Practical help for a room full of energy: what to do before class, during and when it goes sideways.
12 ideas
🚪The First 3 Minutes
Win the room before class even starts: greet every kid at the door, hand out jobs, and have something waiting on the table.
Be at the door first
The first three minutes set the tone for the next thirty. Kids who walk into an empty room invent their own fun (usually chair races). Kids who walk in to a smiling teacher at the door feel like class has already started.
Get to the room 5–10 minutes early so everything is set up before the first kid arrives.
Greet each child by name at their eye level and ask one real question: “Did you lose that tooth?” “How was the soccer game?”
Use a doorway greeting they pick: high five, fist bump, or a silly secret handshake.
Point them to a seat or a job before they can reach the toy bin.
Hand out jobs right away
A kid with a job has a purpose. Giving jobs at the door lets your busiest kids start class as helpers instead of explorers.
Door greeter, chair setter, prayer, scripture reader, prop carrier.
Rotate jobs every week so everyone gets a turn. Keep a list on your phone.
The Class Helper Jobs list in the Teacher Kit has lots more ideas.
Put a “do now” on the table
Have one simple thing waiting that kids can start the second they sit down, no instructions needed. It fills the gap while latecomers arrive and your co-teacher gets settled.
A coloring page or picture from this week’s story.
A question on the whiteboard or device: “Draw one thing you’re thankful for.”
A scripture find: “Find Luke 2:7 and put a sticky note on it.”
Start before they start
Don’t wait for perfect silence. Start with something so interesting they stop talking to see what it is: a whisper, a sound, a mystery prop coming out of a bag.
Go straight into the lesson’s hook after the prayer.
Begin softer, not louder.
Save announcements for later. Lead with the fun.
🤫Three Rules and a Quiet Signal
Make a few simple rules with your class, practice them like a game, and teach one quiet signal everybody knows.
Make the rules together
Kids keep rules they helped write. On your first Sunday, or any fresh start like January, ask: “What helps our class feel happy and safe?” Boil their ideas down to three short rules that say what to do.
Say it positively: “Hands to yourself,” not “No hitting.”
A good set: 1. Listen when someone talks. 2. Hands and feet to yourself. 3. Kind words only.
Let every kid sign the rules poster, and bring it every week.
Tie it to Jesus: these are ways we treat each other the way He would.
Pick one quiet signal
A signal works better than your voice because it doesn’t add more noise. Choose one and use it the same way every single time.
Raise your hand. Kids raise theirs and close their mouths until every hand is up.
Call and response: you say “Noah, Noah!” and they answer “Two by two!” (Attention Getters in the Teacher Kit has lots more.)
Clap a rhythm and they clap it back.
Practice it like a game
Rules and signals only work if kids practice them while they’re calm. Make the practice fun, and do it more than once.
Time it: “We got quiet in 6 seconds. Can we beat it?” The Big Timer makes it a challenge.
Thank the first kids who follow the signal, by name.
Re-practice after a long break, or when new kids join.
🐛Wiggles Aren’t Bad Behavior
Kids are built to move, so plan movement on purpose instead of fighting it all class long.
Move every 5 minutes
Most kids can only sit and listen for a few minutes before their bodies need a break. Wiggling isn’t disrespect. A class that moves on purpose is calmer than one that’s told to sit still for half an hour.
Plan something active about every 5 minutes: stand, act, stretch, hunt, freeze.
Use each lesson’s wiggle step, and grab more from Wiggle Breaks in the Teacher Kit.
Save the sitting for short, important moments like the scripture and the testimony.
Give wigglers a job
Your wiggliest kids are often your best helpers when the job uses their energy.
Picture holder, page turner, or the kid who points to each word on the screen.
Sound effects captain for the story drama.
Passing out and collecting supplies.
The biggest, busiest role in the drama.
Fidget-friendly options
Some kids listen best when their hands are busy. Quiet fidgets can help, as long as they stay tools and don’t become toys.
A pipe cleaner, a squishy ball, or a smooth stone to hold.
Let a kid stand behind their chair or sit on the floor, as long as they’re listening.
Let doodlers draw what they hear in the story.
If a fidget flies through the air or bugs a friend, it takes a rest on your table.
