October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed the Ninety-five Theses to a church door. His actions lead to what we now know as The Reformation. This year is the 500th Anniversary of that event!

What was it all about? Rather than provide a summary of this important event in church history, I have pulled together a list of resources that you can use to study The Reformation as a family.

You will find something for all ages: printables for elementary grades, books for middle/high school, etc. Choose just one or two items, or several to create a mini unit study that can be done over a couple of weeks.

Don’t miss the amazing Giveaway packed full of church history resources – Enter at the bottom of this article!

Mini Unit Study – The Reformation: Resources For The Whole Family

Start with Books:

Reformation ABCs: The People, Places, and Things of the Reformation – from A to Z –Preschool/elementary grades.

Martin Luther: A Man Who Changed The World by Paul L. Maier –elementary grades.

When Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin Luther by Danika Cooley – this is a personal favorite and there is a FREE study guide, too! Get it HERE. –middle/high school/adult. 

Courage and Conviction: Chronicles of the Reformation Church (History Lives series) by Brandon & Mindy Withrow – another book we own (and love!). –elementary/middle/high school/adult.

Trial and Triumph: Stories from Church History by Richard M. Hannula – this is a favorite at our house! –middle/high school/adult. 

Add in these Printables:

Reformation History for Kids: 13 Biographical Cards –family.

Reformation Day Printable Worksheets –elementary grades. 

The 5 Solas Study –family.

Watch this Movie:

Torchlighters: The Martin Luther Story –family. 

Plan these Activities/Games:

Using the classic game of “pin the tail on the donkey” as inspiration, you can act out that first major event in history that lead to The Reformation by creating a “nail the Ninety-five Theses to the church door” game. Draw a large church door on craft paper (this works great – just use two strips side by side to make a wider door) and designate an area on it where the Ninety-five These should be pinned. Then let the blindfolded kids (or adults) take turns pinning their paper to the door. Whoever is the closest to the designated place is the winner!

Party favor- PLAYMOBIL Martin Luther Figure

End With A Celebration:

Reformation Day Celebration Ideas

Fall Party Ideas (as an alternative to Halloween)

Explore More Resources: 

Reformation – Word Study –adults.

500th Reformation Day Family Giveaway ~ Ends 10/23/17 at Midnight PST

October 31st marks the 500th anniversary of Reformation Day, the day Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church. That act began the Protestant Reformation. We can celebrate the return to the biblical truths that Scripture is our authority and that we are saved by grace through faith. It is only the atoning blood of Christ that accomplishes this wondrous salvation. All glory to God! Some friends and I are excited to offer you a fun family giveaway in celebration of the 500th anniversary of Reformation Day. Before I tell you what you can win, let me tell you who’s giving the prizes! I love these ladies and I think you’ll enjoy their sites and the resources they offer.Your giveaway sponsors:

• Talking Mom2Mom – Lindsey and Richele offer two perspectives on life, motherhood, homeschooling, and more. You’ll find beautiful and creative resources for homeschool, faith, and family, as well as DIY and recipes! Get free 5 Solas intricate coloring pages.
• ClarissaRWest – Clarissa offers practical tips & encouragement for life–marriage, homeschooling, homemaking, simplifying, thriving with medical/special needs children, & living with grief. Check out her Reformation Biblical Word Study! Don’t forget to download your free Biblical Word Study Journal Pages while you’re there.
• Proverbial Homemaker – You’ll find encouragement and resources on faith, family, homemaking, essential oils, and homeschooling from Tauna. You’ll want to grab the 130+ Reformation Day Printable Pack.
• The Purposeful Mom – Jenn is a mother of four and a pastor’s wife. Her beautiful site offers encouragement and resources for faith, family, finances, motherhood, and home. Download free printable Thanksgiving Scripture Cards here. Don’t forget to grab your free printable Scripture cards for praying over your children while you’re there.
• Thinking Kids – Danika offers resources and support to equip parents to teach the Bible and Christian history. You’ll find curriculum, resources, crafts, books, and more. Don’t miss your free Reformation Biographical Cards.

Hey, now that you’ve found some great new sites and 5 resources you’ll want to check out, let’s talk about the giveaway!

Enter to Win These Resources We Love!

When Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin LutherThe 5 Solas: Signs to Follow on the Narrow Path, A 7 Day Family Bible Study$30 Grace and TruthBooks Gift CardThe Story BibleCourage and Conviction: Chronicles of the Reformation Church (History Lives series)PLAYMOBIL 9325 Martin Luther Figure – Special Edition

One winner receives:

• • When Lightning Struck!: The Story of Martin Luther by Danika Cooley ($16.99)
    • “Martin Luther’s life was too exciting not to be written for teens and younger readers! In this fast-paced, action-packed novel of Martin Luther’s life, teen readers (and more than a few adults!) will be introduced to a fascinating time when princes ruled Europe and knights roamed the countryside. They’ll learn about a time when powerful forces lined up against each other and believing the wrong thing could get you killed.When Lightning Struck! is far more than just an adventure story, of course. It also tells a theological story. Drawing carefully from Luther’s own words, this book introduces readers to a kindred spirit who struggled with what knowing God through Scripture means for daily life. They will understand what was at stake and how powerfully liberating Luther’s idea of grace through faith was in his time and in ours!In crisp, enjoyable prose, author Danika Cooley conveys both the drama and the meaning of the Reformation for younger readers like no one before her!”

• • The Story Bible by Edward Engelbrecht and Gail Pawlitz ($29.99)

  • “Never before in our nearly 150 years of publishing have we produced a Bible for children as rich and feature filled as The Story Bible. This treasure will be a great help to pastors, teachers, parents, and grandparents as they, like the faithful mother and grandmother of St. Timothy, lead the little ones to understand the Sacred Scriptures.Throughout this Bible, high-quality realistic art from our Growing in Christ series is used to fully engage the reader, rather than using cartoonish artwork that might suggest to children that the Bible stories are pretend rather than real. Our intent was to keep the focus on Christ by presenting stories with Old Testament prophecies about Christ so we could present one story for all of Scripture – God’s gift of the Savior. Instead of paraphrasing each story, they were drawn directly from the Bible while adjusting them for student readability. Many stories from the latter part of the Old Testament have been included so that children may begin to build an understanding of the sequence of biblical history. There is also a user’s guide included to explain how to use this Bible with children at different stages of development and reading levels. Other unique features included in this Bible are discussion questions, learning activities, and prayers. These bring each story to life, making a meaningful and lasting impression on children from ages 3 to 8.

  • Courage and Conviction: Chronicles of the Reformation Church by Brandon and Mindy Withrow ($9.99)
  • “Let history come to life – just the way it should do. Read the stories of the reformers in the 16th and 17th centuries who changed the face of the Christian church forever. Meet the German monk, the French scholar, and the Scottish tutor who protested corruption in the church. Get to know the queens and explorers who risked everything for the freedom to worship according to their consciences.It was a time of war and upheaval, but also a time of promise and hope. From Erasmus and Luther to Katherine Parr and William Bradford, God used different personalities in different places to bring sweeping changes to church government and the way we worship. Learn from their mistakes and be encouraged by their amazing strengths and gifts.Extra features throughout this book look deeper into issues such as the Scientific Revolution, wars of religion, the Puritans, and the settling of the Americas.This is the third book in a series intended to cover the history of the Christian church through its people and key events. They are written with 9-14 year olds in mind but the modern, relaxed and enthusiastic style is infectious. This is history without the wooliness – and with all the wonder.”

   

  • • The 5 Solas: Signs to Follow on the Narrow Path by Lindsey Stomberg and Danika Cooley ($14.99)
      • “The Five Solas are slogans that were popularized by the Reformers during the reformation of the Church (1350-1648). These slogans are based on biblical truths and sound doctrine. Knowing and understanding the Five Solas is important for your children–it will help read and apply Scripture to their lives.

        Each day includes:

        An overview of a Sola or Scriptural concept. A Bible passage to study with discussion questions.Additional Scripture passages to read to better understand the intent of each Sola.A structured notebooking page to encourage independent thinking and writing skills. A fun family activity to help creatively cement your child’s learning process. A memorable craft to encourage creative expression and further your child’s understanding. Bonus coloring pages for older children and a printable card set for memory games.”

   

  • Gift Card to Grace and Truth Books ($30)
    • Grace and Truth books is a wonderful store with sound books for families and children. Their service is superb.

   

  • Playmobil Martin Luther: Limited Edition ($14.99)
    • This fun commemorative figurine was sponsored by the city of Nuremberg, Germany to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Reformation Day!

   

  Total Retail Value: $116.95
  Note: This giveaway uses an electronic raffle system. The more entries you gain, the better your chance of winning is.

  The legal stuff: Void where prohibited by law. Must be at least 18 years of age. Open only to entrants in the United States. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest. No purchase necessary for entry. Odds are determined by the number of entries. Selected winners will have 48 hours to respond to email notification to claim their

  prizes or another winner will be drawn.

  500th Reformation Day Family Giveaway