Spiritual Literacy Sunday: Reading scriptures with children

So this post will be a simple one, just to share what we do as far as reading scriptures with our children (and what we do may or may not "work" for us, I guess it depends on the day!). Please leave your suggestions in the comments. Have you found anything that works well for your family, or was there something your parents did when you were growing up that you could share?

• We currently read one column from the Book of Mormon to our children each night before bed. It is part of our bedtime routine. There have been times when Jacob's reminded us to read when we've done things out of order, and Rebecca will bring the scriptures to me or Jeff when we are ready to read. I love that they know it is something to look forward to. 
• It is important for children to hear the language of the scriptures in their own voice, even if they can't read yet. I don't do it as often as I'd like to (let's face it, sometimes we are in a hurry), but it is great for Jacob to be able to help me read. Jeff or I will read a phrase; Jacob repeats it back. 
• Paraphrasing verses after you read them is a great way to get in the habit of really helping kids understand what you are reading.
• If you have a child named Jacob, he will request almost nightly that you read his name while you are reading scriptures. Sometimes I throw it in randomly just to see that he is listening, but it is nice how often it just shows up. :)  

Other things we've done:

• We have read a book mentioned in Gordon B. Hinckley's biography (because his mother read it with him when he was a boy) called Mother Stories from the Book of Mormon. The language is a little funny in some parts, just because it is older, but it makes the scriptures into more of a bedtime story. And we all know that kids like stories!
• We've gone through many (I'd say nearly all) of the pictures in the Gospel Art Picture Kit and the new Gospel Art Book during a post-lunch/pre-naptime routine that we called Picture Time. During dinner Jacob would talk about what he learned for Picture Time with Jeff. It worked really well last summer and fall when Jacob was more consistently napping; this is something I would like to be more diligent about now - maybe during breakfast? Picture Time was a huge success, and gave me practice in summarizing scripture stories for a toddler and a preschool-aged child.
• Reading the scripture stories books is also something my children have enjoyed. Have you listened to the Scripture Stories radio channel before?  Children can read along in your book with the children on the program.

There are so many ways to introduce young children to the scriptures, and I think as we find ways to keep it interesting and important, our children will have a greater desire to read the Bible or Book of Mormon or modern-day revelation on their own when they are able. Nothing can replace the actual scriptures, of course, and I believe this is key. To borrow a paragraph from the introductory pages of the Scripture Stories books:

This book will help you teach the scriptures. Share your testimony of the Book of Mormon [or Bible], and encourage those you teach to seek their own testimonies. Their understanding will grow as you read them the full text of their favorite stories from the Book of Mormon [or Bible] itself.

I don't want to sound like I'm ending a Church talk or something, but I sincerely hope that we can expose our children to the scriptures themselves in such a way that works for them, is developmentally appropriate, and that allows them to enlarge their understanding of the Lord's word and how it can apply to their lives today.

Please take a moment to share your suggestions!


PS Did you enter the giveaway?  I'll choose a winner on April 1st.  Odds are looking pretty good so far! :)