How to Teach Christian Contentment to Children [Free Download]

Our family story is filled with both triumphs and trials. Over the years, we’ve faced unexpected turns — like living in an RV when we thought we’d be building a home, navigating the complexities of our children’s special needs, and weathering financial setbacks. Time and again, life didn’t unfold the way we had envisioned.

Yet, in the midst of those challenges, we held tightly to our faith, trusting that God’s plan is greater than anything we could imagine. We remained anchored in our core values and our relationship with God through studying the Bible, memorizing Scripture, and other spiritual disciplines to keep God at the center of our lives.

My hope is that when my children look back on these seasons of their childhood, they remember how we leaned on God. I hope they recall the joy and peace we found in the unexpected, how we made room for gratitude even when the road was difficult, and how we confessed our complaining attitudes when we fell short.

With time, I’ve come to see these moments not as detours, but as defining parts of the journey God prepared for us. Teaching my children the virtue of contentment is one of my deepest desires — so they can walk through life with hearts open to God’s plan, and strength to endure whatever may come.

In this blog post:

What is Christ-like contentment?
Contentment in the Bible
Ideas for teaching Christian contentment to kids
5 activities for teaching kids about Biblical contentment
Free week of Flourish Family Bible Curriculum [Free PDF Download]
Bible studies and curriculum from Treehouse Schoolhouse

What is Christ-like contentment?

Contentment means being at peace with what you have because you trust in God to take care of you.

In the Bible, contentment is a skill. It is about learning to be satisfied with what you have, or with your circumstances. Instead of always desiring more – more money, more possessions, more success – contentment means being thankful and trusting God knows what you need and will provide for you in His timing.

For Christians, contentment isn’t based on circumstances, it is based on faith in God’s goodness. Christian contentment means choosing to trust God and be thankful, no matter what.

Contentment in the Bible

When we open the Bible, there are many places we can turn to talk about the idea of contentment. These are also great choices for memory verses or copywork for children.

Philippians 4:12-13 – Perhaps the go-to verse about contentment, Paul says he learned contentment in all circumstances by looking to Christ: “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Hebrews 13:5 – The Hebrew writer says: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”
1 Timothy 6:6-8 – Paul talks about contentment by pointing readers toward heaven, saying: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it.”
Matthew 6:19-21 – In the sermon on the mount, Jesus says: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Proverbs 28:6 – “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.”

Ideas for teaching Christian contentment to kids

Contentment is a simple concept but can be somewhat abstract to define or discuss with kids. We tell them directly about practicing contentment, but how do we instill this into their hearts? Here are some suggestions for ways for teaching contentment to children.

Talking about contentment with kids

First, I like to begin with looking to God, who provides us with everything we need. God is the creator of the world, and God is in control of this world. Our lives and the things we have are blessings from God. God has given us everything we need (Matthew 6:30). We can talk with children about how we are thankful for God, who is in control, and what he has provided us. A primary teaching of contentment is the reordering of our hearts and perspectives to look to God rather than ourselves, and in turn, our circumstances and our possessions, that are fleeting.

We can also talk about faith and learning to trust in God and His plan rather than the circumstances we can see in our own lives. We can illustrate this through Bible stories of those who had faith, and followed God’s directions even though they could not understand what God’s plan was or how he was going to provide, like Noah or Abraham (Hebrews 11). If your children are familiar with these stories, you can use these as a starting off point to talk about how they did or did not practice contentment in these stories.

As you develop an inward idea of trust in God and faith in God, you can also identify and correct outward expressions of contentment. The habit I see often that expresses discontent is complaining. With kids, you can talk about complaining and provide alternatives, like asking your children to express thankfulness to God for what they already have, instead of what they are seeking. You can talk about expressing gratitude and identifying things in their lives to be grateful for.

To me, one of the most encouraging things about contentment is that it is a skill that we can all learn and grow in. As Paul says in Philippians 4:12-13, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” By developing and engaging in these subjects with children, we can teach children how to develop gratitude and contentment in their daily lives.

Modeling contentment for kids

It is also important to consider if we as parents are modeling contentment with our children. Reflect and consider if your children are seeing you express gratitude for your home, or your daily circumstances. Do we speak prayers of thankfulness to God for what we have out loud for children to hear? Do we use the things we own, or are we always longing for better, newer possessions? Do we complain about the things in our lives or can we experience peace in whatever life brings us? Children will learn so much just by experiencing what we model for them.

We can also model contentment with the things we choose for our family. We can keep holidays, gifts, or toys minimal and simple instead of always giving into passing fads in clothes, toys, or media. We can also choose family outings that are simple, like camping or spending time outdoors, demonstrating that we can find joy in our surroundings and the beauty of nature that exists around us.

