Best Bible Lessons for 1st Graders

1st-grade children are a joy to teach Bible lessons to! At the age of 6-7, children are full of creativity and a desire to learn more about the world around them. As such, it’s important that you find Bible lessons for 1st graders that take full advantage of this unique age range.

What are the best Bible lessons for 1st graders? Bible lessons for 1st graders should be carefully structured to present the Bible in a creative and engaging way, while also covering the key spiritual truths from stories throughout the Bible. 1st-grade students will enjoy a hands-on learning experience that invites them into the process, rather than simply reading or listening to Bible lessons. 

Whether you’re looking for a 1st-grade Bible lesson course for your church, VBS, or for the purpose of homeschooling, it can be difficult to find a Bible Lesson curriculum that balances making things fun while also covering all of the beneficial information 1st graders should be taught from the Bible.

At Bible Blast, we provide a 1st grade Bible curriculum that is perfectly suited for all settings. Our courses have taught hundreds of children about Jesus, and the incredible relationship they can have with him on a daily basis. You can learn more about our 1st grade Bible lesson curriculum here. 

Teaching 1st Graders the Bible

If you’re reading this, then there’s a chance that you’re about to begin teaching the Bible to 1st graders for the first time! We’re excited about the incredible journey you’re about to begin and want to give you as much encouragement as possible to help you start and finish strong.

As you teach 1st graders the Bible, don’t be surprised if you find yourself learning right alongside them! God tells us we must come to Him like children, so it’s only natural that a childlike mindset might help you take ahold of biblical truths you’ve never seen before. That said, we’ve put together some of our top tips for teaching the Bible to 1st graders here.

Greet Your 1st Grade Bible Class With a Warm Welcome

First things first, anytime you start teaching a new group of 1st graders you should begin by greeting them with a warm welcome. Even with children, 1st impressions are important, so do your best to present yourself as warm and welcoming.

And don’t forget about the parents! Parents are placing a lot of trust in you to allow you to teach the children such an important subject, so do your best to instill confidence in them by how you conduct yourself both in and out of the classroom. It might seem a little old-fashioned, but try to write your name on large chalk or whiteboard for everyone to see as they come to class for the first time.

Have a 1st Grade Bible Lesson Plan to Guide You

One of the most important things to have whether you’re teaching 1st grade Bible lessons or any other subject is a plan. Your 1st grade Bible lesson plan will help you ensure that you’re covering all of the material that your students need to know before you’ve finished your time with them.

This is especially important when you’re teaching from the Bible because it’s jam-packed with so many life-changing truths! We properly all remember showing up at a class when the teacher didn’t seem to prepare or have any meaningful plan for the lessons. Going into a lesson without a plan you feel confident about is a wasted opportunity to improve your 1st grader’s lives.

Make Introductions Fun and Memorable for Your 1st Grade Bible Class

Something else you want to get right early on with your 1st grade Bible class is introductions! Wouldn’t it be a shame for your students to finish all of their classes and not even know everyone’s names?

Learning someone’s name is one of the first steps to establishing a good relationship with them, so don’t forget to have everyone introduce themselves! In addition to asking their name, you can also ask them to share another interesting piece of trivia about themselves to help everyone get to know each other a little better and create great conversation starters for later on.

Stay Organized As You Teach 1st Graders the Bible 

One mistake that many new teachers make is not staying organized. What good is a Bible lesson plan if you can’t even find it when you need it? Everyone’s different, so find a way to stay organized that works well for you. Whether that’s with folders, binders, cubbies, or drawers, find a place to put all of your important Bible class materials, and ensure that your students do the same.

One part of staying organized is knowing what material you need to cover each day BEFORE your lesson has begun. Taking 10 or 15 minutes before each lesson to look through a lesson and familiarize yourself with the key concepts that need to be covered will help you capitalize on every second that your 1st grade Bible students are with you.

Get Creative While Teaching Your 1st Grade Bible Students

As mentioned previously, 1st graders are incredibly creative and are ready to learn about the world around them. It would be a shame to squelch all that creativity by making your Bible lessons as dry as the Red Sea when Moses led the Israelites through it. Even if you’re using a 1st grade Bible lesson plan or curriculum, don’t forget to be creative!

As you’re teaching, be open to the inspiration that might come at the moment. In addition to making your lessons exciting, something else you can do is make your teaching environment exciting! Whether you’re in a classroom or living room, finding ways to bring the Bible to leave with fun props or decorations will make the lessons more fun, interesting, and memorable for everyone.

Relax, Have Fun, & Stay Focused While Teaching the Bible to 1st Grade Students

Teaching the Bible to 1st-grade students is a big responsibility. And depending on your personality, you might respond to this responsibility differently. For some with more experience, you might stay calm, cool, and collected throughout the process. But for others, fear of messing up or saying the wrong things might tempt you to feel stressed and tense.

If you find yourself in the latter group, our advice for you is this. Relax, have fun, and stay focused on what’s really important as you’re teaching your 1st grade Bible students. As you go into your lessons, think less about how you come across and more about the life-changing material that you’re covering. God can use you to teach His children, even if you don’t feel like you’re the most eloquent speaker.

Invite Your 1st Grade Students to Engage In Each Bible Lesson

Our next tip is that you try to make all of your 1st grade Bible lessons engaging rather than passive. It’s been proven time and time again that humans remember more from seeing and doing rather than simply listening.

While it may not be realistic to have dozens of games planned out for your lessons, there are still other ways of encouraging your class to engage. Asking your 1st-grade students questions when it feels like their attention is starting to drift, having them stand up and stretch or repeat a motion, or simply having them repeat something after you can all be great ways of recapturing your classes’ attention and making your Bible lessons more engaging.

Encourage Kindness In Your 1st Grade Bible Students

As you teach the Bible to your students, don’t forget to encourage them to live it out in the classroom setting! As a 1st grade Bible lesson teacher, you’ll have a front-row seat to all types of interactions between your students.

Don’t underestimate the power of encouraging your students when they do something kind and selfless for other students. You never know when you might be saying something to a child that they’ll remember for their entire lives, so use the unique opportunity you have as a teacher to set them on the right course.

Take Class-Wide Mental Breaks As Needed With Your 1st Grade Students

Whether you’re teaching first graders Bible lessons or teaching fully grown adults, something you’ll find is that maintaining your audience’s attention is something that takes intentionality and practice. If you’re the one speaking in front of a group, you can tell you no longer have their attention when no one is making eye contact with you, people start to fidget, or small whispered conversations become increasingly louder.

When you’ve lost your class’s attention, it might be time to change your activity or do something that goes against your daily routine to help everyone re-focus so that they can absorb more from the lessons. In closing, we hope these tips for teaching 1st graders Bible lessons have encouraged you for your upcoming semester! If you’re still in the market for a great 1st grade Bible lesson curriculum, be sure to check out all that Bible Blast has to offer by going here.