Teach the Ten Commandments to Kids

Children can learn the 10 Commandments. Our free resources will help you explain God’s Law to even the youngest kids.

Teaching the Ten Commandments with Hand Motions

We absolutely love teaching Bible memorization with ASL sign language for memory cues. There is not better way to help young children, especially preschoolers, learn God’s Word. This video was created by a homeschool mom on YouTube, check out her channel for more great ideas.

Child appropriate paraphrase of the Ten Commandments

The 10 Commandments for Kids

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Kids Version (No Words)

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WORD DOC – to add your own translationDownload

Black & White Version

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Printable Ten Commandments Poster

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Ten Commandments Coloring Pages

• Ten Commandment Sunday School Lesson
• Preschool Bible Lesson on the Ten Commandments

• Moses and the Law of 10 Commandments (preschool coloring page)
• PDF Worksheets on the 10 Commandments
• Commandments Preschool Booklet [pdf] and Mini Book [pdf]
• Moses Songs for Preschoolers
• Go Fish Guys sing the 10 Commandment Song

Why do God’s 10 commandments still matter?

The 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1–17 (compare 5 translations) and Deuteronomy 5:4–21) are key to understanding the Old Testament and by extension the ministry of Jesus. They show us God’s moral standard for how his people should live. This is a scripture passage that kids need to memorize, but language can get in the way. Here is our way to make them understandable for even preschool aged children. As kids mature they should learn the original Bible verses.

God’s rules protect us from ourselves – they are a guide to living a life of blessing in this fallen world. It’s important for kids and families to learn the God’s rules for life. Like everything in the Bible, the commandments show us how a moral lifestyle will protect us from danger and minimize suffering. We think this is a super important lesson for kids to learn at a very young age.

God’s LAW lead us to Christ because only he was the perfect example of keeping God’s rules. They are a tutor showing children how the life of obedience can be hard and only Jesus can empower us to live in a right relationship to our creator. It’s not about being a good moral person (it’s more important) because the commandments prepare our hearts to repent and accept Christ. This is the hope in teaching children what the Bible says.

This is only a paraphrase of Exodus 20:1–17 and Deuteronomy 5:4–21 to help children understand. We suggest they learn the real version as soon as possible.

You can also compare the 10 Commandments English Standard Version or the International Children’s Bible (ICB). We also think the Message has a good paraphrase. For more background, you can even read about the Ten Commandments on Wikipedia.

The Ten Commandments in KJV

EXODUS 20:1-17 KJV

1 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.