Whenever I’m asked what apologetics resources I would recommend for kids, my first question is, “What theology resources have you already used?”. While apologetics certainly has its place, when it comes to raising our children, we must first make sure we are aiming at the heart before the head.

Apologetics focuses on factual knowledge—preparing believers to respond to alternative views and defend Christianity when it is challenged. Theology, however, is the study of God: His character, His truth, and his plan for his people. Apologetics teaches how to answer questions, but theology teaches who we are trusting.

Faith built primarily on apologetics can feel fragile when an answer isn’t immediately available. But faith built on theology does not crumble under unanswered questions, because it is rooted deeply in the heart. When children know God—not just facts about Him—they learn that faith is grounded in relationship, not performance or debate.

The following are resources I recommend for families who want to take the time to invest in biblical discipleship and cultivate a faith that is anchored on knowing God. Once these foundational things have been planted and start to take root then we can discuss apologetics.

Nothing beats the Bible. Don’t be overwhelmed with your own doubt and fears of what questions your kids might have. Read scripture as a family and if there is something you don’t understand dig deeper. We often watch The Bible Project before starting a new book of the Bible. These short videos help us lay the historical context and literary style. We have a Bible Dictionary for terms we might be unfamiliar with. You can also go to gotquestions.org to research something you’re unsure about. Showing your kids that you are still learning will help them know it’s ok to not have all the answers.

This “Who What Why” series by Danika Cooley is a must have. In Why Did the Exodus Happen, Danika explains how God reveals himself, He is sovereign, savior, powerful, dwells with his people, provider, and very importantly he is still relevant today. This book helps families see how the Old Testament reveals who God is. The book about Moses shows that God has a bigger plan and can weave our stories for his glory. In the third book, What Was the Tabernacle, the reader is shown how symbolic the place of worship was and how those symbols pointed to Jesus.

This is a great series for families that are learning how to read the Bible. Always ask “What does this teach us about God?”, “Can this testimony help me know God is still relevant?”, and “How does it point to Jesus?” I share more about these things in my talks entitled Shema’ma.

In The Ology Marty Machowski breaks down 71 truths into 11 topics that will have your family studying: God, people, sin, promises and law, Christ, the Holy Spirit, adoption into God’s family, change, the church, the end times and the World. Each lesson is short, taking only 5 minutes to read but offering up plenty of scriptural support. Additionally, there is a section in the back titled “Think Theology, Talk Theology” that offers questions for your family to carry on the discussion.

Marty Machowski has several more books in this series and many more book written for kids that tackle books of the Bible and stories in the Bible.

Theology for Me is a 4 week family devotional. On the first day of the week you are given a verse to memories and on the last day there is a suggested activity, making this study a bit more flexible if you need to adjust it a bit to fit your weekly routine. Each day you’ll read 2 short pages with a bonus page of discussion questions. This study does a great job of breaking down big words such as atonements, justification, and regeneration. As a bonus I recommend getting the flash cards so you can quickly revisit previous terms and keep them fresh.

Daily Grace Co also has a study called The Character of God, make sure to grab it at the same time. These books often go on sale for about $5 each, so keep an eye out.

One of the first things we did with out kids was watch through the What’s in the Bible series. From the creator of Veggietales come this show that walks kids through the Bible, Genesis to Revelation. Pirates and cowboys sing songs about “justification” and who the Judges in the Old Testament were. This is a silly and memorable way to tackle big concepts in fun ways.

YouTube only has short clips, for full episodes check with your church for available DVD’s or online streaming services that may be available. I’ve seen disks for sale at thrift stores. You can also get them here.

Find more resources and see inside when you click on this video.