Playworks lists Four Corners as an indoor game with no equipment, for any group size, ages 6 to 10, in under ten minutes. One player in the middle closes their eyes and counts down from ten while everyone else quietly picks a corner, then points to a corner, and the players there sit down. Playworks suggests a practice round first, and the last player standing counts next.
No supplies needed
Watch for Children walk between corners, so ask them to walk, not run, and clear bags from the paths first.
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We Are Teachers suggests clearing a corner of the room for a plain game of Simon Says, with students taking turns as the leader and plenty of movement. It needs no setup at all, and most children already know the rules, which helps a sub on a first day.
No supplies needed
Watch for Older students may find it babyish; let a student lead or make the moves harder.
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Playworks says this game needs no equipment and suits three or more players aged 5 and up, with about five minutes to teach. Everyone plays rock paper scissors against the leader at once: a tie means a few jumping jacks, a win earns a double high five, and a loss means cheering "I'm awesome!" Playworks suggests a new leader after five rounds.
No supplies needed
Watch for Playworks says to clear space so players can move without bumping into anything.
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We Are Teachers lists this guessing game: you pick a secret number from 1 to 100 and the class guesses, with you saying higher or lower after each guess. Children can stay in their seats, so it works in a tight room, and it quietly practices number sense.
No supplies needed
Watch for Younger children may lose track of the range; write the higher and lower clues on the board.
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We Are Teachers suggests charades for indoor recess: one student acts out an animal, a movie or another topic while classmates guess. It needs no supplies, and you can pick the topic list so it stays school-friendly.
No supplies needed
Watch for Shy children may not want a turn; let them guess instead of act, and choose the topics yourself.
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We Are Teachers calls Heads Up, Seven Up a whole-class guessing game and a handy filler for five to ten minutes between activities. Many classes already know it, so it can be easy for a sub to start.
No supplies needed
Watch for The page does not give the rules, and classes play it differently, so ask the children how they play it before you start.
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Playworks describes Emotion Freeze for grades 1 to 5, any group size, no equipment, for ten minutes or more. The leader shows a few feelings, such as cheerful or silly, then turns away and counts while players pick one to act out. On "Freeze" the leader names a feeling, and players frozen in it do a short action, such as five deep breaths, before the next round.
No supplies needed
Watch for Playworks wrote it for a virtual class, so in a room keep it in place at the desks.
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Playworks lists Level Up for ages 6 to 10, any group size, no equipment, in under ten minutes. Players pair up for rock paper scissors, winners move up a superpower level and losers drop one, and players only challenge someone on their own level. The game ends when everyone reaches the top level or time runs out.
No supplies needed
Watch for Players mingle around the room, so set a walking-only rule and keep it to a cleared space.
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Playworks says Detective Frog needs no equipment, suits all ages, takes 10 to 15 minutes and works in a classroom, with players in a circle. A secret Frog puts players to sleep by sticking out a tongue or pointing, and the Detective gets three guesses to find the Frog.
No supplies needed
Watch for Playworks lists 6 to 10 players, so a full class needs two circles or turns.
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We Are Teachers describes Mr. Judge as a voice game: one student sits in a corner facing away while a classmate greets them in a disguised voice, and the student tries to guess who spoke. It needs only a quiet room.
No supplies needed
Watch for A sub does not know the children's voices or names yet, so a student should be the guesser, not you.
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