Note: This post in a new update of an older post on this topic. -Pastor Ben
FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS
The Baby Bible (by David C Cook Publishing)
We wore through this set with our kids! Each of these board books has a different theme (ABCs, 123s, Animals, Stories About Jesus...) with colourful pictures and a simplified Bible story (including actions). If you are ordering these books online, just be aware that there isn't much of a difference between the Boys and Girls versions aside from the colour of the covers. Here's an example of the Animals book in a PDF (My personal favorite).
Lift The Flap Bible (by Sally Lloyd Jones)
Lift the flap books are a kids favourite (The Little People series being quite awesome), but this is the Bible with flaps that my kids enjoyed the most. The artwork is great and the flaps help animate the Bible stories quite well (for example, I loved how the flaps in the story of Exodus shows the Egyptian army getting closer and the waters parting). Here's an online sample of this book.
I've spent quite a bit of time searching for great "lift the flaps" books, and none can compare to the Little People series. This version of "Noah and the Animals" is a lot of fun, encouraging kids to find hidden animals or objects throughout the story. The pages are colorful and huge. Of course, like most renditions of Noah's Ark, it doesn't highlight the reason why God flooded the earth in the first place, but it's a great read for babies and toddlers. Here's an online sample of this book.
Candle Bible for Toddlers or The Beginner's Bible
These are great for toddlers and kids in kindergarten. The pages are fun and colorful (the Beginner's Bible looks like animation from The Simpsons) and the Bible stories are short and simplified which I like a lot better than the Bibles that just contain excerpts direct from the NLT or NIV. I find that when I read this with my kids, we usually read a few stories at a time. Here's an online sample of the Candle Bible for Toddlers. And here's an online sample of The Beginner's Bible.
The Smartest Giant in Town (by Julia Donaldson)
Ok, so now I'm cheating a little bit. This isn't a Bible, it doesn't contain any references to the Bible, and as far as I'm aware, the author isn't a Christian, but this book is PERFECT. I don't know the names of many authors of children's books, but I know and love Julia Donaldson's stuff (Monkey Puzzle, The Gruffalo, and Stick Man are super fun!). This book, however, stands above and beyond the others. It is very much like Jesus' parable of The Good Samaritan, telling the story of a giant who gives selflessly and makes sacrifices to help others in need. Fun artwork, great rhyming and a powerful message! I would recommend getting the board book version if you've got younger kids. As kids get older, they can easily read it for themselves! You can view the entire story on Youtube here (although after reading it hundreds of times, I like my rendition of the giant's song and the character voices more).
The Bible App For Kids
This isn't really a gift idea, although you CAN purchase a physical Bible storybook based on the app, but if you are in the mood for a Bible that is more interactive and portable, I highly recommend The Bible App For Kids. It is a free download for Apple and Android devices. While I wouldn't recommend this replacing times where you sit and read with your kids, this can be a fun change of pace. Kids can use the app on their own to click through the stories, finding hidden secrets, laughing at the animation, and doing interactive activities based on the stories. Some of the animations (like Samson doing his best pro wrestler impersonation) are hilarious! You can find out more info and get the links to download it here.
FOR ELEMENTARY AGE KIDS
GodTime Devotional Sheets
These also aren't devotionals that you can buy or give as gifts, but these are FREE every week at KIDZONE (our weekly Sunday morning kids program at Arlington Woods). Each GodTime sheet gives kids an opportunity to dig deeper into the themes and lessons that they learn on Sundays. The GodTime sheet for kids in grades JK-1 includes a colouring page, while the sheets for older kids often include fun puzzles! Oh, and kids can also re-watch the movie and story videos that we use at KIDZONE by visiting Studio 252!
My First Hands-On Bible
This is a great option for families who want to do devotions together with their kids. It's not a complete Bible, but does take excerpts from the actual NLT translation to walk through the Bible's most notable events. This isn't always a good thing, as it's not as read-able as a storybook Bible, but it has some really great pictures, and best of all, has a lot of action cues and ways to involve kids during and after each story. For example, kids are encouraged to make sounds like a storm during the story of Jesus calming the wind and the waves, and in the story of Jesus' crucifixion, you're encouraged to rip a tissue in half to explain the significance of the temple curtain being supernaturally torn! I know, right? You can check out an online example here. There is also a regular 'Hands-On Bible' for older kids.
Read With Me Bible
This Bible is a pretty decent option for early readers in SK-Grade 2 as it contains a lot of great looking artwork and a simple paraphrase of the stories for kids to read on their own. You can see an online example here.
Keys For Kids
Keys For Kids isn't a Bible, but it's a devotional magazine (think of a kids version of 'Our Daily Bread'**) that's been around for years. Each day contains a relevant story where kids learn some kind of biblical truth. It's suitable either for family story time or for kids grades 3+ to read on their own and even includes some puzzle or activity pages. As a kid, I still remember this being the main way I dug into the Bible by myself (aside from comics-- see below!) You can order a FREE subscription and have a physical book mailed to your home) here, or you can read it online or download the app. My personal preference is to read from an actual paper book. (**By the way, there is a kids version of 'Our Daily Bread' which is more of a one-year Bible format. You can view a PDF sample of that here.)
The Action Bible
As an older kid and pre-teen, I would NEVER have spent much time reading the Bible if it hadn't been given to me in comic book form. There are some great comic Bibles available today that will have your kids actually wanting to turn the pages. The action Bible was illustrated by a comic-book artist who has worked on Captain America and Batman, so it looks great! This is more for older kids (grades 3+) as they do depict scenes of violence to a greater degree than in the little-kid Bibles. It's also a pretty large book with a whopping 752 full-colour pages-- so for the price, it's an amazing deal for what you get! Check out a sample of The Action Bible here.
Manga Bible
If your kid likes a more Japanese animation style or is into shows like Pokemon, you can't go wrong with the Manga Bible series. Messiah, Messengers, Mutiny and Metamorphosis are just a few, although Messiah is a good place to start, as it highlights the whole story of Jesus. What I like most about the Manga series is that on every page, it has Bible references to see exactly where to find that part of the story in the Bible. Check out a version of Manga Messiah here!
The Awesome Coloring Book of Bible Comics
If your kid likes comics AND colouring, this is a pretty great pick. This is most suitable for older kids (grades 2+) who prefer to take their time and colour in more intricate designs. You can see samples here.
The Adventure Bible
If you would like to give a Bible with the complete text with your kids, then The Adventure Bible (NIV) is a great choice, especially for kids ages 8+. It's pages are full-colour and there are a lot of pop-up windows that give extra insight into what's happening. You can also get The Adventure Bible For Early Readers (NIRV) that's a little more readable for younger kids (ages 6-10). To see a sample of the Book of Mark, click here!
I hope this list has given you a few great gift ideas! If your family or your kids like a different Bible or use some other great devotional, let me know in the comments! -PB
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