If you are looking for a Bible study or adults, you are in luck- there are many to choose from. If you are looking for one for kids however, well, that is another story. A quick glance will yield at best a few generic Bible overviews, or several watered-down attempts of a book study. What a praise that siblings Blaise, Hope and Silas Nelson obviously found the same thing and decided to rectify the problem.

Ages 19 to 14, the oldest Nelson siblings have written Proverbs- A Bible Study for Kids by Kids aimed at ages 7-11. This 299-page softbound book is full color and systematically teaches through the book of Proverbs. Written by kids with kids in mind, this full-color text is a mixture of teaching, “quizzes,” and puzzles in a section called “Riddle Me This.”  Thirty-two chapters are 3-4 pages each and take about twenty minutes to complete.

Each lesson begins by asking the student to read a specific section of the Bible text and then explains it in simpler terms. Following the lesson is a “quiz” section that consists of 5 questions that evaluate reading comprehension and allow kids to put their thoughts on paper. The last section of each chapter encourages problem-solving in the form of several types of puzzles to solve, such as codes and riddles.

Each chapter also has a combination of six icons that represent the following features-

• Real Life- Where an action step is given
• Bad Idea- Highlights a warning in that section of Proverbs
• Who Knew? - Fun facts and trivia based on that day’s reading
• Study Up- Practical ways to study more deeply
• Verse of Fame- In every chapter, this highlights a better-known verse
• Metal Man- A fun “eye-spy” feature to keep keeps on their feet

As not only a Christian but also a homeschool mom, I have been thrilled with Proverbs- A Bible Study for Kids by Kids. As timing would have it, we were able to begin reviewing this book just as we started our formal school year. Each year we have Bible time in our schedule, but this the first time we have been able to sit down and study a book of the Bible together.

We begin our five-day school schedule with this study, setting the stage for a day more focused on Christ. Because the book of Proverbs is so focused on Wisdom, it has allowed us to use those teachings throughout our day, school and beyond. Lessons like “do not be envious of the wicked,” taken from Proverbs 3:31, are good reminders to this age group when friends are making wrong decisions and they might be tempted to follow the same path.

Some days my son reads the Bible verses silently and completes the lessons alone, but more often we work through the lessons together. The study is written in a way that it can most certainly be done independently, but I have enjoyed using it as a time that we can be in the Word together.

I love that though the book is colorful and eye-catching and in a workbook style, it is also one full of great wisdom and teaching. I genuinely believe that by learning from slightly older peers, my son has been better able to grasp oftentimes difficult ideas and is more apt to take those lessons to heart. He has connected to the authors and does not feel spoken down to. More importantly, he has been able to get a taste of what expository teaching and Bible study looks like, laying the groundwork for more in-depth study as he gets older.

While it is never too late to begin studying and learning about the Bible, it is also never too early to begin. With a Bible in hand and a copy of Proverbs- A Bible Study for Kids by Kids, your children can begin on that path to learning. I highly recommend this gem of a Bible study.

Product Review by Michele Pleasants, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, August 2019