Most nights, I beat myself up for the lack of Christian spirituality I impart on my two-year-old son throughout the day. The hectic monotony of life takes over, and I spend more time cleaning peanut butter from the couch than instilling faith values into my child’s heart.
You can relate. The good news, though, is that God knew what He was doing when He chose us to be moms. He knew which children to gift us, and He was well aware of our humanity—all its sins and limitations—when He honored us with the name, “Mama.”
God isn’t shocked or deterred by our humanity as mothers, but even in our messy rhythms of life, we can find simple ways to incorporate faith-based truths into our children’s hearts and minds.
If you feel led to revamp your spiritual role as Mom, making faith the head of your home each day, consider these simple faith-based activities to do with your children that will leave them inspired to pursue God in the everyday moments:
1. Morning Devotional and Prayer
As a mama of two little ones, I’ve recently discovered just how precious and necessary a set schedule can be. It lets children know what to expect in their day and allows for a more natural rhythm and flow, ensuring the day doesn’t feel scattered or unproductive.
That said, I have incorporated a morning devotional into our breakfast routine. I make my toddler sit at the table to eat, though he would much rather roam around with pancakes and breakfast bars in hand. We say a prayer of thanks for our breakfast and, while he’s eating, I read a Psalm.
This isn’t a fancy devotional book that costs money—and it doesn’t require a craft/activity that I know my toddler won’t sit still long enough to participate in. It’s simply the Bible, which is what our children need more than anything. What I love most about this simple devotional is that when I open the Bible and begin to read, my two-year-old is genuinely curious. He stops what he’s doing and listens… even if it’s just for a verse or two.
Meanwhile, I’m starting my day the right way, rooted in the Word. It’s a win-win!
2. Christian Music
You don’t have to create a complicated VBS-style dance routine for your kiddos to enjoy Christian music as part of your daily routine.
Have it playing in the background while you make breakfast or run errands. But if the kids need a way to get the pre-nap wiggles out, host a fun dance party in the living room. (Nothing tires you quite like a good ole round of “Father Abraham”, right?)
PS - Listener Kids is a great Christian kids' brand. They have fun, upbeat renditions of Christian classics. My oldest son requests their songs!
3. Bible-based Coloring and Activities
It’s easy to get those little hands creative with Bible-based coloring and art activities. Even if you don’t have the time or, let’s face it, sanity to do an elaborate craft project, Hobby Lobby and Amazon have made it easy to purchase biblical coloring books, sticker books, and other creative kits for your child to incorporate art and faith.
Meanwhile, you can discuss the biblical truths within their activity pages. Remember, it’s not just about telling them a Bible story, but about having conversations about the way these Bible stories are alive in their everyday world. Use this creative opportunity to make faith less of a disconnected story and more of what it truly is: a life-giving antidote for their little souls.
Bonus points: You can join in on this simple fun because coloring is its own adult therapy!
4. Bible-based Cooking
One of the most memorable, incredible parts of my faith was a trip to my hometown’s antiquity center, a Bible-based history museum that hosts biblically inspired events. I participated in a traditional Passover meal and was deeply moved by the beauty and meaning of each part.
You probably don’t want to take little ones to something like this, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use the Bible to inspire kitchen fun.
Have you recently taught your little ones about the children of Israel wandering in the desert? Make unleavened bread with them (like manna). Have you read about Passover? Try hosting your own Passover meal at home. Did you just read about Jesus turning water into wine? Grab some water and food coloring and let the kids have a blast.
On Christmas Day, bake Jesus a birthday cake. After learning about Jesus feeding the 5,000, bake cupcakes with goldfish and communion crackers (as bread) on top.
There are plenty of ways to incorporate the Bible into baking. You have to be a bit creative!
5. At-Home Theater
Host a movie night—with buckets of popcorn, cozy blankets, white lights, and all the fun accessories—and binge some of your favorite Christian films.
On Easter, we love to watch the VeggieTales episode about the chocolate bunny. Each Christmas Day, we watch The Nativity. We are also big, big fans of The Chosen. Then there’s The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, War Room, I Still Believe, and plenty of other Christian-based films, from fantasy to romance, that the whole family can enjoy.
What your children watch, they will absorb into their hearts, so why not use entertainment to spend quality time with them, snuggled on the couch, and take in inspiring, faith-filled films?
6. Service Activity
I remember when a hotel just a few minutes from my childhood home was housing a Hurricane Katrina family, with two little kids who lost everything. My mom took my little sister and me to the store and bought stickers and coloring books to make small baskets for them. We then took them to the hotel to present to the children.
Sure, it was just some stickers and activity books—nothing more than a few Dollar General toys—but my mother’s kindness and desire to care for those without have never left my mind. It never will. I want to do the same for and with my children, teaching them to serve others while watching my heart posture soften as I share these experiences with them.
Whether it’s volunteering a few times each month at the clothes closet, soup kitchen, or homeless shelter, or it’s decorating cards and/or crafts and delivering them to hospice or the nursing home, teach your children what consistent service looks like. Participate in at least 1-2 service projects with your kids each month.
Let them find their niche, a place they feel led to serve, and come alongside them as they use their talents and passions to love others as Christ loves them. (What a great time to share with them Matthew 20:28: “… just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”)
7. Conversation Starters
Don’t underestimate how impactful simple conversation starters can be. Grab some popsicle sticks and write basic questions on them: “Today, I feel anxious because _______,” “_______ showed me grace when _______,” “I believe I could witness to _______,” “I’m afraid of _______ because _______.” Once a week, or a few times a month, have your kids unthinkingly select a popsicle stick and answer it.
This allows you to keep a check on their emotional and mental well-being and, in the process, instill biblical truths through Scripture, your kind words, and stories of God’s faithfulness in your own life.
Feel free to pose these questions on car rides, while you are grocery shopping, when everyone is cleaning up dinner, etc. The more casual/normal you make these sorts of conversations feel, the more your children will see the beauty of incorporating Christ and the “deep stuff” into their everyday lives.
My journey to the faith actually began when I was in the back seat of my Mom’s green minivan, asking her questions about heaven and how to get there. So don’t underestimate how God can guide your conversations to impact your children’s hearts and souls eternally.
The Blessing of Everyday, Boring Faithfulness
At our church, we constantly discuss the importance of what we call “everyday, boring faithfulness.” David’s faith wasn’t defined by slaying Goliath, though that certainly was proof positive of his radical love for and belief in God’s faithfulness. Rather, David’s faith was defined by the small, insignificant, quiet moments when he showed up each day to protect his father’s sheep. It was there that he sang songs to God and learned what it meant to protect the innocent from lions and bears.
This is what it means to raise tiny disciples, to mother with godly intentions. It’s showing up for the painfully boring, monotonous rhythms of life, yet choosing to use those moments to incorporate a bit of fun with a whole lot of biblical truth. This is where your children see that faith means more than the highlight reels. It becomes something they can access and take part in every day. This is the faith that will sustain them and lead them home.
This is the beautiful weight of your calling as a mother, to make faith mean something, no matter how boring, hard, confusing, fearful, monotonous, happy, or sad life is. What a legacy and honor!
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Rudi Suardi