5 activities for teaching children about Biblical contentment

Make contentment bracelets – Use letter beads and have children make a bracelet that spells “Be Content.” Have them wear the bracelet and practice not complaining while they are wearing it, using the bracelet as a reminder to be grateful for what they have.
Make a gratitude list – Help your children write a list of things they are grateful for that they already have. Challenge them to list as many things as they can think of. Then, have them count how many things they listed.
“Are you satisfied?” – This is a simple game that helps bring ideas like contentment and greed to life. Place a bowl of candy, such as Skittles or m&m’s, on one side of the room. Have children stand on the other side of the room, opposite the bowl of candy. Set a timer and have children collect one piece of candy at a time, until the time runs out, crossing the room every time they get a piece of candy. Talk about the amount of candy the kids retrieved during the game, then talk about if they want more or are satisfied with what they have. Talk about how God wants us to be satisfied with what we have, even if there is more we could have.
Write thank you cards – Have your child think about something they received recently, and write a thank you note to the person who gave it to them.
Volunteer at a local soup kitchen or food pantry – Help older children gain a new perspective on what they have by volunteering in a soup kitchen or food pantry, serving those who are less fortunate.

Free week of Flourish Family Bible Curriculum [Free PDF Download]

To dive deeper into teaching contentment in your home, try a free week of Flourish Family Bible Curriculum, Week 7: I am thankful and content for what I have.

Flourish Family Bible Curriculum is an 18-week family Bible curriculum. Each week centers around one declaration statement related to the themes of Mission, Virtue, and Love. Flourish incorporates beauty subjects with Bible study including daily Scripture readings, discussion and prayer prompts, hymns, poetry, and art study. Enjoy the rhythms of connection and beauty found in our beloved Rooted Family Bible Curriculum with a focus on bearing fruit through our lives in the world around us.

Flourish Family Bible Curriculum will be released May 6.

Try a free week of Flourish Family Bible Curriculum here.

Family Bible studies and curriculum from Treehouse Schoolhouse

Rooted Family Bible Curriculum

Embark on a journey of the heart guided by Scripture, beauty, art, hands-on connections, and family discussion with Rooted Family Bible Curriculum. Instill courage, confidence, and Biblical character in your children by rooting them in their heavenly identity, their devotion to God, and the wisdom of Scripture. It’s about giving children a solid root system in the Word of God before we launch them into the world.

Rooted is an 18-week family Bible curriculum. Each week centers around one declaration statement related to the themes of Identity, Devotion, and Wisdom. Rooted incorporates beauty subjects with Bible study including daily Scripture readings, discussion and prayer prompts, hymns, poetry, and art study.

Flourish Family Bible Curriculum

Coming May 6, Flourish Family Bible Curriculum is a family Bible curriculum to cultivate virtues that produce fruit in the world around us. Flourish is an 18-week family Bible curriculum centering on themes of Mission, Virtue, and Love. Flourish incorporates beauty subjects with Bible study including daily Scripture readings, discussion and prayer prompts, hymns, poetry, and art study. Enjoy the rhythms of connection and beauty found in our beloved Rooted Family Bible Curriculum with a focus on bearing fruit through our lives in the world around us.

A Virtuous Valentine’s

A Virtuous Valentine’s is a Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum designed with your whole family in mind. It’s an invitation to study the life-changing love of God in a hands-on way. Through Scripture readings, beauty subjects, picture books, hands-on activities, and a look into the history of Valentine’s Day, this study provides an invitation to delve into the profound depth of God’s love and how it shapes our relationships. We’ll explore how God’s love is unconditional, how love is expressed through acts of kindness and encouragement, how compassion and empathy can change hearts and lives, and how true love is demonstrated through selflessness and sacrifice. Your study will conclude by celebrating and creating memories together with a Valentine’s Day Tea Party.

An Expectant Easter

An Expectant Easter is a Bible-based, Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum designed with your whole family in mind. It’s an invitation to gather your family to center your hearts on what Easter is all about. Through Bible stories, hymns, poetry, art studies, picture books, projects, baking, tea time, and nature studies, your family will spend three weeks connecting together and focusing on the newness of Spring, the sacrifice that Jesus made, and the power of His resurrection. This curriculum is designed for the three weeks leading up to Easter with lessons for Monday through Friday, but you can easily adapt to more or less time.

A Treasured Thanksgiving

A Treasured Thanksgiving is a Charlotte Mason-inspired curriculum designed with your whole family in mind. It’s an invitation to study the historical Thanksgiving story in a hands-on way. Through Scripture, poetry, art studies, picture books, projects, baking, geography, and narration, your family will spend the two weeks before Thanksgiving connecting together and focusing on the meaning of the holiday. Dive deep into themes like the Pilgrim’s voyage to America, the Wampanoag people, the First Encounters, the First Thanksgiving, and the relationship between the Pilgrims and Native Americans in the first year. Featuring a robust book list of picture books and chapter books, this study will provide resources for the whole family.

A Connected Christmas

A Connected Christmas is a curriculum designed to connect hearts to the heart of Christmas – to the truth of Jesus coming to earth to seek and save the lost. Explore the nativity story through Scripture readings to delight in festive carols, stories, poetry, art, baking, and handcrafts.

Will you discuss contentment with your children? Share your experience in the comments below.