“Please stop jumping on the wall!” That request makes no sense—unless you taught Sunday school where I did. What artist would paint a mural of a life-sized punching bag in a classroom for first-grade boys?! Other items were painted on the wall, but I only remember that punching bag. Every Sunday, the boys jumped sideways onto the punching bag, as if they thought the mural would bounce backwards. No, that did not channel the energy constructively. Instead of burning up energy, their sidekicks revved up their competitive juices.

During a particularly rambunctious Sunday school class, I sighed and looked through the narrow window on our door. I always chose to teach classes my children were not attending. But this time I wondered if my daughter’s first grade class would have been an easier choice. When I glanced across the hall, I saw my daughter and her friend jumping on the table. With a shudder, I turned back to the energetic but obedient boys who responded when asked to stop kicking.

Since that side-kicking year, I have tried to channel the energy and exuberance of kids in my classes. God gifts children with talents and attributes to deal with the life he designed for them. Faced with high-energy kids, one Sunday school teacher reminded herself of that by thinking, “Future youth pastor.” We don’t know God’s plan for these kids—that is why we need God’s help and guidance to teach them. As a Sunday School teacher, I try not to squelch kids’ exuberance, but nurture them and channel the energy instead. My job is to teach kids about Jesus, present God’s Word, and guide them in developing learning habits. Even if their energy overwhelms me.

“B, do a learning circle!” From one side of the small room, B ran around the table to identify the Bible book on a poster. The “learning circle,” as I called it, helped B connect the memory verse reference to the list of Bible books. When B felt particularly restless, I had him run two or three circles per lesson point. My goals included B’s comprehension across different information sources, plus burning off some energy. And not necessarily in that order of importance. B learned quickly, but spending some energy along the way seemed essential to help him focus.

Songs with hand motions are helpful to transition from distractions back to the lesson. Whether basic gestures for preschoolers or actual American Sign Language, hand motions help kids expend energy and learn songs. I am grateful for online resources where I can easily search for “Sunday school songs” or “hand motions.” Kids are quick to learn hand motions—often I am the slow one to catch on.

Other than songs, energy-siphoning lesson-focused activities include jumping jacks, marching, walking, and jump-roping. Jumping jacks can be challenging for kindergardeners, but by age 6 or 7, kids have mastered the skill. I like the simplistic directions to make an X, clap, and then make an I for a jumping jack. Along with marching, jump-roping provides an easy-to-follow, regular rhythm for reciting learned concepts or memorized Bible verses. This is especially true for repetitive verses like Luke 10:27 and Philippians 4:8. I practice the rhythm of the verse or concept on my own before we work on it as a group.

Don’t teach in a room with a punching bag mural. Although unique, I know that’s not much of a teaching strategy. Thankfully, God is an endless source for classroom help as I pray and follow His guidance. My ongoing challenge is to avoid squelching children’s God-given energy as I teach about Jesus. May God give us insight on helping children channel their energy into learning His Word.