If you’re looking for a devotional for kids, you might be asking the wrong question.
Instead of asking, “How long should a devotional take?”, perhaps we should ask:
“What could devotional time look like for my child?”
Because a devotional doesn’t have to mean sitting at a desk with a Bible open for fifteen minutes.
It could happen under a tree.
On a beach.
Walking through a forest.
At the zoo.
On a mountain.
Around a campfire.
In the car.
At the breakfast table.
While watching the sunset.
Or sitting on the end of your child’s bed after a difficult day. God isn’t limited to a page in a devotional book. And children don’t experience life sitting neatly at a desk.
A Devotional for Kids Can Happen Anywhere
One of the wonderful things about Scripture is that God constantly uses the world around us to help us understand Him.
Jesus looked at birds and flowers and used them to teach people about God’s care.
He talked about seeds. Farmers. Fishing. Storms. Sheep. Vineyards. Bread. Coins. Families. Children. Parties. Work. Walking.
Jesus didn’t separate spiritual lessons from ordinary life.
He found God-teachable moments everywhere.
Why shouldn’t we do the same with our children?
Imagine walking along a beach with your child. You notice the waves. Instead of saying, “Time for today’s devotional,” you could ask:
“Have you ever thought about how powerful the ocean is? What do you think it tells us about God?”
Suddenly, you’re having a spiritual conversation. No worksheet required.
The Best Devotional Might Not Look Like a Devotional
Sometimes we become so focused on completing a devotional that we miss the opportunity right in front of us.
Your child comes home upset because a friend excluded them. That’s a devotional opportunity.
Your child sees a spectacular sunset. That’s a devotional opportunity.
You find a tiny bird building a nest. That’s a devotional opportunity.
Your child is fascinated by an animal at the zoo. That’s a devotional opportunity.
You’re driving through a storm. That’s a devotional opportunity.
Your child asks:
“Why does God let bad things happen?”
That’s definitely a devotional opportunity.
The question isn’t always:
“Did we do our devotional today?”
Sometimes the better question is:
“Where did we notice God today?”
Kids Don’t All Meet God in the Same Place
This is especially important with preteens. One child may love sitting quietly with a Bible and journal.
Another may become completely engaged when you’re walking through the woods.
Another may want to talk while kicking a football.
Another might open up while you’re driving somewhere together.
Another may discover something about God while caring for an animal.
We have to meet children where they are.
And where they are isn’t always where we expect them to be. A devotional shouldn’t force every child into the same mould. It should create opportunities for children to encounter God’s Word, God’s creation, God’s people, and God’s presence in ways that make sense to them.
Nature Is a Wonderful Place for Devotional Time
The Bible tells us that creation points us toward God.
Psalm 19:1 says:
“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”
That gives us a wonderful reason to get children outside.
Take your Bible to the park. Walk through a forest. Sit beside a river. Watch the clouds. Look at insects. Listen to birds. Watch the waves. Look at the stars.
Then ask questions.
What do you notice?
What does this make you wonder about God?
What does this remind you of from the Bible?
Why do you think God made it this way?
You aren’t abandoning Scripture.
You’re helping children connect Scripture with the world God created.
Let Children Wonder
Perhaps one of the biggest mistakes we can make with devotional time is trying to provide an answer too quickly.
Children are naturally curious. They notice things adults often overlook. They ask unexpected questions. They make connections we hadn’t considered.
Let them.
Instead of immediately explaining everything, try saying:
“That’s interesting. What do you think?”
Or:
“I’ve never thought about it that way. Let’s look at what the Bible says.”
A devotional can be an exploration rather than a lesson.
Sometimes the most important thing a child takes away isn’t an answer. It’s a better question.
Use Stories
Jesus understood the power of a story.
So do children.
If you’re reading about David, don’t simply ask children to remember the events. Tell the story. Act it out. Imagine what it was like to stand on that hillside.
What would you have seen?
What would you have heard?
What would you have felt?
What would you have done if you were there?
Then bring the conversation back to God.
What does this story tell us about Him?
