Over a decade ago, as my friends and I were approaching the end of university and the start of Real Life, I remember asking one particular friend what she wanted to do in the future. “I’m not sure exactly,” she started – and then her eyes lit up: “but I’m just so excited about the Bible, and I’d love to be able to share that with people.”
Perhaps, I thought, my friend would do a PhD and teach academically, or take on a teaching position within a church or Christian organisation. However, her calling was to be greater than that: Alice Buckley has written a book which unlocks the Bible not for lofty academics, but for preschoolers – and I genuinely believe that it has a thousand times more potential for changing lives than any of the weak-by-comparison suggestions my mind played through. Why start teaching the Bible at 18 when you can teach it from birth?
‘Play through the Bible’ works like this: There are 20 stories from Luke’s gospel. Alice suggests that you take one story per week, the daily repetition helping kids to remember it. She has expertly rewritten each story with language simple enough for a very small child to understand, as well as plenty of opportunities for them to join in – and, of course, there are numerous suggestions for actions, signs and voices you may like to use, as well as props (all of which can be found around the home). The suggestion is that families find a few minutes each day in which to tell this story – perhaps over a meal (we do ours over breakfast). However, anyone who’s even been within five miles of a preschool family knows that there will be a plethora of reasons why this might not always happen – but Alice is so grace-filled in her approach “Let’s agree not to guilt-trip when we miss a day (or week, or month!)…Deal?” she offers, reassuringly.
Week 2 was about Jesus being tempted in the desert, and how he listened to God, not the devil. My children’s favourite activity from the selection was playing ‘Simon Says’, which we played at the breakfast table each morning with no props or preparation – and yet it clearly brought home the point about listening!
I knew this book would be incredible, because Alice’s ideas have been tried and tested in our family over the last three years. What I didn’t know was how beautiful the book would end up looking. It’s fab! Bright and colourful, with lovely illustrations and photos. Whilst the words are aimed at grown-ups, the book is enticing enough to have open on the breakfast table. My kids love looking at the pictures and trying to guess all the ideas we may (or may not!) get round to doing in the week!
If you don’t believe me, why not check out SparklePetal’s review here? And, while you’re at it, you can view Alice’s promo video for the book here!
Now – who would like a free copy? Type a comment below and I’ll put all the names into a suitable receptacle on Sunday evening (Nov 9th) – the winner will receive a copy in the post at some point next week. Even if you don’t have young children – why not enter anyway? I’m sure any family you know would be totally blessed by this surprise gift! I’ll announce the winner on Facebook (as well as letting them know personally).
Disclaimer: No payment has been received for this review, even though it’s ridiculously positive, and reads like there’s been some secret commission exchanging hands. I did not receive a free copy to review – Christian book companies do not have money to burn – although perhaps if enough of you order the book, Alice may buy me a drink if we ever meet again.
Sounds great! Please enter me in the prize draw!
Hi Lucy!! Always enjoy reading your blog, and with a 2 year old and a baby this book sounds like it could be invaluable.. Please enter me in the draw! x
Fab review Lucy, please enter me too! X
Consider me entered into the competition please! 🙂
I’m sold! We’d absolutely love a copy and I promise to wave it around at the other mums at church!
Sounds brilliant. Please enter me… I shall go and check out her blog next too 🙂
Sounds fantastic! Better than the ‘Read thru the Bible’ which we are doing at the moment and poor Luka is bored….Will check out the blog too!! X
please enter me!
Sounds awesome!
Wow, the book sounds great! Will definitely buy if we don’t win it! I have bought ‘bake through the bible’ for friends kids but this looks even better! Just so want Jack to know Jesus! Ex
I was already sold on e book but your review has made it top on my wish list!!!!
This book looks brilliant! My daughter would love it!
I am picking up my copy tomorrow which l have bought for a christening present! I would love a copy for my kids too!!! We used Alice’s blog in church. She is great! Xx
This sounds great. Where can we order from if we don’t win?
Hi Katy, hopefully the ‘Play through the Bible’ hyperlink in the blog post should work – if not, then try the Good Book Company or Eden. http://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/children/childrens-workers/play-through-the-bible
I’m intrigued…!
Wow, this would be fab for when I do creche on Sundays! We’ve been thinking of ways to make creche more relevant for the very little ones so will be suggesting it xx
Oh yes, I definitely recommend Alice’s ideas for under 3s groups at church! With her permission, we adapted her ideas and used them for our under 3s at our previous church, and they were great, so much more effective than reading from a children’s bible, which that age group really doesn’t have the attention span for (at least not en masse!). However, the beauty of this book is that it’s designed for home use, to work around family life, to help kids to engage with the Bible not just on a Sunday, but every day of their lives. It’s powerful stuff!
