Book Review: Playtime Devotions by Christine Harder Tangvald

When Lydia was a little over one year old, I picked up the book, Playtime Devotions at my church’s bookstore. Two things drew me to it:

1. It is a part of Focus on the Family‘s Heritage Builders program. I love their whole mission.

2. It’s a hardback spiral bound book so you can stand it up and read it while still playing with your kid. GENIUS.

I so appreciate the instructions on the inside of the book because it encourages you to sing these songs, read the scriptures and say the prayers over your kids NO matter their age–yes, even over infants! The idea is that your baby will begin to associate your love with our Heavenly Father’s. I just love love love that!

There are about 30 devotions in the book each consisting of a key thought, Bible verse (paraphrased), a song or fingerplay and a prayer. Each song or fingerplay is usually to the tune of another familiar song. There are several renditions of Patty Cake, one Where is Thumpkin? and even Oh My Darlin’ Clementine.

Our favorite devotion is God is With Me Everywhere based on Psalm 139:8. The activity is an action rhyme. And I’m going to type it from memory…because we have done this about 4billion times:

When I’m high up in the air (both arms in air)
Or deep down in the sea (bend down)
Anywhere I go (both hands out)
God always goes with me (hands on heart)

In the morning sunshine bright (both hands above head like sun)
In the darkness when I can’t see (cover eyes)
Anytime or anywhere (one hand out at a time)
God always goes with me (hands on heart)

Lydia was still only a year old and she could say this whole thing and do the motions! We worked on it so often because, you guessed it, she was fearful of going into the nursery at church. We would do this before church, after church, at home, before bed and a million other times during the day. She loved it. We loved it because it introduced her to a real theme that, unbeknown to us, is a constant battle for her.

Some of the other topics include God Made all of Me, Talking To God Is Important, I Can Share and Go To Church. They are all easy 2 minute activities you can do with your kids. I highly recommend this book. Not because it’s so amazing and original (because honestly, how many Patty Cake songs can you do?!).  I recommend it because it is an way for you to  introduce and focus on God’s Word when you “sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up…” (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

I had totally forgotten about this book until a few weeks ago when my good bloggy friend, Jessie asked me about it. I decided to review it since we read it so much with Lydia…and now I’ve just inspired myself to start reading it with my 11 month old Asa!

Do you know of any good kids’ devotional books?