Keys for Kids - daily devotions and Bible stories for kids and families

Read: John 20:24-29 “Mom,” Ethan said hesitantly one day, “did you…uh…did you ever think about having plastic surgery to fix all those scars on your face?” For as long as Ethan could remember, there had been ugly red scars on his mother’s face and hands. He was used to them and hardly noticed them, but some kids in his class had asked what was wrong with her and whispered about the way she looked....

Read: James 2:1-9 “Look!” Naomi pointed to a tin can outside her family’s apartment building. “Somebody is a litterbug.” “Yeah,” said Samuel. “Let’s throw that old can in the trash.” As he picked it up with a napkin, he noticed something stuffed inside. “Hey! There’s money in here!” Samuel and Naomi hurried inside, eagerly discussing all the things they could do with the money. “Hold on!” Dad said...

Read: Proverbs 3:5-6; Hebrews 13:20-21 “I can’t wait to taste maple syrup!” Brady said, smacking his lips. Mom laughed. She was chaperoning his field trip to the nature center to see how maple syrup was made. As they trudged behind their group, Brady sighed. “I wish I was invited to my teacher’s wedding.” Mom was surprised. “Why do you want to go?” Brady frowned. “What if I get married someday? I...

Read: John 3:16; Colossians 1:13-14 As Jana sat at the dining room table doing her homework, she looked out the window and saw a beautiful butterfly. It was flying from flower to flower, getting nectar. Jana loved how gracefully the butterfly floated through the air and then landed on a flower for some nectar. “How’s your homework coming?” Mom called from the kitchen. “It’s coming!” Jana replied....

Read: Luke 16:10-12; 1 Corinthians 4:2 It was a warm day, and Dad had just finished digging up the garden plot so he and Eliza and Jeremiah could plant sweet corn. “Hey, look!” exclaimed Eliza, bending over a corner of the plot. “An earthworm! We learned about earthworms at school. They eat dirt.” She picked it up and waved it under her brother’s nose. “Doesn’t that sound yummy, Jeremiah?” “Ew, gr...

Read: 1 Samuel 3:1-10 Konan looked at the fish lying in the bucket at Grandpa’s feet and frowned. “Why are they biting for you and not me?” he asked. “Well, you keep pulling in your line to check the bait and moving to different sides of the boat,” Grandpa said. “If you want to catch fish, you can’t keep moving around all the time. Try sitting still.” Konan sighed. “I don’t like to sit still.” “I...

Read: Matthew 25:31-46 Simi pouted as she placed the bag of toys beside the other cartons in the back of the minivan. “Mummy, why do we have to go to the refugee camp on a Saturday?” Simi’s mum shut the van’s back door. “You already know why, Simi. Those children need all the love and attention they can get.” “I know.” Simi kicked a stone into the sand as she walked to the front seat of the miniva...

Read: Matthew 5:44-48; Ephesians 4:32 “No, not Amie! Now we’re really gonna lose!” The entire team sighed in unison as Amie approached the plate and waited for the kickball. She hadn’t felt well all morning, and now the weight of her teammates’ disgust seemed to make her insides churn even more. Just as the teacher was about to roll the ball, Amie gasped. “Mrs. Anderson! I have to—” It was too lat...

Read: Philippians 4:4-7 “What if I don’t make the team, Dad?” Felix asked as they hiked a rugged trail. He had spent most of their backpacking trip finding things to worry about. “Felix, all you’ve done today is worry,” Dad said. “I could understand your concerns if we were fending off mountain lions or something, but the most dangerous animal we’ve seen was the timid gray squirrel that scurried a...

Read: Psalm 25:6-7; 1 John 1:9 Jacki and Blake waited anxiously in line with their uncle at High Seas Tees—the best mini-golf course in the entire world. Blake stretched himself tall to see to the front of the line when he noticed a sign that read: Mulligans $2, all proceeds go toward field trip funds! “What’s a mulligan?” Blake asked Uncle Lee. “It’s a redo in golf,” Uncle Lee answered. “The firs...

Read: Psalm 139:3-12 “I’m scared, Mom,” River said. “What if Dad never comes back?” “I don’t know if he’s going to, River. I don’t know how things will work out.” River’s stomach hurt. It had been hurting a lot since his dad stormed out of their house weeks earlier. “It’s just you and me?” “You, me, and God.” Mom tapped her computer screen. “And I need to find a job.” Things went from bad to worse...

Read: John 3:13-17; Romans 6:23 “And I’m just so thankful God forgives and helps us, or else I’d be totally lost!” Mandy’s mom was saying as she talked on the phone. “What is she talking about? What does she mean God forgives us? For what?” Mandy’s friend Hailey asked as they sat coloring at the kitchen table. “God forgives us for our sins,” Mandy replied. “What does ‘sin’ mean? Why do we need to...

