A familiar psalm or scripture passage can bring comfort during times of trouble and give voice to our praise in times of joy—a true gift. At Shine, we want to give that same gift to children and youth through the spiritual practice of committing scripture to memory. With fun and engaging activities, teachers can sow seeds that grow into a lifelong love of scripture. We choose Bible memory passages that connect to the quarter’s stories and with children and youth. Here are some strategies for making Bible memory fun and meaningful for your group.
Wake up your brain! Recent brain research shows how we can improve learning by “waking up the brain.” Deep breathing delivers fresh oxygen to the brain. Make breathing deeply a ritual as you transition from the session’s prayer activity to Bible memory. Problem solving or learning something new stimulates the brain. Provide background information on the passage, ask open-ended questions, and use a variety of puzzles to engage children and youth. When one side of the body crosses its midline, both hemispheres of the brain are engaged, which stimulates a person’s memory. Get everyone up and moving as you repeat the Bible memory passage together.
Use your senses! Use sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste to create a context for learning. Use actions to heighten sensory involvement and help stimulate the brain to make connections between the biblical story, the learners’ own life situations, and the scripture to be memorized. For example, play music as you repeat words, role-play with costumes, clap hands or snap fingers in rhythm, create crafts, and do other hands-on activities that literally help learners get in touch with the text.
Have fun! Emotions are a filter through which our brains receive information. Nearly every memory relates to a positive or negative emotion. Bible memory can be connected with positive emotions. Design experiences that are interactive, affirming, and fun. Offer memory activities that use a variety of sensory experiences and learning preferences. Encourage freedom of personal expression as students ponder the biblical story and the scripture to be memorized. Laughter helps!
Words to Live By is the Bible memory equivalent for junior youth, reflecting an emphasis on helping youth apply the scripture text to daily life. While not found in every session, Words to Live By is included as an Explore option at least three times in the sub-unit where the text is used. You may notice that some “Words to Live By” texts are longer, allowing youth to see its larger context. The focus in Junior Youth is less on rote memorization activities and more on ways to connect the text to the youth’s own experiences.
Don’t forget the posters! Each teaching kit (print and digital) includes two full-color scripture teaching posters for use during the session. Some activities will have children and youth interact with the text on the poster, while others will simply reference the poster as a visual reminder of the passage. (Those using the digital kit can show the poster using a laptop, tablet, or other electronic device.) We are grateful to have graphic designers whose creative and beautiful work inspires a love of scripture in all of us.
More memory tips:
- Create motions to go with the words.
- Have children illustrate key words. Use the illustrations as memory aids.
- Print words or phrases on index cards or strips of poster board. Hide them around the room. Have learners find them and place them in the correct order.
- Repeat the memory text often. Vary when you do this during the session. Do it for gathering, during snack time, or at the end of the session.
- Make sure children and youth understand the words. Talk about the meaning of the text and why it is a good one to commit to memory.
Next week, we’ll share some favorite spiritual practices from the Shine archives. Do you have a spiritual practice activity that has been especially meaningful for you or your group? Tips to share? Send them to blog@ShineCurriculum.com by Monday, October 30, and we’ll try to include them. Feel free to send a picture too!