19 Ideas for Encouraging Memorization

As we think about the kids to whom we’ll be ministering this year, we want to be prepared to do what we can to help them hide God’s Word in their hearts and minds. Many kids struggle with memorization – some because memorizing is truly difficult for them, others because they simply aren’t interested. Here are some ideas for encouraging kids as they learn a verse.

1. Read the verse with the child. Does the child understand the meaning of the words? Does the child understand the words? (Just because the child understand the meaning of individual words does not mean he understands the concept of the verse.)
2. Read the verse over and over, phrase by phrase. Ask the child to repeat the phrase.
3. Create pictures to represent the words of the verse.
4. Put the text to music.
5. Give the verse a title.
6. Record the verse on your smart phone (or on the child’s phone) and periodically play it over and over.
7. Make a memory match game – match the reference to the verse.
8. Allow kids to work together to memorize a verse.
9. Allow a kid who already knows a verse to help a kid who is struggling. (Often peer encouragement works well.)
10. Plan a verse bee – like a spelling bee.
11. Give extra points to kids who can find a verse in the Bible before quoting the verse to a leader.
12. Write out the verse and cut into pieces (one word on a piece). Let the kids put the words together to form the verse.
13. Assign each kid a different word of the verse and go around the room with each child saying his or her word. Do it faster. After awhile, change words.
14. Encourage kids to write their verses on cards (or on their phone) and look at it once an hour or before they eat or before bed.
15. Challenge the child to write out the verse once a day for a week.
16. Challenge a child who has difficulty learning a verse to teach it to a leader.
17. Leave out a word and have kids tell you what word is missing.
18. Design wall posters focusing on a verse.
19. Write the verse on a dry erase board. Erase one word at a time and have kids say the verse.

What additional ideas do you do in your club?