Stick Figuring Through The Bible

Today I'm sharing with you one of my favorite finds for parents of young children. It's called "Stick Figuring Through the Bible," from Grapevine Studies, and it's a great way for children to begin making a bible timeline of their own. This is not just for home schoolers! It's for any parent or bible class teacher who is reading through the bible (or a bible story book) with their kids.

It's amazingly simple and a great way for children to begin visualizing the story of the bible as a whole. Here is a peek at the first few pages of my son's timeline...

Grapevine Studies has an entire bible curriculum, but all I got was the teacher's "New Testament Timeline Booklet" and "Old Testament Timeline Booklet" (available for just $8 a piece), which guide you in demonstrating the stick figure time line to draw as you come to each new character or event in the bible. It also gives a very brief summary of the person or event, as well as explaining the symbols drawn. (I've updated those two links once but they may change again. In that case, look through their timelines for those two booklets.) By using only these two booklets, you can use the timeline along with your own studies if you have a curriculum you like or you just read using your own schedule. 

I was so glad they sold the teacher's booklet separately since we had no need of their bible curriculum but I liked their stick figure timeline. We're reading through the bible at our own pace with our kids, and after we read about the person or event pictured, I read the little summary and then my son draws it onto his timeline.  

If you have kids or grandkids, I'd recommend adding this simple timeline to your bible reading with them. I think it would be helpful for all ages, particularly K-6th or 8th. Older students would benefit from it as well if it's their first timeline. 

If you need recommendations on a bible story book for young children, see My Favorite Bible Story Books for Children!

DISCLAIMER - The last page in the book has figures illustrating a pre-millennial view of scripture, but that was a simple swap. We just pictured "Christian Dispensation" then "Jesus Returns" before the judgement rather than "Christ Returns then "Millennium" before the judgement.