Parents want to instill values in to their kids. That’s why teach them things like politeness, gratitude, and sharing. Christian parents also want to teach spiritual disciplines like prayer and giving to the church. One of the most important things we can teach them is to spend daily time with their Lord, and that’s where Keys for Kids shines.
The elevator pitch
Keys for Kids (iOS, Android) is a daily devotional that only takes about 5 minutes to listen to. Each devotion features a story with great narration by “Zack.” The stories are typically life lessons with a verse application given by the story’s parent, and a nice challenge at the end.
Easy enough for kids to use
I first discovered the app when looking for a way to encourage my 8 and 10 year old to have their own time with God, apart from our dinner devotions. The primary requirement was that it would be something they could fully initiate on their own, enabling them to own their “God time” without me needing to be involved.
The app is quite simple to fire up and play. They have a new devotion each day, and it’s accessed from the main page. Kids simply open the app, tap the new devotion, and spend a few minutes listening. We’ve used the app for nearly a year now and I rarely have to remind them to do it because it easily integrates into their daily routine.
Specific and relevant
The biggest hurdle to overcome with children’s content is that it’s often out of touch or treats kids like they aren’t intelligent enough to have questions about the world around them. Keys for Kids has dealt with topics like divorce, wildfires, death, and racism alongside the “normal” stuff kids deal with like anger, jealousy, and selfishness.
This approach gives kids something meaningful to think about and discuss. Things like bullying or materialism are very real for kids, and it’s so important for them to filter it through a biblical worldview. Even if they don’t personally deal with the day’s topic, they still hear how we can process difficult situations biblically.
The verses quoted are generally used well. I was wary for the first few weeks as I waited for a child to be encouraged to win a baseball game through Phillipians 4:13, but I’ve heard no real issues with the theology or interpretations.
Adults aren’t idiots
The narrator and parents are often the ones providing wisdom and guidance, reinforcing that children are disciples of their parents. The parent isn’t absent or clueless – they demonstrate what it looks like to grow and mature. The shorter nature of the devotions means parents can be a bit “Leave It to Beaver”-esque at times, but I always appreciate the parent’s role in each story.
It’s also easy to talk to kids about what they listened to. While I encourage mine to discuss the topic together, there are times where I’ve really enjoyed the story and wanted to provide some more insight into the lesson. This is especially true of topics that they may simply be unaware of, or need some more detail on what struggles different people face.
Extra stuff
The app also features a radio station and links to their “on demand” audio programs that, admittedly, we’ve never used. However, it’s certainly a nice touch and may find use in other families. The programs seem especially nice for families that need something to listen to in the car.
If there’s one negative about the app, it’s the requirement of a Keys for Kids account to use the app. I’m sure there’s a behind-the-scenes reason, but we’ve had a frustrating situation where we were signed out of the app and couldn’t remember our password, leaving us unable to listen when we needed to.
Final Thoughts
I’m very thankful to have this app for my kids. As a parent, it’s such a joy to hear the discussions generated each day. It’s especially encouraging to hear them recall a lesson from weeks ago when we’re discussing something together. The production value is high, the lessons are solid, and it sets kids up to view their world biblically.
You can check out the Keys for Kids website to see everything they have to offer. You can also download the app for iOS and Android devices.
