15 Memory Verses for Preschoolers

15 wonderful memory verses for preschoolers.  These are perfect for those looking for Bible verse to teach preschoolers or preschool memory verses for a Sunday School class.

I often forget that my boys are growing up.  I still view Caleb as the little two year old who refused to talk and wanted to drive trains around all day.  In my mind, Josiah is still and infant and Daniel doesn’t even exist.  Then I blink and am reminded that Caleb will be starting Kindergarten next year.  Not only does he talk ALL THE TIME; he also is learning to read, asks intelligent questions, and is starting to actually understand jokes.  Josiah is almost in the preschool Sunday School class at church and, not only does Daniel exist, but he’s almost a year old!

Recently I was listening to the boys playing and Caleb began belting out a song from the musical Hamilton (what, your kids didn’t have a specific sign language sign they did when they wanted to listen to Hamilton before they could talk?).  I was reminded how easy memorization comes to little people and how I need to foster that ability to spur on their relationships with Jesus.

Hamilton naturally came tumbling out of Caleb’s mouth but how much better would it be if the Word of God was tumbling out just as easily?  It’s high time I began helping my boys memorize Bible verses and begin hiding God’s Word in their hearts.  I need to find Bible verses to teach preschoolers that will touch their spirits and draw them to Jesus.

Hamilton is good.  The Bible is better.

Where to Start Picking Memory Verses for Preschoolers

The Bible is a long book and there are 31,102 verses in there.  (Yes, I did have to Google that.  Thankyouverymuch)  It’s overwhelming to decide which Bible verses to begin teaching preschoolers.  Sure, lots of those verse are lists of names or parts of stories that you wouldn’t memorize on their own but I did come up with some criteria for myself as I picked out verses for my boys.

Short and Easily Understood

Preschoolers can only memorize so much at a time so choosing long passages for their first memory verses would be tough.  Eventually I would love for Caleb to memorize The Lord’s Prayer but John 3:16 is a better place to start for us.

I also chose verses that didn’t have insanely complex theology behind them.  I mean, a lot of our Christian faith involved insanely complex theology (virgin birth, resurrection, the new Heaven and new Earth…) but some are easier to dumb down for preschoolers than others.

Not Pulled Out of Context

It is a CRAZY pet peeve of mine when people use verses out of context.  I hate to be a downer but Jeremiah 29:11 is one of those verses.  God absolutely does have a plan for us but that verse is in the context of the Israelite being punished and how, even through that, God has a plan to redeem and restore them.  Read that chapter in Jeremiah.  It’s AMAZING and brings God so much glory but not in the way we often hear the verse used.

So…  I made sure none of the memory verses I’m pulling out to teach my preschoolers is being used a way that’s not accurate to the context of the Bible.

Not About Morality

This one may be a little controversial but hear me out.  I do not want to start off teaching my boys Bible verses that promote a certain morality.  I do not believe verses like “honor your father and mother” are a good place to start.  Yes, of course my boys are expected to obey and honor Nate and me but they don’t realize it’s in the Bible yet.  I feel as though using a Bible verse to control my boys’ behavior before the Holy Spirit is working in their lives is manipulative.

Instead, I want my boys to understand who God is, what He has done for us, and what our response should be.  Once they have learned to love the amazing Savior God, then they can begin learning the nitty-gritty of what that means in the lives of those who believe in Jesus.  Honestly, until someone has chosen to accept the gift of salvation, I don’t believe impressing my morality on them matters.  It does nothing to get them any closer to spending eternity with God.  I don’t want to use the Bible to control anyone’s behavior.  The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to shape believer’s behavior.  I want them to understand truths about God and believe them and then, and only then, the Bible can shape their morality.

Yes, eventually those verses will matter in their lives but I don’t believe that’s the place to start.

Note: All these preschool memory verses are using the NIrV translation

15 Preschool Memory Verses

John 3:16

God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.

Psalm 103:12

He has removed our sins from us.  He has removed them as far as the east is from the west.

Romans 10:9

Say with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord.” Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved.

Psalm 119:105

Your word is like a lamp that shows me the way.  It is like a light that guides me.

Proverbs 3:5

Trust in the Lord with all your heart.  Do not depend on your own understanding.

Psalm 56:3

When I’m afraid, I put my trust in you.

Ephesians 4:32

Be kind and tender to one another. Forgive one another, just as God forgave you because of what Christ has done.

Philippians 4:13

I can do all this by the power of Christ. He gives me strength.

Psalm 145:18

The Lord is ready to help all those who call out to him.  He helps those who really mean it when they call out to him.

1 Peter 5:7

Turn all your worries over to him. He cares about you.

Joshua 1:9

Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. I am the Lord your God. I will be with you everywhere you go.

1 John 1:9

But God is faithful and fair. If we confess our sins, he will forgive our sins. He will forgive every wrong thing we have done. He will make us pure.

Colossians 3:17

Do everything you say or do in the name of the Lord Jesus. Always give thanks to God the Father through Christ.

Psalm 150:6

Matthew 28:20

Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And you can be sure that I am always with you, to the very end.

Your Turn:
What are your favorite Bible verses to teach preschoolers?
Do you have a preschool memory verse you still remember?

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