12 Substitute Teacher Games That Work With Any Class
A substitute teacher's hardest job is filling gaps with a class they have never met. These games need no prep, no materials and work from kindergarten through fifth grade.
Save this list - it works in an emergency, for the last 15 minutes, or to calm a rowdy transition.
Quick name and get-to-know-you games
- Name Wave - each student says their name; the class repeats it louder across the wave
- Two Truths and a Lie - easy, no prep, instant engagement
- Would You Rather? - a question, then students move to corners for their choice
Quiet calm-down games
These are the ones to pull out when you need volume control, not energy.
- Silent Ball - toss a soft ball, no talking or you sit
- Read My Lips - mouth an emoji story, students guess
- Four Corners - one student guesses, the class votes by corner
Review games that check learning
If the sub can access any device, a pre-made quiz or bingo from the lesson topic fills the whole period productively. But these no-tech games work everywhere:
- Review Baseball - correct answers earn bases
- Jeopardy-lite - simple board with answer-first questions
- Number Games - buzz counting, around the world