Kids Bible Buying Guide
I get a lot of questions this time of year about what kind of Bible to buy for kids. While there may be no perfect Bible out there for your kids, some are certainly better than others. It can be confusing with so many different translations and Bible types. I want to help you make the best decision possible.
First, let's talk about translations. Before 1973 there weren't a lot of options out there. You read King James Version (KJV) or nothing. Thankfully, Zondervan put out the New International Version (NIV) and turned the Bible world up on its head. Now, there are hundreds of versions ranging from old school KJV to paraphrases like The Message by Eugene Peterson.
Which one is right for your kids? It really depends on their reading ability and comprehension; however, there are a few versions that have stood out to me in the past few years. They are:
- New International Version (NIV)
- New International readers Version (NIrV)
- New Living Translation (NLT)
I've used each version extensively in children's church, and all are much better understood by kids and adults than a more scholarly translation like the New American Standard Bible (NASB). Let me show you what I mean. Here's John 3:16 in NIV, NIrV, NLT, and KJV.
NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
NIrV
God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
NLT
For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
KJV
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
As you can see NIV and NIrV are very similar. NIV is best for kids a little older such as third or fourth grade and up. NIrV is good for the younger reader, kindergarten to second grade. The NLT is very different but also very approachable for all ages. If you really want to go with KJV be prepared to answer a lot of questions and both you and the reader will probably end their time with God's Word in frustration.
Now let's talk about different kinds of Bibles. While there is a type of Bible for every walk of life and subset of the Christian community, there are really only two types of Bibles for kids, storybook and whole text.
Storybook Bibles are great for young kids, especially preschoolers and early elementary. It tells the big stories of the Bible with lots of pictures and a few words that are typically paraphrases of the actual scriptures. These Bibles are great because they gloss over the PG-13 and R rated portions of the Bible and allow kids to safely develop a love for God's word.
There are several on the market today, but here are two I can recommend.
The Bible App for Kids Storybook Bible
Made by the people who brought us the Bible App and the Bible App for Kids, YouVersion has taken all the stories found in their app and put them in book form. If your kids love to use the Bible App for Kids, this is a good first version for them and saves a little of your battery power on your device. You can get this on Amazon for $15.44. Your pastor may be able to get them cheaper for you.
The Action Bible
This comic book style Bible is good for older kids with 215 stories from the Bible told in chronological order. This Bible is good for elementary kids to first learn how their favorite Bible stories fit into the larger narrative of God's story while presenting it in exciting and contemporary ways. You can buy The Action Bible from Amazon for $14.99 and many other retailers. There is also an Action Study Bible that is whole text with pictures that I can also recommend.
Whole text Bibles are good for kids as they enter into elementary school. Many of topics covered in church and at home won't consist of only stories, but of actual scriptures. This is also a great time for kids to start memorizing scripture, which is far easier in whole text. There are still a lot of topics covered in the Bible that are not age appropriate, so whatever devotional time is spent should be supervised by a parent. There is plenty of content to study without getting into the nitty gritty of the Song of Solomon or the litany of laws in Leviticus. In addition, kids will be able to follow along in church far easier, since many teachers will give the chapter and verse instead of the name of the Bible story when they begin.
The amount of kids whole text Bibles out there seems endless, so here are my top three in no particular order.
The Hands On Bible by Group Publishing
This Bible is great because it gives things for kids to actually do with the scriptures. Each section has a hands on activity for kids to apply what they have learned. This Bible uses the full NLT, which is great for kids and adults to understand. You can buy this from Amazon in paperback $15.17
The Adventure Bible by Zonderkids Publishing
As it says on the packaging, this is the #1 Bible for kids. This Bible is packed with great additional content for kids to apply and understand what they're reading. My favorite thing about this Bible is that it comes in NIV and NIrV, which makes buying the right version for your kid so much easier. They also have app integration to help kids memorize scripture. You can buy the NIrV from Amazon for $20.24 and many other retailers, online or brick and mortar.
The Fire Bible for Kids by My Healthy Church
I buy and give away this Bible the most because it uniquely gives the Pentecostal perspective throughout its additional study guidss. As a kids pastor at an Assemblies of God church, this is important to me and the parents of my church. It comes in two versions NKJV and NIV and has app integration to add further learning and interactivity throughout the reading. My kids love to read and use this Bible and have spent hours pouring over the pages using their smart device to find out what the next page holds. You can buy this from Amazon in paperback from 23.02 and other online retailers including My Healthy Church.
Whatever Bible you choose, it's important that you model and even read the Bible with your kids. Someone once said, the best way to a kids heart is to get their first. By you reading it with them, your kids can develop of love of God's Word that can last a lifetime.
Happy reading!
