Embracing the Beautiful Mess
But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord. -Joshua 24:15
Parenting toddlers is one of the most rewarding – and exhausting – seasons in life. The days are filled with spilled snacks, endless “why” questions, diaper changes or potty training, and emotional meltdowns. And yet, these little ones are also bubbling over with wonder, innocence, and a surprising capacity for understanding spiritual truths.
Amid the Lego-covered floors and sippy cups, we may wonder how we could possibly foster a Christ-centred home. Isn’t that something we should wait to establish when things are calmer – when we have more time, or when the kids are older and better able to sit still and listen?
But here’s the truth: there is no better time than now. The toddler years are foundational. Their hearts and minds are wide open, soaking in everything around them – including (and especially) the culture of their home. If we want our children to grow up loving Jesus, the seeds must be planted early, watered daily, and nutured with grace.
This isn’t about achieving perfection or rigid routines. Instead, it’s about inviting Christ into your ordinary, chaotic, beautiful daily life. It’s about filling your home with truth, love, and intentional practices that turn the everyday into holy ground.
Let’s explore how to create a Christ-centred home in a way that meets toddlers where they are at: playful, curious, and bursting with energy.
1. Understanding What a Christ-Centred Home Really Is
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. -Deuteronomy 6:5
First, let’s clear up a common misconception: a Christ-centred home is not one where everyone is always well-behaved, where Scripture is recited in harmony, or where worship music constantly plays softly in the background (although that’s lovely, too!).
A Christ-centred home is one where:
- Jesus is welcomed and honoured in every area of life.
- God’s Word is the foundation and guide.
- Grace is extended freely.
- Prayer is woven into the rhythm of daily life.
- Parents model their own dependence on God.
In practical terms, this means inviting God into everything – from the quiet moments to the chaos. When your toddler dumps their lunch on the floor for the third time, you can pause to breathe and ask Jesus for patience. When you’re tucking them in at night, you can whisper a prayer over them. When a conflict arises between siblings, you can model repentance and forgiveness.
This approach shifts the focus from performance to presence. Christ doesn’t need our homes to be perfect – he just wants to be invited in. When he is the centre, our children will grow up knowing that faith is not just for Sunday mornings or special occasions, but for every part of life.
It’s also important to remember that toddlers are concrete thinkers. They understand love through what they can see, hear, and feel. A Christ-centred home becomes real to them through consistent routines, gentle correction, joyful celebration, and loving discipline.
2. Building Spiritual Habits into Daily Life
And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. -Deuteronomy 6:6-7
You don’t need a theology degree or hours of free time to disciple your toddler. Spiritual formation at this age is most effective when it’s woven into your normal routines. Here are some ideas for how you can do that:
Morning Time: Begin the with a short prayer. As you dress your child, thank God aloud for their hands, feet, smile, and the new day. Try reciting a simple verse like, “This is the day the Lord has made.” (Psalm 118:24).
Meal Time: Invite your toddler to fold hands and say a blessing. Even if it’s just “Thank you, God, for our food,” it sets a habit of gratitude. You can also sing a short song like “God is great, God is good…” or the “Doxology”.
Play Time: Infuse conversations with spiritual language. If your child is stacking blocks, you can say, “Wow! God gave you strong hands to build!” Or if a tower falls and your child is frustrated, talk about how God helps us when things don’t go our way.
Story Time: Read Bible stories alongside other books. Choose toddler-friendly versions with bright pictures and short texts. Reinforce truths by asking simple questions like, “Who made the animals? God did!”
Discipline Moments: When correction is needed, bring in God’s truth. Say, “Jesus wants us to be kind. Let’s ask him to help us use gentle hands.”
Bedtime: Wind down with a verse, a prayer, and a story. Try asking, “What are you thankful for today?” or “Where did you see God’s love today?”
These rituals don’t have to be long or perfect. What matters is consistency and the sense that Jesus is part of every moment – whether big or small.
3. Teaching Truths Through Play
Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it. -Proverbs 22:6
Toddlers are wired to learn through play. This is how they process emotions, build relationships, and understand the world. So why not use it as a tool for teaching eternal truths?
Here are a few ways to use play as discipleship (and be sure to check out other blog posts on the topic, too):
Pretend Play:
- Use dolls or stuffed animals to reenact parables or Bible stories.
- Create a mini “church” with toys. Let your child “preach”, pray, or “lead music.”
Blocks and Building Toys:
- Build a house on a flat rock (Matthew 7:24) and then on soft sand. Talk about the importance of building life on Jesus.
