Before we all get too carried away with the kids music and how good it is for our youngsters, let me quote from someone whom I respect greatly (if not for her expertise in children’s ministry, at least for her choice of marriage partner). Describing 5-7 year olds Stephanie Carmichael says:

Even though many of these children are reading and writing, their vocabulary is still limited. Try to use simple vocabulary, particularly when explaining difficult concepts ... They are still thinking on a concrete level, so you need to explain things on a concrete level. Limit abstract concepts, use visual aids. Remember to keep within their realm of experience.” (Their God is So BIG, page 30)

Put yourself in the shoes of the 5-7 year old (the average one, not the certainly-well-above-average Cheng girls) with limited vocab and concrete thinking: what would they understand by “In how many persons does God exist?” Even for adults that is a curious expression, with extremely abstract concepts most adults don’t really grasp. But what will it conjure up in the mind of a 5 year old?

“Oh, but they soak it up and one day they’ll understand it”. Maybe. But I understand the research shows that kids don’t tend to retain things they don’t understand. (I know, there’s always exceptions.) But why can’t we try to teach kids what they can understand now so that they relate to God now at their level, instead of trying to teach them as if they were adults?

I’m not saying don’t try to explain the Trinity to kids. All I’m suggesting is that we need to teach it in an age-appropriate way, conscious of their (God-given) limitations.

By the way, Ian, I should make it clear I think your wife’s book is wonderful, and have used it heaps teaching Sunday School.

I am curious to know, how would you or she explain the Trinity in an age-appropriate way to young children?

I can’t think of a simpler way than “3 persons in one God, not 3 gods”. I know it’s difficult to understand, but then the Trinity will always be beyond our understanding.

Have you got any other ideas of how to explain it?

I am curious to know, how would you or she explain the Trinity in an age-appropriate way to young children?

I think we would (and did with our kids and in the <a >Teaching Little Ones</a> curriculum) take the view that we will teach on the Trinity in the way that the Bible generally does. That is, it doesn’t really have a Westminster Confession type section outlining the nature of the Godhead, but rather, when we talked about Jesus we talked about him as God’s Son, and as God, and we explained that when he was on earth he was “able to do things that only God can do because he was God”. We would talk about God the Father in heaven and how he made us and loves us. We didn’t talk a lot about God the Holy Spirit, who is God living inside us and helping us, until primary age.

Did we try to explain the Trinity as three persons in one God? Not particularly. Nor did it ever occur to our infant kids that this was a problem that needed explaining. There’s a certain amount of abstract cognitive ability a child needs before they even understand the difficulty adults can sometimes have with the idea of three-in-one.