When I think of summer, I think of the change of pace, the slow mornings and the time around the pool. We love that our days are freer; we have time to do the things that we just didn’t make an effort to do during the school year. If you are like most parents, you really want to have your children read more this summer, too, so they don’t lose all the progress they made in the year. Well, why not have them use a Summer Reading Plan — Bible Edition. They will not only get the benefits from reading, but they will also hear from the Scriptures what God desires for them! That sounds like a winning combination for a Biblically Minded Family!
Make a Summer Reading Plan — Bible Edition.
Taking the two-three months of summer vacation to read the Bible can be a rich experience for every member of the family. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.” We would be wise to read it and know it so it can give us direction. Hebrews 4:12 also tells us, “For the Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” This is the perfect time of the year to get your family into the habit of reading the Bible everyday so we reap the benefits of knowing the Word and living the Word.
While some of the following goals may be bigger than others, all will benefit when they add reading the Bible to their summer goal’s list. But how do you get started? What kinds of goal could we have? The Bible is very big. How can we make it readable for my children? Here are some suggestions from our experience with our six children:
1. Read a Psalm every day.
A simple Bible reading goal this summer would be to read one chapter in Psalms each day. This is a perfect goal for children in elementary/primary school, or you can do this together as a whole family. The book of Psalms contains beautiful poetry that they will find simple to read and enjoyable. Have them record what they read individually or as a family on a tracker like this one. These chapters will take less than 10 minutes per day to read which makes for a quick win for the reader. We have found that attaching this new habit of reading the Bible to an activity that you already have helps this new one stick better. For example, read your Bible while eating breakfast or before you turn out the lights at night.
2. Read a Proverb every day.
Here is another great goal for your child in grades 1-6! Read a chapter in the book of Proverbs each day. This summer they will love hearing words of wisdom from people like King Solomon, in which they will learn about laziness, handling money, friendships, and more! Use a tracker like this one to keep up with their progress. This could be a great way to start your day as a family — read a Proverb each morning together at breakfast. In thirty-one days, you will have read all the Proverbs together and had some interesting discussions about the Bible and what the verses mean for everyday life!
3. Read the Gospels.
Our family can’t get enough of the Gospels. We love reading Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to hear about the life and ministry of Jesus. From His miracles to His sermons to His death and resurrection, we enjoy reading them over and over again. We would encourage any one of any age to read through the Gospels for your summer reading plan. The stories are interesting and will easily keep the attention of your 4-6 graders. You could also try this plan as a whole family. Track your progress with this printable. By just reading one chapter per day, you can finish in less than three months.
4. Read the whole New Testament.
This can be a challenging goal for a good reader. While it is not impossible to read the whole New Testament in this Summer Reading Plan, it will be something that takes time and dedication. They will love reading the Gospels and the accounts of Jesus and His miracles. Following that they will get a taste of life with the first Christians in Acts and then letters to the churches. At the end of the New Testament there is the book of Revelation, which teaches about the end times. Use this tracker to help you or your children to stay on task with this amazing summer reading goal! It takes 3-4 chapters a day to complete the New Testament in the summer. Any middle schooler or highschooler could complete this goal.
So, what summer reading plan will you choose? Each one would give you and your family big benefits for the summer — educationally and spiritually. I think the biggest benefit would be to develop the daily habit of being in God’s Word. Let us know in the comments what plan you and your family will use this summer! If you have tried these techniques before, let us know in the comments what you have used and any tips and tricks you have.
To find out more about setting goals for Bible Reading in your home, CLICK HERE.
Find discipleship plans for your children divided by age groups, HERE.
[…] For years I have had our children set goals for themselves for the summer. What do they want to learn about? What do they wish they had more time to do during the school year? I ask them to set an educational goal, physical goal, spiritual goal, reading goal, and personal goal. These have been anything from lift weights three times per week to memorizing a chapter in the Bible. Some of my children have use this time to explore a new hobby only to find that it just wasn’t for them, while others found a new passion! One of my children learned magic tricks and another read through a few series that she had heard were fantastic! (Get encouragement to set a Summer Reading Goal — Bible Edition — HERE!) […]