Every child has a different style of learning. Some children learn better through hands-on activities, while others do well with sight or sound.
There are 66 books in the Bible, counting Old and New Testament documents.
It is best if you can help children learn these books by dividing them into sections, memorizing no more than five or six books at a time (in chronological order.)
Old Testament Divisions
The first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis through Deuteronomy) are known as the “Beginning” books. The next 12 books are “Historical” books (Joshua through Esther). There are five books which are known as “Wisdom” books (Job through Song of Solomon). The “Major Prophets” are next. There are five of these (Isaiah through Daniel). Finally, there are 12 books which are known as “Minor Prophets” (Hosea through Malachi).
Using these divisions, children can learn the books of the Old Testament by learning one group at a time. “First” and “Second” books can be memorized as one term. Sections with 12 books should be broken into two groups of six for memorization.
New Testament Divisions
The first four books of the New Testament are known as the “Gospels.” The next most common grouping of New Testament books would be Acts through Ephesians. Philippians through Philemon are books which can all be memorized in the same group.
(First and Second Thessalonians/ First and Second Timothy are presented to children as one memory term.) Last is Hebrews through Revelation.
Depending on the abilities of the children you are working with, most elementary students are able to learn the books of the Bible when they are presented in these groupings.
Learning Games
Hands-on activities are very helpful for young learners. Some ideas for hands-on memory work include:
Building Blocks- Tape shoeboxes or other small boxes closed. Write the names of the books in the specific group you are working on, on the boxes. Let children build a tower (if they can!) of the books in chronological order, with the first book on the bottom. Add new blocks each time you introduce a new group to the children.
Index Cards- Group children into pairs and give each pair one of the sections of the books to put in order. If your class has several of the groups memorized then have each group get in Chronological order after they have assembled their cards properly.
Fill in the Blanks- Sit in a circle on the floor. Have one child begin by saying the first book of the Bible, or of the group of books that you are currently working on. Have the next child say the next book, and so on, around the circle. If one child doesn’t know it’s okay to pass, or you can ask them to look it up in their Bible.
Visual Learning Techniques
As you introduce children to a group of the books in the Bible, ask them to help you think of a picture symbol which can represent the first book in the group. Draw that symbol on a blackboard or poster board. Do the same for the rest of the books in the Bible until you have a symbol for each one. If possible, try to make a coherent picture out of the symbols you use. Children who have trouble memorizing books can recall the symbol (picture) and will have an easier time remembering the whole group.
Sing
The song “There are 66 books in the Bible” is a helpful tool to use with children who are auditory learners.
