Hand Commands: The Ten Commandments for Little Ones

If you are looking for a great book to help your children memorize the Ten Commandments, Hand Commands: The Ten Commandments for Little Ones is a great resource. Written by Ann Dunagan, a homeschooling mom of seven, this board book will help your kids know their commandments in short order! We have the book sitting on our dining room table so we can use it after meals.

Mrs. Dunagan would like little ones to realize that since God traced the commandments with His Hand, so children can use their "ten little fingers to help them write these commandments on the tablet of their hearts."

The format of this book is easy to grasp. Each commandment is stated with a brief explanation and hand motion. For commandment one, a hand is shown with index finger pointing upward. The instructions say, "Now shake your finger from side-to-side, "NO! NO! NO!" The explanation of the commandment states: "There is only ONE GOD. We should have NO other." Underneath a large number one, the commandment is stated "I am the LORD your God ... You shall have no other gods before me." This format holds true for commandments two through ten.

What I Like: This is really a great little book. I like the way the commandments are explained. The hand motions really help children connect the number of the commandment with its meaning. I also felt that the explanations of the commandments really hit home with my oldest daughter.

What I Dislike: The only thing I disliked about this book is that children under five may lack the motor skills for some of the signs. My almost four year old struggles to form the hand signals, but I'm already seeing improvement as she practices. This small "dislike" isn't enough to take away from the value of the book.

Overall Rating: Very Good

Age Appeal: Five and under

Publisher Info: Kregal Publications, 2006; ISBN:0825424453 ; Board Book $5.99.

Buy it Now at Christianbook.com for $4.99.

Special Info: The NIV version is used in this book.