When I taught first grade, I worked hard to use soft words to describe hard struggles. If I was grading myself in this semester of motherhood, I would say:
- Julie is working hard to find her way through new challenges she is encountering.
- Julie often makes a great effort to respond positively to new skills she is learning … not always.
- Julie has great potential to overcome the obstacles she is facing, and I believe she can succeed.
- Julie needs to be encouraged to ask for help when she needs it.
- This semester Julie is expected to apply basic skills to upper level problems.
I’ve practiced lessons of faith, hope, and love over and over in my 46 years, but having our 2 kids leave the nest and potentially be FAR from our nest is sending me back to school! My role in the lives of our now-young adults will change. While lying awake at night, praying over future circumstances that hinge on present decisions, the Lord has comforted me with reminders of seeds sown and watered and nurtured. Many seeds were sown through good books full of Bible stories for children.
I believe one of the best things a parent can do for a child is to feed their mind and heart with real stories of truth. The world works against us. That’s one reason why resources like Focus on the Family’s Managing Technology’s Impact on Your Kids are so important to today’s parents and, truly, anyone who works with kids. While children today are bombarded with a plethora of media options, that’s not all bad. In fact, more truth-filled books designed for children are available than ever before. I love sharing about them here on Come Have a Peace. Let me share a new one today.
Candle books has released a new hard cover board book suited for any little ones at least 10 months of age. It is well suited for children up to age 4 of 5. The Tiny Tots Lift the Flap Bible by Karen Williamson is designed to capture a curious child’s mind. Instead of just tuning a tot into an iPad or TV, Candle’s quality Bible story books plant seeds that endure. Early exposure to God’s real stories creates a frame for interest, knowledge, understanding, and faith to grow in a child’s heart and mind.
What you should know about the Tiny Tots Lift the Flap Bible
- This book is animated in bright colors.
- I like the varied skin colors and people depicted throughout.
- The hard cover book is sturdy, as are the flap features inside.
- The book is a manageable size for a toddler.
- 8 Bible stories are illustrated and included in chronological order.
- 4 Old Testament stories lay the foundation for 4 stories of Jesus.
- The peek-a-boo feature engages toddlers and doesn’t “get old” fast.
- No scripture is included, but the book is in story form & provides for conversation.
- Stories are told in a way to help children “know” characters and key Bible truths.
- This is a great tool, but parents need to engage with children to sow the seeds!
I do have one suggestion for this Tiny Tots edition. A better title might be “Tiny Tots Lift the Flap Bible Stories,” since no words from the Bible are included. I want children to know God’s book is a sacred book, inspired in its words and “breathed out” by God. Re-telling true stories is good, but it’s not “the Bible.”
When we put God’s stories in a child’s hands, we plant God’s love in a child’s heart.
It’s been a long time since my two young adults begged to read colorful board books over and over and over. In this season of launching, I’m remembering those days of their childhood fondly, and I’m grateful for every storybook about Jesus and about God’s creation that filled our bookshelves, fell between cushions, stayed in my purse, and piled on our floors. Good books sow seeds in a child’s heart and mind, and those seeds bear fruit long after the corners are bent and the bookshelves are filled with thicker stories and longer words. If you’re an aunt or a cousin or a grandma or a teacher or a mama, there’s no better gift you can give for a special event (Easter?) than a beautiful, age appropriate telling of the story of God’s love for the one you love.
I kind of miss the “Lift the Flap” season of our life, but “Julie has great potential to overcome the obstacles she is facing, and I believe she can succeed … with God’s help.”
Find the Candle Tiny Tots Lift the Flap Bible by Karen Williamson HERE. Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