Crafts and Colouring:
- Provide colouring pages with Bible verses or illustrations from popular Bible stories.
- Create simple crafts tied to themes like creation, love, or kindness.
Music and Movement:
- Sing worship songs together with hand motions.
- Dance around the house with toy instruments, praising God.
Nature Play:
- Collect leaves or pebbles and talk about how God made everything.
- Point to the sky and say, “God made the clouds. Isn’t he creative?”
Each of these moments becomes an opportunity to instill simple but powerful truths: God is good. God made us. Jesus loves us. We can talk to him anytime.
4. Modelling Christ to Your Child
Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. -Ephesians 5:1
Children watch everything. More than any lesson you teach, what will shape your child most deeply is the life you live in front of them. Your tone of voice, your reactions, your habits, your faith – it all speaks louder than words.
This can feel intimidating, especially when you’re tired or overwhelmed. But modelling Christ doesn’t mean you never make mistakes. In fact, it often means showing your child how to handle those mistakes with humility.
Modelling Looks Like:
- Apologising when you lose your temper: “I’m sorry I yelled. I was frustrated. Let’s ask Jesus to help us be patient.”
- Praying out loud when something goes wrong: “Lord, I’m having a hard day. Help me stay kind.”
- Serving others together: Let your toddler help bake cookies for a neighbour or carry canned goods to a food bank donation box.
- Expressing gratitude: “Thank you, Jesus, for this warm sunshine. You are so good to us.”
As you live openly before your child, they begin to see what a relationship with God looks like. Not a checklist or a duty – but as a living, breathing friendship with their Creator.
5. Creating an Atmosphere of Faith
So commit yourselves to these words of mine… Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. -Deuteronomy 11:18, 20
Environment Matters. While spiritual life begins in the heart, our physical surroundings can powerfully support it. Here are some simple ideas to create a faith-friendly atmosphere:
Visual Faith Cues:
- Hang scripture prints at eye-level for kids.
- Display a cross, a nativity, or other symbols of faith.
- Keep a children’s Bible in their basket of books.
Music & Media:
- Play worship songs during breakfast or clean-up time.
- Choose Bible-based storybooks or shows that reinforce truths.
- Create a “worship playlist” with songs your toddler loves.
Prayer Spaces:
- Set up a cosy spot with a pillow, Bible, and cute prints with visual reminders of simple truths.
Your home doesn’t need to be picture-perfect. It just needs to be Christ-centred. Let your surroundings echo the truths you want your child to carry.
6. Finding Support and Community
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love a good works… encourage one another. -Hebrews 10:24-25
Parenting toddlers is hard, and trying to do it faithfully can feel lonely. But you weren’t meant to do this alone.
Find Community:
- Attend a church regularly. If possible, choose one with children’s ministry or family programming.
- Join a mums’ Bible study or parent group.
- Build friendships with other parents who share your values.
Lean on Mentors:
- Ask a godly older parent to pray with you.
- Invite them to share stories about what worked in their home, or ask for insight and advice.
Pray for Fellowship:
- If you’re feeling isolated, ask God to send you “your people.”
- Even one like-minded family friendship can make a huge difference.
- Remember that ultimately, all we need is Christ and he is always with us and will never leave our side.
You are not the only one trying to raise godly children in a busy, noisy world. Finding and investing in a community helps you stay encouraged, accountable, and inspired.
7. Trusting God with the Outcome
My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness. -2 Corinthians 12:9
Perhaps the most freeing truth in parenting is this: you are not your child’s Saviour. That job belongs to Jesus.
You can teach, model, correct, and love – but ultimately, the Holy Spirit is the one who transforms hearts. Our job is to be faithful. God’s job is the fruit.
So when your toddler refuses to listen, throws a tantrum during devotions, or seems uninterested in anything spiritual – don’t give up. God is working even when you can’t see it.
Pray for their heart. Trust God’s timing. And rest in his grace.
Holy Ground in the Chaos
May the Lord bless you and protect you… and give you his peace. -Numbers 6:24, 26
Your living room may be scattered with toys. Your days may feel repetitive and exhausting. But when Jesus is welcomed into the ordinary, it becomes sacred.
You are shaping a home where God is known, where love is practiced, and where seeds of faith are planted in tender soil. It won’t be perfect. But it will be powerful.
So keep praying. Keep singing. Keep telling stories. Keep pointing your little ones to Jesus in the most ordinary wawys.
Because in the end, creating a Christ-centred home isn’t about perfection – it’s about presence. And when Christ is at the centre, even the toddler chaos becomes holy ground.