Category Archives: About All Age Groups

God created people to grow developmentally. At each age you will face a different set of issues that will affect how you teach.

Question about Age Level Characteristics

Why is it important to understand age level characteristics of the students you are teaching?

People have different needs at the various stages of life. Understanding developmental needs will help us make teaching more relevant for them. People have different abilities at varying age levels. While we want to challenge and stretch students, we don’t want to frustrate them. And, we don’t want to bore them with content and methods below their abilities. Reaching people where they are is biblical. The Apostle Paul said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Cor. 9:22).

For help, check out:

• Age Level Characteristics Resource
• Make Truths Relevant for Students Worksheet

More Questions about Age Level Issues

Here are two additional questions on age level issues answered in the Bible Teacher’s Handbook of Frequently Asked Questions.

• How does spiritual growth correspond with age level development?
• How do we teach multiple ages in one group?

The handbook responds to a total of 153 questions related to 49 different teaching issues.

(If you’re looking for help with administrative issues related to age levels, go to: More FAQ about Age Level Issues)

Our objective as a Church should be to reach all age levels, acknowledging that all need to be pointed to Jesus as the One who saves them from sin. Then they all need to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

Reach All with Age Levels Understanding to Help Them Grow

While there are similarities in needs, how we reach them must vary by age level development. This video presentation provides an overview of the differences.

Articles that correspond with this video can be read to add increased understanding of reaching students in these ways at their various age levels:

Environment:

• A Place Preschoolers Want to Be
• A Place Preschoolers Don’t Want to Be
• A Place Grade School Children Want to Be
• A Place Grade School Children Don’t Want to Be
• A Place Youth Want to Be
• A Place Youth Don’t Want to Be
• A Place Adults Want to Be
• A Place Adults Don’t Want to Be

Motivation:

• Motivating Preschoolers to Learn
• Motivating Grade School Children to Learn
• Motivating Teens to Learn
• Motivating Young Adults to Learn
• Motivating Middle Aged Adults to Learn
• Motivating Senior Adults to Learn

Methods:

• Methods for Preschoolers
• Methods for Grade School Children
• Methods for Teens
• Methods for Adult Bible Classes

All of this has been brought together for a Group Training Session, Reaching All Age Levels, that you can use with your entire Bible teaching staff. It includes a PowerPoint presentation of the above video and handouts of all the above listed articles you can use as breakout sessions to personalize the training for teachers of the various age levels.