truths for Young Hearts_ by Bruce Ware. Its perspective is Baptist.

For preschoolers... well, that's a tough one. I don't often work with that age so I'm not as familiar with available resources as I might be. I will say that I found the My First Book series to be pretty solid doctrinally, but although it's aimed at preschoolers I thought some of the concepts presented were too advanced for that age. The only resource for teaching doctrine to preschoolers that I really, really like is (you guessed it) the _Children's Catechism_.


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## irresistible_grace (Oct 29, 2013)

My kids are 6, 4 & 2 ...
They love
Peter Jeffrey's *bitesize*theology
Susan Harding TELL ME ABOUT GOD 
And, they also like the ones Jack mentioned by Sinclair Ferguson & Joel Beeke


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## Scottish Lass (Oct 30, 2013)

A second vote for the My First... series that Jack links above. They're small, almost like pamphlets, but cover each topic separately (Bible promises, Christian values, the church, Jesus, etc.). They're from Christian Focus/the Mackenzie sisters, so no images, etc. Our Grace is nearly four, and they'll easily work for at least a few more years.


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## Logan (Oct 30, 2013)

My church uses the "Suffer Little Children" series for grades 1-3.

I personally have only looked at the Grade 1 book, but I thought it was appropriate.


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