How do I explain God to my 3 year old?

Question

I know I will get flack for this, and people will tell me not to talk to my son about God. So this question is directed to those who obviously don't feel that way.

I have a 3 year old and I have talked to him about God, but don't know how to explain things to him so that he will understand. He asks where God is and if He will be visiting us, things like that and I don't know how to explain it to him.

Thank you to those who answered the actual question I asked some of you were really helpful.
I don't understand those of you who have the need to be offensive and rude. This is my son and if I choose to share my faith with him that is my decision.

Moireas fate I actually was not refering to your post about being rude..others were however and NOW you are being rude.
I am sorry for what your nephew went through, but that one experience is NOT a representative of the whole of Christianity.
In my original question I was simply asking how As a Christian parent who mentions God in her day to day life I can try and explain Him to my 3 year old. I completely get that it is a hard concept for children to understand and that is the reason for my question!!
And what do you mean "don't give me this he is my son crap".. He IS MY son! and no one has the right to tell me what I should and should not teach my son.
Should a vegetarian not explain being a vegetarian to their child? do they not have a right to explain their views to their own children? They DO and so do I!!!!!!

Answer 1

I am sad to read all of the negative answers here. I am a mother, and I find that at 3 years old, a child is very open to the idea of a loving God. Just talk to him. pray with him, attend church together. Your beliefs and relationship with God will be teach him much more than mere words. Perhaps if you question your own beliefs, now would be a good time to study and pray for yourself, finding the confidence and knowledge to share with him. God bless.

Answer 2

I plan on telling my son about God/Jesus at a very young age. I plan to use the children's videos and children's Bibles and also to tell him in the easiest terms possible about what Jesus did for him. I know some Christians that have been born-again since they were 6. If I can give my child the opportunity to have a relationship with God starting so young, I would be very happy. I myself wasn't a born-again Christian until I was 15 and I would have loved to know the Lord much sooner and think I would have if I was given the opportunity.

Answer 3

I also have a three year old son. Since I believe in God-love and there are two natures of God: immanent and transcendent, I teach him by:

First. I become like a child with him so that he would understand how I love him so much. I listen, play, work, pray with him. I teach him the meaning of some religious symbols like washing of hands, smiling, caring, feeding the hungry, etc.

Second. I show him the beauty of the universe, the greatness of the creator of all these. I make his toys. I provide him all he needs.

Third. I make him understand that God is in other persons; with his brothers, our neighbors, relatives, all. I make him realize that it is not good to hurt other people because God is in them.

I hope this will help.

Answer 4

I am copying my answer to a question asked several months ago: “Trinity - how to explain to a four year old?”

Explain your 3 year old;
There is only one God
God exists in three persons
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.
God is a Spirit, and has not a body like men.

Here is link to the questions & answer (catechism) for young children, teaching them the biblical doctrines and beliefs.

http://www.reformed.org/documents/index.html?mainframe=http://www.reformed.org/documents/cat_for_young_children.html

Answer 5

Introduce your child to the video series Vegetales. They are really good.

Keep it simple but honest.

Where is God? God is in Heaven.
Where is Heaven?
Heaven is past all the stars up in the sky.
Who is God?
God created all the people and everything on the earth.
Will God be visiting us?
Yes, God can see us right now from Heaven, but one day, he is going to send is son Jesus back to the earth to make it perfect.
Who is Jesus?
Jesus is Gods son who has always been with him in heaven. Jesus and God the Father created everything together. Jesus came down to earth one time and was born on earth just like you and I. The reason he did this is so that he could meet all the people and tell them that he and his Father loves everyone very much.


As the child gets older, you can start explaining the concepts of the trinity, etc. pertaining to God. Your child can not grasp that concept yet, but having knowledge of God early on will make it easier for your child later.

Answer 6

The best way is to live the life yourself. A child of 3 years is in need of learning self control, one of the things Jesus taught for everyone. Peace via "do unto others as you would have them do for you" is a primary lesson for one so young. This principle is taught easily enough if there are older siblings as you coach their interaction and play the Peace Keeper yourself.

To understand early childhood development and how Christian principles are taught in a practical concrete way, I strongly recommend reading Maria Montessori's books beginning with "The Absorbent Mind" and "Spontaneous Activity in Education".

Any spiritual teaching should be age appropriate and at age three, self control is the most important lesson to learn.

As for more abstract ideas like God as Creator or Protector, you need to demonstrate these traits yourself as demonstration and explain as the need presents itself. Having your 'little helper' in the kitchen works well at different stages. "Don't touch a hot stove" is the type of warning to prevent burns but be careful with negative statements. You should rather say, "Stay away from the hot stove" or something like that. If you say "don't" or "no" too much to a three y/o, it blends out and all the child hears is what comes after....'touch a hot stove'. What I am trying to say is, be positive. As the child grows, you can make the connections to spiritual lessons and the nature of God.

Something you must realize (if you do not already) is that a child has a thousand times more faith than you do as an adult. Their power to create, dream, imagine and learn is profound. (more on that and the nature of 'child-like faith' if you want to email me). Hope must also be nurtured by keeping every promise you make. Jesus of course said not to forswear yourself (make promises) in order to avoid breaking them and making a liar out of yourself. To a child, this is devastating. Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever break a promise to a child!!!!!

If you teach your child or anyone else about God and do not do these simple things then it will not make any sense to them later in life.

btw- Both me and my youngest (3 y/o) love to watch Veggie Tales.

Answer 7

I would share with him that God is in his heart. I would teach him the Bible and take him to Church with me and live my life in a Godly way. The most important thing, I would never ever let him attend a public school where they would brain wash him to reject God and your moral values. I would send him to a good Christian school, or better yet, home school him. I would take him to the Creation Museum as he grows old enough to appreciate and remember. I would get many historic documents from www.wallbuilders.org

God will reward you for doing these things.

Answer 8

Be upfront. Using words that are symbolic will only confuse him. Describe God so that you, too, understand the words. Describe what God has accomplished both Biblically and in your life. Explain that God is alive, but lives in heaven. If he wants to know about heaven, try Rev 21. Best thing is to anticipate some of his questions. Most children like pictures. Books are readily available with stories of creation, the flood, Samson, and many others.

Answer 9

I see you already have some good answers here. I also recommend a Children's Bible. Also, just start pointing to things like the sky, trees, dogs, etc. and tell him "God made that". You can quiz him later by saying "Who made that?" and make a game out of it.

Answer 10

As a 3 year old, its pretty difficult to explain what God is to him. But, the best explanation is that God is everywhere. He is always watching over you, protecting you and guiding you from your everyday life.