Stories give children something to imagine. And imagination is a powerful doorway into faith.
Use the Places Around You
You don’t need a special location. Your own neighbourhood can become a devotional environment.
Walking past a playground? Talk about children and God’s care.
Passing someone helping another person? Talk about kindness.
Seeing someone sitting alone? Talk about noticing people.
Walking past a garden? Talk about growth.
Watching someone struggle? Talk about compassion.
Standing in a queue? Talk about patience.
A devotional for kids can become a way of teaching children to look for God in ordinary life.
That’s a much bigger habit than simply completing a page.
So How Long Should a Devotional for Kids Be?
Now we can answer the original question.
As long as the moment needs to be.
Sometimes it’s five minutes. Sometimes it’s ten.
Sometimes it’s a conversation that lasts half an hour.
Sometimes it’s simply one question asked while you’re walking together.
And sometimes the best devotional doesn’t have a beginning and an ending at all.
It becomes part of the day.
You see something. You wonder about it. You connect it to God.
You talk. You pray. You keep walking.
That’s okay.
The Goal Isn’t a Perfect Devotional Routine
We should be careful not to turn devotional time into another achievement for children.
Thirty consecutive days.
Every box ticked.
Every page completed.
Every memory verse memorised.
Those things can be useful.
But they aren’t the ultimate goal.
The goal is something much bigger:
Helping children learn to notice God.
To wonder about Him. To ask questions. To recognise His creation. To hear His Word. To talk about faith. To bring ordinary experiences to Him.
And eventually, to begin doing those things without us.
A 30-Day Devotional Can Still Be Creative
This doesn’t mean a structured devotional has to be rigid.
Our 30 Days Through Matthew devotional gives preteens a daily journey through the Gospel, but the pages are designed to become a starting point for exploration.
Read the story. Then go outside. Talk about it. Draw something. Ask a question. Try the challenge.
Look for something in everyday life that connects with what Jesus taught.
Pray while you’re walking. Talk about the passage over breakfast. Use the devotional as a launchpad, not a cage.
The page can start the conversation. Life can continue it.
What If We Changed the Way We Think About Devotions?
Perhaps we need to stop thinking of devotional time as something we fit children into.
Instead, we can start looking for the moments where children are already curious, excited, worried, fascinated, confused, joyful, disappointed, or full of questions.
Those are the moments where faith can become real.
A child watching waves doesn’t need a lecture.
They might simply need you to ask:
“What do you think God wants us to notice?”
A child looking at the stars might ask:
“How did God make all of that?”
A child holding a tiny animal might wonder:
“Why would God make something this amazing?”
A child who has been hurt might need:
“What do you think Jesus would say to you right now?”
Those moments matter.
Be Creative. God Is.
That’s perhaps the most important principle.
Be creative. God is.
He created oceans and forests. Mountains and deserts. Birds and butterflies. Children and families. Sunsets and storms.
He speaks through Scripture, but He also gave us a world full of reminders of who He is.
Jesus knew how to take an ordinary thing and turn it into a doorway to something eternal.
A seed became a lesson about God’s kingdom. A lost sheep became a story about God’s love. A child became an example of faith. A meal became an opportunity to teach. A storm became a lesson about trust.
So when you’re wondering how long a devotional for kids should be, perhaps don’t start with the clock.
Start with the child.
Where are they?
What are they interested in?
What are they experiencing?
What questions are they asking?
Where might God already be inviting them to notice Him?
Then meet them there.
Devotional Time Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated
Take the Bible. Take your child. And go somewhere.
Walk. Explore. Look. Listen. Wonder. Ask questions. Tell stories. Laugh. Pray.
And let the ordinary world become a place where your child learns to see an extraordinary God.
That’s what a devotional for kids can become.
Not another task to complete.
An adventure of discovering God in Scripture, creation, conversation, and everyday life.
Explore 30 Days Through Matthew
Our 30 Days Through Matthew devotional gives preteens a structured journey through Scripture while leaving plenty of room for conversation, creativity, reflection, and real-life application.
Meet Jesus. Discover His Story. Follow His Way.