Overview

Teaching children Bible stories is one of the best ways for them to learn about God and His work in the world. We often teach Bible stories in hopes that children will remember them for years to come, finding new meaning in them as time passes. Naturally, we want to make sure they understand the stories and we might ask them review or ‘drill’ questions- questions that are facts and have correct answers.

However, for children to truly remember and internalize a story, we can’t only ask them about the story’s facts. It is also important to engage children in the story through their natural imagination, curiosity, and emotions. Why not use these things to help them connect to God, others, and themselves through the Bible story? To do so, we like to have four types of questions to ask children after telling the Bible story. Each lesson will have two categories of questions, Reviewing and Reflecting questions. Reviewing questions include reviewing the facts and meaning of the story, while Reflecting questions include experiencing the story and encouraging emotional engagement. 

You may not be able to ask one question from every category in every lesson, but aim to ask at least one review and one reflection question each lesson. Both are important! This will help children know the story in their heads and their hearts and apply it to their lives.

Here are the four types of questions we like to ask:

Review: The Facts

Questions in this section aim to help children recall the events and details of the Bible story. These questions have right and wrong answers. 

• How many days were Noah and his family on the ark? (40)
• Why did God send the flood? (to end the violence and cleanse the world)

Review: The Meaning

Questions in this section aim to help children understand what the story means. These questions can have multiple answers and often focus on what the story teaches about who God is, who we are as His children, and lessons to take from the story.

• What is something we learn about God from this story?
• What did Noah learn from his journey on the ark?

Reflection: Experience the Story

Questions in this section allow children to use their imagination and curiosity to experience and connect to the story. These questions typically have no right answer; the children are simply wondering about and exploring things like the setting, what characters might have thought, their own thoughts about the story, etc. 

• What do you think it smelled like on the ark during the 40 days?
• What part of the story did you find most interesting?
• What is something you wonder about this story?
• What question do you have for God about this story?

Reflection: Emotional Engagement

Questions in this section aim to help children engage their emotions as they learn about God through a story. These questions encourage children to reflect on the emotions of the story characters, God’s emotions, and their own emotions. This helps children build empathy as well as connect with God, self, and others. Because children are learning to make sense of their emotions, this is a great way for them to internalize and apply the story to their lives. These questions often have no right answer. 

• How do you think Noah and his family felt when they were in the ark? (this question helps children connect to others)
• If you were Noah, would you have trusted God and made the ark? (this question helps children connect to self)
• What is something you struggle to trust God about? (this question helps children connect to God)