Your sweet baby is home and precious and your world has drastically changed. Babies rely on parents for every single thing from food, diapers, attention, and most of all, love. At this stage they are learning how to live in the world and begin to understand you are the one who provides. The growth from birth to 18 months is astronomical. Your child learns how to move from crying for attention to 20 words at 18-months, sleeping all the time to crawling to walking to running, how to feed and dress themselves, and how to win you with their belly laugh. 

The most important thing you can do for your child right now is to love and care for them. As you pay attention to their needs, look them in the eyes, offer physical touch and build a relationship of trust, comfort and safety. Now is the perfect time to bring them to church and allow them to feel cared for by trusted nursery volunteers. Repetition and consistency are the key to babies understanding the importance of church, God, Jesus and their Bible.

Babies love music; sing worship songs and hymns as you begin to share God’s truth with them. They will begin to recognize repeated songs and even hum or sing along. Intentionally pray out loud over them throughout the day. Children love books! Read from a child’s Bible and show them pictures. Don’t be afraid to share Bible stories with your kids. Sing verses of the Bible to easy tunes such as “Happy Birthday” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”. Now is a great time to begin teaching sign language to your child. Include “Jesus” as you share His word and “amen” as you pray.

Children will begin to mimic your behavior. Watch as they learn to bow their head and say amen when you pray.  Pay attention to how they raise their hands in worship. Talk about the characters they see in their picture Bible.

Parents are a baby’s favorite person in the world. Spend time playing peek-a-boo, singing, and cuddling as you nurture your tiny human. You can help your baby by reinforcing God as creator. Let them know that God made them and everything in the world. Remind them that God picked you to be their parent and God picked them to be your child. Include your baby in worship and prayer as you teach them that God is part of your family.

Using a story from the Bible like Noah’s Ark, your child will begin to make connections between your love for them, as well as God’s love for them. 

Children are hearing the Word of God from their very favorite person. They are learning to trust God as you care for them. 

Reinforce that God created the world and everything in it. Help children understand God is the ultimate authority of all people.

“When children experience that their needs will be met consistently and lovingly by the people around them, they are better able to imagine a consistent and loving God who cares for them as well.”

-Real Kids Real Faith p 43 – Karen Marie Yust