Last updated on October 21st, 2023 at 04:04 pm
Teachers and subs know the pain of an unfilled minute in the classroom. Your carefully crafted delicate classroom ecosystem that was once manageable can suddenly tip into a chaotic descent. For substitutes unfamiliar with the particular class, it’s essential to have a cache of engaging breaks and time fillers on hand.
#1 Best time filler: Engage the students with movement breaks
Getting students moving is a great way to get students refreshed and reset. It can be a much-needed break after long stretches of desk work. But to make the break effective and not more trouble than it’s worth, it needs to be implemented with plenty of clear expectations. Make the rules known to the students before starting. Have a plan in case of not meeting the expectations so it doesn’t become a free-for-all.
Stretch break
Lead the group in some safe and easy stretches. I wouldn’t recommend making the students do 100 push ups or any sort of top-turvy flips, for example. Some students might be eager to transform this time into gymnastics practice, but for your sanity and their safety, explain beforehand that this is not to be the case. We’re aiming for simple stretches to get the blood moving. You could even start with finger stretches, then to hands, arms, torso, down to legs and maybe attempts to touch toes.
You could also call up a volunteer to be the stretch leader. The leader should stand at the helm of the classroom, demonstrating a stretch for the others to imitate. Leaders may be tempted to show off using grandiose movements– try to redirect them by giving examples of safer, simpler movements.
Dance party
If you have access to appropriate music, why not try holding a dance party? Especially if you’ve got some sweet moves yourself… you’ve got this in the bag! Again, safety is of prime importance here. Make sure the students aren’t throwing their necks out in attempts to sprinkler. (Do kids still do the Sprinkler? I have no idea!) Safe and appropriate dance moves for kids can include: Disco moves (maybe), Chicken dance, Running Man, and the Robot.
Skip counting with jumping jacks
Another fun and easy movement is using jumping jacks– but we’re making this educational, too! Lead the students in jumping jacks as you rattle off common skip counting sequences. It’s best to choose skip counting sequences most of the students are familiar with. Counting by 10s to 100 could be a start. If that’s too hard, maybe just try 1s to 10. You could also try 5s to 100. Students learning their multiplication tables may be able to do 7s or 9s, etc. Jack Hartmann has a skip counting workout video on YouTube if you’re able to display that and want to check it out.
Alternatively, you could have the students spell out simple words– they would say out a letter while performing each jumping jack, then the complete word after.
#2 Best time filler: Add fun to the day with games
Some games will also incorporate movement, so they’re doubly effective.
Whichever game you choose, they serve as nice breaks either by getting out of seats or shifting the brain into a different mode.
I’ve written posts about easy, no-prep games you can try with a class. There are also a few great games that require a little bit of preparation, but it can totally be worth it! My favorites to whip out in such times include Four Corners and Heads-Up Seven-Up.
#3 Best time filler: Read the class a book
Random reading is a surprisingly easy and effective time filler. Don’t discount this essential tool!
You can ask students to silent read at their seats if they already have access to books. Depending on age, you can make this time last anywhere from 10-30 minutes. This gets students learning and productive– a win!
You could also find a book in the classroom and start a read aloud. (Some of my favorite sub memories are from doing random readalouds!) The kids don’t have to even know it wasn’t on the plans. (Of course it was planned all along to read in depth about chameleons….)
My other favorite thing to do is book previews. Ask students if they have a beloved book they’re currently reading that they want you to do a “preview” of. You can read aloud to the class the first one or two pages or the back of the book. Students often love sharing their latest Dog Man or Diary of a Wimpy Kid with their classmates. Younger students especially view it as basically achieving celebrity status if their book gets read by the teacher.
#4 Best time filler: Give the students structured free time
The free time has to be carefully executed, but it’s simple and powerful if students follow the established boundaries.
When some students hear “Free time” they think free computer time, rushing over to watch their favorite YouTube channels or whipping out their smartphones. I don’t let them do these. I try to implement technology-free free time. My rule is if laptops are a must, the students have to be on school-approved websites only.
Some students tend to get overactive during these times if not properly guided. I’ve had to explain that there is to be no running around the room playing tackle football, for instance. My tried-and-true guideline is this: students must choose one activity and then stay there. It’s not a musical chairs moment of rapidly switching activities. That ensures the class is safe and on-task.
The free time choices I highlight are the following: chatting with friends, drawing or reading a book. That’s it! Simple, old-school study hall style. I don’t let this run over 10 minutes, but to some students, this little slice of free time seems to mean the world to them. It serves as a nice break in a long school day.
#5 Best time filler: Intrigue the students with riddles and word play
It takes a bit of preparation, but collecting favorite riddles and jokes will pay off in the amount of fascination generated. With the right group, the kids can be enchanted by these simple games. Have the students stumped and desperate to solve the mystery! Get them bowled over in laughter over those popsicle stick jokes!
I personally like to curate a little stash of Hinky Pinkies. These are pairs of rhyming words that are synonymous with each of the clue words. For example: An untamed juvenile would be a…. wild child! (This is an example of a hink pink, because the answer is one syllable for each word.) Another example: a faster adhesive would be a…quicker sticker (this is an example of a hinky pinky because the words are two syllables).
Facing free classroom minutes with confidence
Next time you find yourself with an unscheduled span of time in the classroom, I’m crossing my fingers you’ll be confident instead of sweating it with the help of these strategies.
I know there have been several times I’ve misjudged the pace of a lesson plan– or the plans are just plain short of material– where I’ve had to think on my feet for filling the extra time. Having these breaks and activities ready in my mind has served me well and saved many a substitute teaching day.
Substitutes– are there any time fillers you would add to this list? Tell me in the comments!