⭐Catch Them Being Good
Attention is the prize every kid wants, so give it to good choices on purpose, out loud and specifically.
Make your praise specific
“Good job” fades fast. When you name exactly what a child did, it feels real to them, and it shows the whole room what you’re looking for.
“Maya, you raised your hand and waited. Thank you!”
“Eli, I saw you scoot over to make room for Sam. That was kind, just like Jesus.”
Try to point out several good choices for every correction you make.
Praise effort and kindness, not just being quiet.
Fill the Goal Jar
A class goal turns lots of little good choices into one big team win, so kids cheer for each other instead of competing.
Open Goal Jar on your phone or tablet, or use a real jar with pom-poms or cotton balls.
Add one every time you catch a good choice, and say what it was for.
Never take any out. A mistake doesn’t erase a good choice.
When the jar is full, celebrate with a game day or an activity your leaders approve.
The Mystery Helper
At the start of class, secretly choose one child to be the Mystery Helper. Don’t tell anyone who it is. Because it could be anybody, everybody tries.
Write the name on a sticky note and keep it in your pocket.
At the end, if they were reverent and kind, reveal the name with a drumroll and let the class cheer.
If it was a hard day for them, just say, “Our Mystery Helper was so close! I’ll pick again next week,” and never reveal who it was.
🌪️When One Kid Takes Over the Room
How to help the child who needs the most attention, without embarrassing them or losing everyone else.
Set them up to succeed
Most kids who take over the room want to be noticed or need to move. Give them both, in a good way, before trouble starts.
Seat them next to you or your co-teacher, and away from their best buddy.
Give them an important job early: prop keeper, sound effects captain, device holder.
Cast them in the high-energy role in the drama, not the quiet one.
Greet them warmly at the door so class starts with a connection.
Redirect quietly
Kids act up more when they have an audience. Correct privately and calmly, then move on.
Keep teaching while you walk over and stand near them. Often that’s enough.
Whisper: “I need your help. Can you show everyone how to sit ready?”
Offer two good choices: “You can sit on the chair or on the floor by me. You pick.”
If they need a reset, offer a quiet spot inside the classroom, and welcome them back with a smile.
Never embarrass, always welcome back
A child who is shamed in front of friends may stop wanting to come to church. Your goal isn’t to win; it’s to help this child feel the Savior’s love.
No public lectures, no sarcasm, and never send a child into the hall alone.
Every week is a fresh start. Don’t bring up last week in front of the class.
Tell them something they did right before they leave: “You were an awesome shepherd today.”
Partner with parents and leaders
You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Talk with parents privately and kindly. Start with something you love about their child, then ask, “What helps them focus at home or school?”
Tell your Primary or youth leaders early. They can help with seating, an extra adult, or ideas, and they may know things you don’t.
Pray for this child by name during the week. It changes how you see them.
🎙️Your Calm Voice Is a Superpower
The louder the room gets, the quieter you go: whispers, pauses, and where you stand work better than shouting ever will.
Go quiet to get quiet
When you raise your voice, kids raise theirs to match. When you drop to a whisper, they have to hush and lean in so they don’t miss anything.
Whisper the most exciting part of the story.
Whisper a secret instruction: “If you can hear me, touch your nose.” Watch it spread across the room.
Never talk over the noise. Stop and wait instead.
The power of the pause
Silence feels long to kids. A calm, smiling teacher who simply waits is surprisingly powerful.
Stop mid-sentence, smile, and wait without saying a word.
Count to five in your head before you repeat yourself.
Thank the first kids who notice: “Thanks, Ava and Jace. You’re ready.”
Move closer and count down
Change where you stand instead of how loud you talk.
Keep teaching while you walk over and stand by the chatty corner.
A quiet tap on the table in front of a child says “I see you” without any words.
Count down from 5 on your fingers, getting softer each number: “5, 4, 3, 2, 1… freeze.”
Use the Big Timer for transitions: “You have 30 seconds to get back to your seat.”
🗣️Getting Quiet Kids to Talk
Simple ways to hear from the shy kids, not just the loudest ones.
Give them time to think
Many quiet kids know the answer but need a moment, and the fast talkers grab it first. Build thinking time into every question.
Think-pair-share: ask the question, count to ten in silence, let partners whisper answers to each other, then invite a few to share.
