The Picture-Smart Bible

I had heard about The Picture-Smart Bible when it was first developed several years ago. Then, in May 2010, I had the opportunity to see the program at a homeschool convention, and I was hooked. In fact, I took advantage of special convention pricing and purchased the complete set for our family.

So, what is The Picture-Smart Bible? According to the program website, it "is an innovative approach to 'seeing' Scripture as a total entity. This Genesis-to-Revelation course is designed to help participants learn, remember and teach the themes and concepts in each book of the Bible...and have fun in the process!" In other words, it's a complete Bible curriculum presented in a unique format that will engage young children, youth, and adults alike in such a way that they'll actually remember key scriptural ideas. And The Picture-Smart Bible is unique because it's been designed to appeal directly to the powerful picture-smart element in every person's brain.

Specifically, Dan and Juanene Peters, the creators of the program, have developed a one-page blackline drawing to represent each and every book of the Bible. Each drawing incorporates images for all the key events and concepts presented in the book, and detailed notes help a parent walk his or her children through a systematic, engaging study of the text. As the parent explains a particular idea, children activate their brains by tracing and/or coloring the appropriate parts of the drawing until the entire page is colorized as directed. If desired, a child can then use the completed illustration to explain his understanding of the book in his own words, and, thus, activate another powerful memory tool. And, when pictures for every book have been finished, each child will have an illustrated, personalized summary of all of Scripture.

I found with my daughters - who were eight and nine when I first used the program with them - that taking several days to go through each book was most conducive to absorbing and remembering. We chose to incorporate it as an occasional supplemental activity, though others I know use it daily and, thus, produce completed keepsakes after just a couple of years. In either case, children can look back to a book's summary sheet at any time when they're engaged in other Bible study, so it's a tool they can use for a lifetime.

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NOTE: This is not an affiliate post. I have no connection with the publishers of The Picture-Smart Bible and am receiving no benefit or perk of any kind; I even purchased my own copy of the curriculum. I share simply because I think this is a helpful resource.