..for a Bible for Ella (almost 7). We'd like to get her one for her birthday or Christmas. Mark and I have been to the bookstore and came home empty-handed. Many of the Bibles in her age-range are catered to "tweens" in their little pull-out comments (discussing things like boys and jealousy of other girls and such) and we do not want that.
I don't want another Children's Story Bible. We have those and she has outgrown them. We would sort of like some pictures or little pull-out explanations of words or places- something to make it a little kid-friendly- but if we can't find anything similar to that (that isn't tween-oriented), than we will just purchase a basic Bible.
Oh, and I'd prefer the NIV, just because that's primarily what we use around our home and church.
But no matter your version, I'd like to hear from you:
So, moms-
1. What Bible does your child have?
2. What do you (and your child) like about it? ~or~ What don't you like about it?
I'm hoping there will be an overwhelming consensus on one Bible that you all like. If not, at least you can provide me with some good options to check out! :)
Thank you!
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I'll tell you what we do. We keep the kids in the NIrV kiddie bible until they are 13. On their 13th birthday each of my children has received a very nice, leather, NIV bible with their name engraved on the front. This is kind of expensive so it is usually the only thing they get for their 13th birthday.
ReplyDeleteDH and I write a blessing in the bible and a prayer for that child. This has become a very special tradition in our family. My 17 and 14 use these bibles exclusively.
BTW, we have decided to only put the first names of our girls on their bibles since their last names will likely change.
One thing, my 11 year old's kiddie bible was literally falling apart, held together by duct tape, so I did pick up a little inexpensive pocket NIV bible for her to use till she's 13.
I know that is not exactly what you were looking for, but we had the same issue you are finding with the 'tween' bibles and decided to forgo them altogether and go straight to the adult bible.
Hi Stacy :) We gave Miss M an NIrV (New International Readers Version) in August. We all love it!
ReplyDeleteJ&I are big NIV fans, too. This Bible is just like ours - all books, chapters and verses - just a little simpler text.
Miss M is almost 7, too, and she is very pleased to have a Bible like ours. She keeps her children's Bibles on her bookshelf, too, and uses them together.
Let us know what you choose! Love, Q
Hi Stacy!
ReplyDeleteWe have used the International Children's Bible. It is not a story book, but a translation in very easy to understand words. I think the reading level is 3rd grade.
Here is the link to Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/International-Childrens-Bible-Big-Red/dp/1400305888/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1226093429&sr=1-2
We bought Aidan a Bible last year. We bought one that is identical to what we read and bring to church. I think it means the most to him that he has exactly what we have. When we read in family worship he has it the same. He brings it to church and follows along. He loves it and I am glad we made that choice.
ReplyDeleteOnce difference though is the camo cover case that his has :).
Our 7 & 6 year old girls each have "God's Word fro Girls".
ReplyDeletehttp://www.lifeway.com/e2/shop/?R=801246
We read through it and liked that it seemed very "little girl" still to us. We also liked that there was very little in the way of illustrations and applications. There are some, but it just isn't the focus, ya know? The only downside of it, honestly, was that the pages are very thin (like other Bibles) and that can be hard for the girls to keep neat. Other than that, we ahve loved it and are buying the Boys' version for our son in June.
I LOVED having an Adventures in Odyssey bible. It's NIV and it does not have the side things that talk about jelousy and other girls and such-- It does however have some "comic like" pages that represent a story about the Odyssey characters. Moral stories though :). I loved it and used it until about 13 or so when i got a grown-up-bible. (Im almost 20)and i remember when the Elders of my church gave me that bible when i was about 7/8. I still cherish and love it
ReplyDeleteMy 7 year old dd earned from church (scripture memorizing) the NIrV New Adventure Bible for Young Readers. It is such a good Bible, I have been constantly impressed with it. There are little snipets throughout (but not overdone) of little treasurers or things about the people in Bible Times. We are planning on getting the devotional that goes with it for her this Christmas. It does look kind of boyish but my daughter loves it.
ReplyDeleteHopes this helps.
Stacy, I got my 2 girls (8 and 6)
ReplyDeletethis Bible:
http://www.faithgirlz.com/bibles/bibleProducts/backpack/
It's small, cute design, and NIV. I don't like all the "Faithgirlz" stuff, but I do like this Bible. The one in this link is nice, but I bought 2 other styles in a Christian book store.
We bought the ESV Children's Bible for our oldest. We use the ESV at church and home too.
ReplyDeleteI really like this bible. It is designed to be a child's first real bible. The verse numbers are in red so they are easier to find. The bible study helps in the back are excellent for younger children.