Say, “Everybody think first. No hands yet,” and really wait.
Let a child share what their partner said if that feels safer.
Make answering a game
When answering is part of a game, it feels less like being put on the spot.
Toss a soft ball or beanbag. Whoever catches it answers or tosses it on.
Use Name Spinner so turns are random and fair.
Play Hot Potato: whoever holds the ball at the buzz answers.
Always allow “I pass” or “Can I ask a friend?”
Start with easy questions
Big open questions like “What did you learn?” freeze a lot of kids. Start with questions that have no wrong answer.
Either/or: “Would you rather be a shepherd or a wise man? Why?”
Thumbs: “Thumbs up if you’ve ever felt scared like the shepherds.”
Draw it: hand out paper, let them draw their answer, then have them tell you about it.
Give a heads-up during the do-now: “Later I’m going to ask you about the star. Want to think about it?”
🙏Teaching Reverence
Reverence isn’t just sitting still; it’s showing love for Heavenly Father and Jesus, and kids learn it one practiced moment at a time.
What reverence looks and feels like
Kids often hear “be reverent” and think “don’t move.” Help them see reverence as a way to show love, and a way to make room for the Holy Ghost.
Looks like: still hands and bowed heads during prayers, eyes on whoever is speaking, kind words, gentle hands with the scriptures.
Feels like: calm, peaceful, safe and happy inside.
Ask: “How do you act when you’re with someone you really love and respect? That’s reverence.”
Practice it
Practice reverence like any other skill: in short moments where kids can succeed.
Before the prayer: “Show me reverent in 3… 2… 1,” then praise the room.
After a big game, use a Calm-Down Reset from the Teacher Kit before you teach.
Start with 30 seconds of stillness and let it grow over the weeks.
Make the end of class a calm landing every week: lower your voice and slow down.
Invite the Spirit
All the fun has one goal: helping kids feel the Holy Ghost and come closer to Jesus Christ. That usually happens in the quiet moments you protect.
Pray for your class, and each child by name, during the week.
Share a short testimony every Sunday. One sincere sentence is enough.
After a quiet moment, ask: “How do you feel right now? That calm, happy feeling can come from the Holy Ghost.”
💛Kids with Disabilities or Different Needs
Every child belongs in class, and a little planning with parents helps kids with disabilities or different needs feel safe and succeed.
Start by asking the parents
Parents are the experts on their child. A friendly, private conversation early on saves you weeks of guessing.
Ask: “What helps your child feel comfortable? What upsets them? What works at home or at school?”
Ask about triggers (loud noises, being touched, surprises) and what calms them down.
Ask how they’d like you to handle a hard moment, and how to reach them during church.
Keep what they share private, except with the adults who need to know, like your co-teacher and leaders.
Routines and visual schedules
Predictable structure helps many kids, especially those with autism, ADHD or anxiety.
Keep the same order every week: greeting, prayer, story, game, testimony.
Show a visual schedule with simple pictures on paper or a whiteboard, and move a clothespin along as you go.
Warn before changes: “Two more minutes of the game, then we sit for the story.”
Let the child help run the schedule, like moving the clip.
Sensory breaks and other ways to join in
Some kids need to move, some need less noise, and some need a different way to take part.
Set up a quiet corner inside the classroom, in view of both adults, with a soft item or a book.
Skip or turn down the loudest sound effects for kids who are sensitive to sound.
Offer other ways to join in: hold a picture instead of acting, point instead of speak, draw instead of read aloud.
Watch for signs of overload (covering ears, getting louder, hiding) and offer a break before it builds.
You don’t have to do it alone
Nobody expects you to be a specialist. Talk with your leaders and bishop about what a child needs; they may be able to add a helper or pair the child with a buddy. The Church’s disability resources at churchofjesuschrist.org/life/disability have ideas for teachers, leaders and families.
Ask whether a parent or an extra adult can sit with the child when needed.
Invite classmates to be kind friends, never babysitters.
Celebrate small wins with the child and with their parents.
🛡️Safety First
The Church’s protection policies keep children and teachers safe; here’s what every teacher of children and youth should know and do.
Two responsible adults
The Church asks that at least two responsible adults be present whenever children are taught in Church settings, including Primary classes. It protects the children, and it protects you.
