Elementary Margin

Before explaining it, find out what is confusing them.

Ask:

“Which part doesn't make sense?”

Then work through it together.

1. Reread the sentence.

2. Look at what happened before it.

3. Identify unfamiliar words.

4. Explain difficult words using language they already understand.

5. Give an everyday example if it helps.

6. Reread the verse with the new understanding.

Then ask:

“Does that make more sense now? Tell me what you think it means.”

Grown-Up Tip: Explain enough to help them move forward, but leave room for them to think.

Young children may get more from a few verses and a good conversation than from finishing an entire chapter.

Try:

Read → Pause → Talk → Continue

If they can still tell you what's happening, keep going.

If they're losing the story, pause.

If they're completely checked out, it's okay to stop.

Grown-Up Tip: A short study they enjoyed is more useful than a long study they couldn't process.

Keep questions simple and conversational.

Start with questions they can answer directly from the passage:

“Who was in the story?”

“What happened?”

“What did they do?”

Then move toward thinking questions:

“Why do you think they did that?”

“What surprised you?”

“What would you have done?”

And finally, faith questions:

“What did we learn about God?”

“Is there something God did that you want to remember?”

“What could this look like in our life?”

Grown-Up Tip: You don't need to ask every question. Follow what catches their attention.

Don't rush to say, “No, that's wrong.”

First ask:

“What made you think that?”

They may have noticed something you didn't realize they were connecting.

If their answer doesn't match the passage, go back to Scripture together:

“Let's look at that part again. What does the verse actually say?”

Help them find the answer instead of simply giving it to them.

If necessary, explain the correct idea afterward.

Grown-Up Tip: We want children to become comfortable thinking and asking questions about Scripture—not afraid of getting Bible questions wrong.

Give them another way to show you.

They can:

• Draw what happened.

• Act out the story.

• Point to a picture.

• Choose an emotion.

• Finish a sentence you start.

• Tell you their answer while you write it.

• Build the scene with toys or blocks.

• Describe their favorite part.

• Tell you what they would have done.

Instead of asking a big question like “What does this passage mean?”, try:

“Show me your favorite part.”

Then ask:

“Why did you pick that?”

You've just started a Bible discussion.

Grown-Up Tip: Talking and drawing count. Writing is not the only evidence that a child is learning.

Don't turn The Margin into a battle.

First, try changing how they're engaging.

Let them stand while you read.

Let them draw while they listen.

Act out the story.

Take turns reading.

Use funny voices for different people.

Listen to the passage instead.

Take a two-minute movement break.

If they're still done, it's okay to stop and return later.

Grown-Up Tip: The goal isn't to teach children that Bible study means sitting perfectly still. The goal is to help them learn how they engage best with God's Word.

Use this rule:

Help with the process. Don't take over the discovery.

If the prompt says, “Find three things Jesus did,” don't immediately point out all three.

Instead say:

“Let's look through the passage together. Tell me when you notice Jesus doing something.”

If they're stuck, give a clue.

If they're still stuck, show them one.

Then let them search for the next one.

Use the For the Grown-Up section included with the prompt whenever you need additional guidance.

Grown-Up Tip: Think help → hint → show, in that order.

You are allowed to say:

“I don't know. Let's find out.”

In fact, that's a great thing for your child to see.

Try this:

1. Write down the question.

2. Look at the surrounding verses together.

3. Check another Bible translation if needed.

4. Use a trusted children's Bible resource or study Bible.

5. Ask a pastor, children's ministry leader, or another trusted Christian adult if you're still unsure.

6. Come back and tell your child what you discovered.

And if the answer is complicated, it's okay to say:

“That's a really big question. Let's keep learning about it.”

Grown-Up Tip: You don't have to know everything to help your child study Scripture. You can model how to search for answers responsibly.

Don't measure success by how much they wrote.

At the end, try the Elementary Margin Check.

Ask:

“What happened?”

Can they tell you something from the passage?

“What did you notice?”

Can they name, draw, point to, or describe something that stood out?

“What did you learn about God?”

Their answer can be very simple.

“What do you want to remember?”

Let them choose.

That's enough.

They don't need a perfect theological explanation after every study.

Grown-Up Tip: Success may sound like:

“I didn't know that!”

“Why did he do that?”

“Can we read what happens next?”

Those moments matter, too.