Looks really great
Have seen this book recommended loads…would love to try it with my boys 🙂
Really excited about this book and looking forward to reading and playing through it:)
Sounds brilliant, can’t wait to own it!
This sounds amazing, I’d love a copy.
Sounds brilliant, would love to share it with families at church!
We have the bake through the Bible and this looks just as fab. With three children aged 4, 2 and 11 weeks I’m up for anything that will help them engage more with God’s word.
Oh, wow, you have my respect! Alice is definitely your woman then 🙂 At one point, if my Maths is correct, she had a 4yo (with additional needs), 3yo and a baby. What I perhaps didn’t make clear in the review was just how simple Alice has made it for us – the ideas don’t require hours of prep. In fact, this week, I prepped ours on Monday morning as we were having breakfast, then told the story straight away…oops! But it worked fine!
My kids would love that, thanks for the review!
Would love this! Please count us in the for the draw
Would love this! Please count us in for the draw!
All the reviews have been really positive. I have a one year old grandson in mind 🙂
Thanks for the review, we have been considering using this at our toddler church so we’ll get a copy if we don’t win
yes please! this would be great for our new playgroup leaders!
Sounds like an amazing addition to any family- I’d love a copy!
This sounds perfect for our Tots’ Praise group. We choose some songs and finger rhymes around a theme then we read or act out a bible story and finish with a simple activity, over coffee and chat. It would really help with planning.
Oh yes definitely! We used Alice’s ideas (adapted) for our toddler group, and they were a big success. Your group sounds ace! There’s a distinct difference with this book as opposed to other ‘similar’ resources, in that this is written specifically with the family in mind, not a church group – the way it’s structured assumes you have daily contact with each other, that you can play/chat through a story all week – but, that said, I know from experience that many of the ideas work really well in a group too.
Sounds fab.
Just looked at this book the other day and wondered if it would work for my 2 and 4 year old. Thanks for this helpful review – please include me in the prize draw (though even if not successful we will be purchasing a copy soon!) 🙂
Wow. This looks so good. If I don’t win one, I may have to pop it on my 3 year old’s Christmas list! 😉 Thanks for letting us all know about it.
I’d love this for us but I think it would be borrowed a lot by friends
All the more reason to get a couple of copies then 😉 All the best for the draw, maybe you’ll win one of them!
I love this! Thanks for sharing xx
Hi, I would love this book, thank you for the opportunity! It looks really good!
This looks great, even if i don’t win i think I’ll check it out 🙂
Very excited about getting this book for us and for our friends too. Bake through the bible has been a big hit already!
Please enter me into the draw 🙂
This looks really good. Please enter me into the prize draw
Sounds fantastic. Thanks for the review. My friend wrote Bake through the Bible so I’d be very interested in this book.
Oh, we love Bake through the Bible! Such a great resource 🙂
I know 2 little girls (and a mummy) who would this 😊
The book sounds great! Thanks for your review.
Love the blog! Please enter me in the prize draw.
Sounds great for family devotions, count me in. Also sounds like some good ideas as a starting point for an after school group I’m setting up for 5-7s.
Sounds great! Please enter me.
I had already put this book on my Christmas list as the title was so inviting, a free copy would be amazing, but after reading this review I’ll definitely be making it a very high priority to get!! Thank you!
wow! What a fantastic book. This is what I’ve been looking for. If I don’t win it, I will certainly go out and buy it! And as gifts for friends too. Awesome.
sounds like an amazing resource.
sounds great, enter me please
This looks fab! I’m ordering a couple of copies for presents and would love to enter the free draw for a copy for us!
I would really love to be considered for this book . I’m always looking for new ways to share Jesus with our children and the crèche we run.
This book sounds great! Possibly good for church groups, toddler groups too? If I don’t win a copy I may just add it to my, or my kids Christmas list.
Please add me. This would be great to read with my son and Godchildren
One for the grandchildren – a definite for the Christmas present list.
What brilliant ideas! Great Christmas present
Please will you consider me to be entered in the suitable container to win a book, as we will be desperate for all the help we can get soon
Thank you
would love to win a copy to try out with my just turned 4yr old and 18m old daughters x
Brilliant post! already got a copy so don’t need to be in the draw. Wish I’d had this book when mine were little. It is brilliant. An buying a copy for an adoption baby shower present!