Know who your co-teacher is and plan the lesson together.
If your co-teacher can’t come, tell your leaders before class so they can send another adult or combine classes.
Never be alone one-on-one with a child.
Ask your Primary presidency how your ward handles restroom trips and getting kids back to their parents after class.
Children and Youth Protection training
The Church asks every adult who works with children and youth to complete its Children and Youth Protection training, which is available online from the Church. It teaches how to help prevent abuse and how to respond if you’re worried about a child.
Complete it soon after you’re called, and take it again whenever your leaders ask you to renew it.
Your leaders or ward clerk can tell you whether yours is current.
If you ever think a child is being harmed, help keep the child safe, contact civil authorities, and tell your bishop right away. The training walks through the steps.
Before you bring treats
Food allergies can be serious, and many wards have their own rules about food in class. Always check before you bring anything to eat.
Ask your leaders about your ward’s policy on treats first.
Ask every parent about allergies and diet needs, and keep a note on your phone.
Read labels, and don’t let kids trade or share food.
Non-food rewards work great: stickers, a pom-pom in the Goal Jar, first turn in Forehead Guess.
Everyday classroom safety
Active lessons are awesome. Set them up so nobody gets hurt.
Push chairs back and clear space before big movement games.
No standing on chairs or tables unless an adult is right there holding on.
Use kid-safe scissors, and put them away when the craft is done.
Ask your leaders and parents before taking or sharing any photos of the children.
⏱️Saturday-Night 5-Minute Prep
Didn’t get to it all week? Here’s how to walk in ready with just five minutes and Gospel Sparks.
Minutes 1–2: Read the “Only have 5 minutes?” box
Every lesson has a short box that tells you the bare minimum: what to read, what to grab, and what to skip. Start there, not at the top of the plan.
Open This Week and read the box first.
Read the Big Idea out loud once. That’s the one thing kids should walk out knowing.
Read the scripture story it names so it’s fresh in your mind.
Minutes 3–4: Grab the supplies
The five-minute version only uses things you already have at home.
Put everything in one bag by the front door tonight: your phone or tablet, your scriptures, and any props.
Plug in your phone or tablet so it’s fully charged.
Skip the crafts if you’re short on time. The story drama and the games carry the lesson.
Minute 5: Walk through Teach Mode
Tap Teach it and flip through every screen once, so nothing surprises you on Sunday. Teach Mode lays out the lesson in order for the class: the story scenes, the key verse and the games.
Add any new names in My Class so parts and turns come up with one tap.
Pick one question to ask and one sentence of testimony to share.
Say a quick prayer for your class, and each child by name.
Got more time?
Prepping earlier in the week gives you time to notice ideas and promptings as the days go by.
Read the week’s Come, Follow Me outline (for Primary, especially “Ideas for Teaching Children”).
Read the scriptures the lesson covers on Sunday or Monday, then think about your class all week.
Add an extra idea or two from the end of the lesson.
📱Using your phone or tablet Without It Taking Over
Your phone or tablet should make class more fun and more focused, not turn class into screen time.
The teacher controls your phone or tablet
Your phone or tablet is a teaching tool, like a whiteboard, not a toy. When kids know it belongs to you, they stop grabbing for it.
Keep it in your hands or on a stand facing the class. Kids hold it only when a game calls for it.
Set one rule and practice it: “When the game ends, your phone or tablet comes back to the teacher.”
Turn on Guided Access (in your device’s Accessibility settings) so little fingers can’t leave the app.
Turn the volume down before class. The room gets loud enough on its own.
Pick games the whole class plays
The best screen games involve everybody, not just the kid holding it.
Forehead Guess: one kid guesses and the whole class gives clues.
Scripture Showdown and Tug of War: two teams, everyone in.
Freeze Dance and Hot Potato: your phone or tablet plays the music while everyone moves.
Pass-the-screen games: set the Big Timer so every kid gets a fair, short turn.
Screen down for the important parts
When it’s time to talk, share testimony or pray, put your phone or tablet face down. Kids look where you look.
Flip it over for discussion questions, testimony and prayers.
Charge it before church. A dead device in the middle of a game is chaos.
Always keep a backup: every lesson works with paper, a ball and your voice.
