When kids become the teachers

Sometimes the best way for our kids to truly learn something is not by hearing it from us again and again…but by teaching it themselves.

The other day, I was reminded of a conversation my kids and I had almost a year ago about sowing and reaping. We had talked about how what we feed our souls—through our thoughts, words, and actions—really does grow. My younger two kids were all in, and it became one of those special family moments where truth sunk in.

The next morning, I felt Holy Spirit nudge me: Don’t leave your oldest out of this conversation. Instead of re-teaching the whole lesson myself, I had my younger two explain it to her. And wow, it stuck! Almost a year later, my five-year-old was still bringing it up, remembering the details like it was yesterday.

That’s when I realized: it’s because she taught it. When kids explain something in their own words, it moves from head knowledge to heart understanding.

Practical tips for parents:

• Let your child teach a sibling what you just explained.

• Ask them to share the lesson with Dad when he gets home.

• Have them call Grandma or Grandpa and “teach” the principle over the phone.

• Use play — like a whiteboard, a game, or even snack time — to make it fun.

When kids teach, they internalize truth in a deeper way. They own it. And when it’s paired with joy and fun, the memory is stored in a part of the brain that makes it easier to recall later.

So, what Kingdom principle do you want your kids to grasp this week? Try letting them teach it—and watch how it grows in their hearts.