Ifyou google it you can take a look. I know you want NIV but thought I would throw in my preference.
When J started reading well, we got him a regular Zondervan NIV (but not study) Bible. He loves that it's what we read in church. It's leather and has slightly larger print (without all the notes) than my Bible. But I've been eyeing "The Books of the Bible" Bible-- it doesn't have the columns and reads more like a "book".
ReplyDeleteI like the Adventure Bible for what you're looking for. My girls might have been a year or two older when I started getting it for them, but Ella's such a reader she might be ready for it. I liked it because it did have the "extras" but they weren't too old. Or the Faithgirlz regular Bibles are cute. :) I also love the mini NIV Bibles in a handbag. Again, nothing "extra," but cute and NIV.
ReplyDeleteWe just bought the "Adventure Bible" for our 8 yr. old son and he loves it! It's written in NIrV-new international readers version. It's easier to understand- in fact, I was explaining a verse to him that he had learned in NKJ and we went to the verse in his NIrV Bible and read it and it read the same way I explained the verse to him! Too cool! I love when the Lord works that way!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, hope this helps!
God bless,
Jennifer Christine
I got Madi the "Adventure Bible" when she was 7 yr. old and it is great. When Merrill was 8 yr. we got her the "Young Women of Faith Bible", and I think it is really good, too. Both NIV versions. The second one has more "girly" graphics", where the first one has some pictures.
ReplyDeleteWell, it's NKJV not NIV, but I love the Precious Moments Bible with Child Evangelism Fellowship devotions in it http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/product?item_no=00874X&netp_id=348590&event=PPCSRC&item_code=WW&view=covers
ReplyDeleteThank you, all of you, for your recommendations! I knew I could count on you! I have a list going and I'm going to do some checking online! :)
ReplyDeleteI just linked to your blog a week or so ago, so I'm a newbie, but I just went through the Great Bible Hunt for our middle child a month ago. Our oldest child has several for a variety of reasons, but here is what I found has worked for us.
ReplyDeleteWe use NIV at church and it's what my husband and I both primarily use, but the variety of translations we've acquired in our home has been enriching for all of us. I do have a few different translations in different rooms (a KJV in the living room, NRSV that was my big gift Bible as a teen in the dining room, and parallel NIV/Message in the kitchen) - all give a little different insight, which I've sometimes found helpful.
What our kids have:
I LOVE the New Living Translation for an early reader. I personally find it much more readable than NIrV, though NIrV is rated for grade 3 and NLT is for grade 6). Our oldest child (9) has the Honeyword Bible, but when I looked to buy a copy a month ago, it looked like it might be on the publisher's older list, so may become increasingly rare. The Honeyword has some cute/hokey menumonic devices for each of the books of the Bible. I found those to be extraneous if the child already knows or is at least familiar with the books of the Bible, but it also has a couple of other great features including "Clickers" to remind the child of a point they learned in their scripture reading when they see an everyday object (ex. they see a knife and think "My words can give life or cut like a knife"). My son has been gifted three other Bibles as well, but this is the one he uses and goes to every time. Other kid Bibles we've tried with him: through a series of circumstances, he also has acquired the Discoverer's Bible (NIV) which is fine, but no great shakes, and just a plain pew Bible presented to him by the church in 2nd grade (NIV). The best thing about that one (in his eyes) is the inscription. It mostly sits on a bookshelf, and he will actually leave that room and go upstairs to get his Honeyword when he needs to find something in the Bible.
I wanted to get the Honeyword for our daughter, but had a hard time finding it within our gift-giving time constraints, so narrowed it down to a NKJV with some simple insert sections (which I really preferred) and the NIV Adventure Bible (which my husband liked better), we gave her the NIV Adventure Bible with a bright pink cover. She is thrilled, and although I think the reading is too hard for her now, we watched as our son took off in reading his NIV in first grade (though, as I mentioned, he really prefers his NLT Honeyword), so I think it will very soon be okay. We are using this time to read it together and really teach her the way to use the Bible. When her reading skills catch up, she'll be off like a shot. She just turned six and is a beginning reader - good with phonics, but hasn't gained confidence yet. The thing I don't like about this is that the insert about the Ten Commandments is really The Ten Commandments for Kids. I tend to prefer to discuss the actual words and how they apply rather than having the editor retranslate something into today's kid culture.
It's such an amazing thing to be able to choose and put into our children's hands the living Word of God - and to know we can do this freely and openly and to have this amazing selection - whew! We are blessed indeed! Enjoy!