The Best Bibles for Kids in Preschool and Kindergarten
I spend a lot of time reading Bibles designed for little kids. It’s partially because I have a 5-year-old at home, and partially because I write and design Bible lessons for preschoolers. I’ve read at least a dozen kids’ Bibles cover-to-cover, and they aren’t all created equally. I’m often asked if I can recommend a favorite Children’s Bible for preschoolers and kindergarten students, so I thought I’d put together a post of my current favorites.
Please note: None of the links in the post below are affiliate links. Most link to the publisher or official website for each book.
What do you look for in a children’s bible?
The first thing I look for in a children’s Bible, especially when reading to kids kindergarten-age and younger, is text that can easily be understood by younger kids. Is the theology broken down in a way kids will understand? Are the sentences simple enough that I’m not having to recap the story at the end of every paragraph?
It’s also important to me that the children’s Bible is written with age-appropriate takeaways from each story. While all of scripture is God-breathed, some of the stories and ideas are best suited for older children and adults. My 5-year-old is easily frightened and tends to fixate on the scarier parts of a Bible story, so we look for a kids’ Bible that doesn’t dive too deeply into the ‘scary’ moments of the Bible.
52 Weeks of Preschool Bible Lessons
Looking to make the Bible come alive for 3-6 year olds? These preschool Bible lessons and printable crafts are the perfect compliment to any children’s Bible.
Jesus Calling Bible Storybook by sarah young
The Jesus Calling Storybook is hands-down my favorite kids’ Bible. The storytelling is excellent, it’s easy to read, and it summarizes stories in a way that is perfect for preschoolers. It does such a great job at keeping the stories age-appropriate. I was particularly impressed with how the story of Abraham and Isaac was written. It highlighted God’s mercy and the foreshadowing of the Lamb of God without completely terrifying my 5-year-old.
Most stories also end with a section that is very similar to the adult versions of ‘Jesus Calling’. These short passages are written in first-person from God and help to explain the main takeaways. My daughter loves them!
The Beginner’s Bible from Zondervan Kids
This Beginner’s Bible is a classic. I believe I even had a version of it in my childhood home in the 90’s. It’s been around forever, and for good reason! This is the very first Bible I ever read to my daughter. It does a great job of retelling most of the Bible in very simple terms. It doesn’t do any interpretation of the stories, or connect them to the larger story of Jesus, but it’s a great starting point for preschoolers. I highly recommend this one for kids in the 2, 3, and 4-year-old range. It’s a great starter Bible and the perfect way to introduce these stories for the first time.
The Jesus Storybook Bible by Sally Lloyd-Jones
The Jesus Storybook Bible is one of the most popular kids’ Bibles on the market, and with good reason. The book beautifully retells many classic Bible stories in a way that connects them to the overarching story of Jesus and redemption. It’s a beautiful book for both children and adults.
That being said, I don’t recommend it for kids under 6 or 7 years old. The stories are long, sometimes too long for a preschooler’s attention, and it draws connections and parallels that go above their heads. If you already have this version, I’d hang on to it until your kids are in grade school. (Spoiler: It’s my top choice for that age group!)
If you would like some more preschool-friendly materials by Sally Lloyd-Jones, she has a board book series of psalms written in kid-friendly language. The series is growing, but some of the titles include Near: Psalm 139, Found: Psalm 23, Strong: Psalm 1, and Happy: Psalm 92.
Sally Lloyd-Jones also has a board book called Loved: The Lord’s Prayer. But I should mention that this book refers to God as ‘Daddy’. And I know people have differing opinions on using that language when referring to God,
The Ology by Marty Machowski
Surprise! This final book is NOT a children’s Bible. Well, not really. I know that this is a list of the best Bibles for kids… so why am I including something else on this list?
As a parent and Sunday School teacher, The Ology is one of the best books I’ve ever read, and it’s deeply impacted how I explain the Bible to children. The book breaks down most Biblical theology into kid-friendly terms and does it in a way that’s so easy to understand.
If you’re a parent or teacher of preschoolers, I highly recommend reading this book as background knowledge. Preschoolers are full of so many questions about the Bible, and this is a great source to run to if you find yourself unable to explain trickier Biblical concepts. As your kids grow, this also becomes the perfect book to read aloud to your older kids.
I’d love to know if you have any children’s Bibles you absolutely LOVE that you think I should add to this list. Please add them in the comments, or message me directly.
