Mama, we’re given growth charts for height, weight, and when they should be able to hop on one foot. Backwards. While spinning. And reciting the alphabet.
But where’s the chart for measuring children’s spiritual growth? What even are those markers of growth? And hear this: Success can’t be measured by how many Bible verses your child has memorized or how often you do family devotions.
You’ll know you’ve succeeded when your child transfers his or her primary love, submission, and dependence from you to Jesus.
Like Chip Ingram writes in Effective Parenting in a Defective World, our goal is not to produce independent children; it’s to produce children who have transferred their dependence onto the Lord and are growing to become more like him.
We know that from birth to adulthood, children move from concrete thinking to abstract.
- From birth to 4-5, kids are learning basic information and rules on how to live rightly.
- From 6-10, they begin to understand that disobedience is a relationship issue–whether to you, a teacher, or God.
- From 11-15, they care about the reason behind the rules. Let them see your rules come from a place of love and protection.
- And from 16 on, they are finding resolve to put their beliefs into action.
But how do we measure if they’re on track?
Children’s Spiritual Growth Chart
Look no further than our Spiritual Growth Chart for children–free to download and print today.
You’ll find markers of spiritual growth, trackable from pre-k to 18. Print, share with your child, and check them off as (s)he grows. Notice and compliment progress on the growth chart. Pull it out on birthdays.
Bonus: Print and fill out our Spiritual Growth Award (also included).
Do you see your child exhibiting spiritual growth or a fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, or self-control)? Print off a Spiritual Growth Award, present it to your child, and wait for those little eyes to light up!
After you celebrate, discuss the next markers. Does your child see one (s)he’d like to work toward next?
More Spiritual Markers for Any Age and Stage
Some additional spiritual growth markers aren’t age or stage-specific. They’re good for all of us–no matter our ages.
To find those markers, Barna Group looks at 3 sections of scripture:
- The 10 Commandments (Exodus 20)
- The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)
- The Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5)
How many can you or your child check off now:
- Worship only God
- Speak without profanity or crude language
- Honor the Sabbath
- Honor your parents
- No murder—or hate
- Keep sexual purity
- Honor other’s possessions
- Be honest
- Be humble
- Promote justice
- Forgive
- Make peace
- Avoid gossip
- Commit to Jesus
- Celebrate life
- Enjoy life
- Love others
- Show love/kindness to everyone
- Be generous
- Pray
- Be self-controlled
- Be gentle
- Trust God and do not fear/worry
- Be obedient to God
Occasions for Presenting Spiritual Growth Awards
There are so many occasions perfect for giving a child a spiritual growth award:
- Birthdays: You’re celebrating their growth anyway. Pull out the chart and award them for the growth you’ve noticed most this year!
- Religious holidays: Christmas and Easter are great opportunities to recognize a child’s spiritual growth and present an award.
- Milestones: Baptism, first communion, or confirmation are important milestones in a child’s spiritual journey and can be celebrated with a spiritual growth award.
- Graduations: Graduating from a religious education program, such as Sunday school or a youth group, is a significant accomplishment and can be recognized with an award.
- Service projects: If a child has been involved in volunteering or serving others, a spiritual growth award can acknowledge their efforts and encourage them to continue their service.
- Personal achievements: If a child has made significant strides in their spiritual growth journey, such as deepening their prayer life, reading and studying religious texts, or showing kindness and compassion to others, a spiritual growth award can recognize their efforts and inspire them to continue growing.
Overall, any occasion that celebrates a child’s spiritual growth and encourages them to continue on the path of faith can be a great opportunity to give them a spiritual growth award.
Download Our Printables!
We’re so excited to offer you our Spiritual Growth Chart and Awards download! Print and post on the fridge or pull out on birthdays or holidays. Enjoy!
Enjoy!
And remember, fellow Pioneer: No matter what territory you’re navigating, you can cultivate their seeds of faith. Simply. And for true legacy.
P.S. If you’re interested in Christian family rhythms, check out our post on one of my favorite books: Habits of the Household. Get a summary and some great takeaways you can apply today. Like the book? Order it here. And no, we never use affiliate links. What I recommend is purely because its goodness is too big to keep secret.