Read: John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:1-5 “All right!” Garrison exclaimed as Dad pulled the car into Grandma’s driveway. “We’re finally here!” Grandma lived so far away that they had been traveling for two days to get to her house. “Yay!” said Charis. “I’m tired of being in the car.” Dad grinned. “Me too. All I want to do right now is relax with a nice tall glass of iced tea.” Garrison laughed. “Well,...

Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1-7 Samantha sighed and slid in her earbuds. Sometimes being part of a blended family wasn’t easy. She now had three siblings instead of just one, and they were constantly arguing. “We always watch this game show on Mondays.” Tori stood in front of the TV with her hands on her hips. “It’s a tradition.” “Well, guess what?” said Reid. “Now you have a new tradition—watching spo...

Read: Mark 4:26-29; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9 It was a beautiful spring morning, and Leah couldn’t wait to help her mom plant their garden. This was the first year she was big enough to help. “Morning, Mom!” Leah exclaimed as she entered the kitchen. “Well, look at you, up and ready to go.” Over breakfast, Mom and Leah talked about what to plant. Leah loved tomatoes, so they’d definitely plant some toma...

Read: Psalm 119:105 “I haven’t seen the stuff in this old trunk in years,” Gramps told Evan. “There’s no telling what we’re going to find today.” Digging through the trunk was like digging through a treasure chest. “Wow, is this a picture of you and Grandma on your wedding day?” “It is. We sure look different now, don’t we?” Gramps laughed. “Look at this.” He opened up a box with his first pocketk...

Read: Philippians 2:1-8; Hebrews 10:24-25 Max felt sad every time he and his family walked past anyone asking for money. Living in the city, it happened pretty much every day. He wished there was some way to help those people and change their lives. What do You want me to do, Lord? Max prayed as he followed his family on their walk to church one Sunday. As Pastor John started to talk, Max was surp...

Read: Isaiah 55:8-9; John 9:1-3 “Why, God?” murmured Jolene as she hugged her baby brother. They had recently learned that Jaiden was deaf. “Oh, Jolene,” Mom had said gently after they found out. “I don’t know why God allowed this to happen. His ways are not like ours, but He is good and loves us so much that He sent His own Son to save us from the mess sin made of us and our world. Even when we d...

Read: Proverbs 12:17-22 “There!” Isaac said as he finished pounding a nail. “This is the best tree house ever! When it’s really windy like this, you can feel the whole tree house move. It’s like being in a swaying castle! Let’s ask if we can sleep out here tonight.” “I know my dad won’t let me,” said Bryce. “He says he has to be sure it’s safe first.” “My dad said the same thing,” said Isaac. “I k...

Read: James 4:7-11 Harley’s cat jumped up on the desk and started batting at her pencil. “Mom, can you come get Sassy?” Harley called down the hallway. “I’m trying to do my homework.” Mom came to Harley’s door and laughed when she saw Sassy bat Harley’s pencil out of her hand and onto the floor. “Can you take her, please?” Harley asked. “She’s distracting me, and I need to get this done so I can m...

Read: Matthew 18:15, 23-35 “Dad, look at this sore on my arm.” Cole pulled up his sleeve to expose a weeping red gash on his forearm. “Is that where you got burned at the bonfire?” Dad asked. “It’s getting worse. Let’s see if Dr. Patel can look at it.” While Dad called the clinic, Cole scratched his arm. When Dad hung up the phone, he said, “They had a cancellation. If we hurry we can see the doct...

Read: Matthew 14:22-33; Hebrews 11:1-2 Callie turned down the final loop of the zoo. “Best day of school ever! I love animals!” “And I love that we’re both homeschooled and can go on field trips more often!” Callie’s best friend, Katie, grinned. “Hey, look at that cool-looking antelope!” Katie and Callie marveled at the antelope’s twisted horns that spiraled close to thirty-five inches high. “Mom,...

Read: Matthew 7:7-8; 11:27-30 “Grandpa, I think Grandma needs hearing aids,” said Kelsey. “Someone knocked at the door this morning and Grandma didn’t hear it. By the time I got to the door, the person was gone.” “That’s odd,” said Grandpa. “I haven’t noticed a problem, but I’ll try to pay more attention.” Kelsey had been living with her grandparents for a few weeks while her mother was away on mi...

Read: John 1:35-45 “This is the best pizza I’ve ever eaten!” Jonah pumped a fist in the air. “I can’t believe this place is here to stay. I’m going to tell my friends about it.” Mom smiled. “I think our family will be eating here often.” As soon as he got home, Jonah started a video conversation with a couple of his friends. He was quick to tell them about the pizza he’d just had and where they co...

Read: Matthew 21:12-13; John 11:35; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Dad?” Madison opened the door to her dad’s workshop. “My favorite girl! How was art class?” Dad asked. Madison ran to hug him. “The art part was good.” She paused as she bit her lip. “What part wasn’t?” Dad asked her, looking concerned. He took off his gloves and set them on the bench. “Well, Mia told me that I’m too happy. She said I ne...