Easy art sub plans for elementary – is there such a thing? Being out for even a single day is more work than actually teaching! Scrambling to figure out engaging, no tech art sub plans for elementary kids can be incredibly stressful and time-consuming. There’s nothing worse than being sick and thinking, “And now I have to write emergency lesson plans?”
11 Easy Art Sub Plans for Elementary Art Teachers
So what do you leave for an elementary art substitute in a pinch? Here’s a list of some easy art sub plans that I’ve used in my own art room. Some of these you can prep during the summer to set yourself up for success in the fall. Others are things you can quite literally print and go.
1) Art Choice Boards
Art choice boards are like a restaurant menu in that students can select what they want to do off the menu of ideas. They’re similar in concept to a list of sketchbook assignments. I suggest actually designing one to read like a menu or a gallery to get you class excited about it.
The best part is, if you’re already assigning middle school kids homework from an art choice menu, they can use class time to work on them.
I think the beauty of art choice boards is that “choice” is the main aspect of the lesson. Happy students are more likely to be content, especially when you’re absent.
2) Roll A Dice Games
Idle hands are no good. They lend themselves to getting in trouble. Especially when you’re absent. So keeping students engaged for a sub is important. That’s the beauty of roll a dice games.
Roll the die. Collect the parts, designs, or patterns needed to create the piece. And then color it in. Easy peasy lemon squeezy!
The best part about them is that they’re not always something to be completed in a 30 – 45 minute class. So when you come back from being absent and you need time to catch up, have your class finish their drawing. It’ll give you time to catch up from being gone.
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More Info3) Directed Drawing Worksheets
Chances are your students have encountered step by step direct drawing worksheets before. They’re quite popular in arts and craft stores where you can purchase them in book form. The beauty of them is they break down the drawing process into small, manageable bits. So kids feel like they can tackle drawing something challenging.
4) Zentangle Drawings
Drawing patterns and designs is a fun and simple assignment to leave for upper elementary students. Plus, it can be meditative and therefore relaxing.
First, make copies of step-by-step zentangle designs. Or, leave two Design Doodles interactive fans per table to leave with the sub teacher along with graph paper and markers.
Then, write your instructions to include some basics on how to divide up the space into several areas using lines. Lastly, students fill in the spaces with zentangle patterns.
It’s up to you if you choose to leave coloring materials. I prefer to leave just basic markers and colored pencils.
5) Finish the Drawing Worksheets
When you’re absent? Not a lot will get done. And the kids? They’ll act like they have two left hands and can’t hold a pencil in either. You really need to have easy art sub plans in place that will get them moving.
One way to do that is with finish the drawing worksheets. Draw out some simple objects on the page – a skateboard, surfboard, glass bottle, whatever. Kids have to be creative and draw something to complete the unfinished picture.
6) Finish the Picture
Just like the Finish the Drawing worksheets, these Finish the Picture activities require the child to complete them how they see fit. The difference here is an object is placed on the page to prompt them. A lot of room is left for students to interpret how they want to complete the picture. I always get such fun and silly drawings back!
7) Sketchbook Prompts
As an art teacher, you can never have enough fun and engaging sketchbook prompts on hand. They’re great for building foundational art skills. And they work for both elementary and middle school aged students. But they also make easy art sub plans.
Going to be absent? Simply make copies of your sketchbook list and leave them with the materials you want kids to use. The only downside to a one-page sketchbook list is that if you’re absent several times, the list needs to be revised. Otherwise, they’ll get bored of it. And that always spells trouble for sub teachers.
That’s why I love sketchbook prompts made into an interactive fan. It’s a “one and done” kind of resource. You can make two per table and it’ll keep kids busy for eons. Prep them in the summer. Hang them in your art room. Done!
8) Artist Trading Cards
I’m such a huge fan of artist trading cards. They work for everything. Need a fast finisher activity? Quick art sub plan? Fun Friday activity? Artist trading cards are an awesome way to keep your classes motivated to be creative while you’re absent.
They can be created with any materials. So give the sub access to markers, crayons, colored pencils, and a stack of pre-cut cards, and you’re all set! Bonus points: they’re great for all grade levels!
For younger grade levels, I’ll leave a specific artist trading card task for them to complete along with an example artwork. For older grades, the work is self-guided.
This idea works great for when you have a scheduled personal day. You can set up the room in advance. And all the sub needs to do is to monitor cleanup, hand out cards, and collect projects.
9) Elements and Principles of Design
Do you focus on the elements and principles of design in your art lessons? I use them in big and small ways during every unit I teach. And each element of principle is taught using a spiral curriculum. For example, I teach about color every year, building on what kids learned the previous year.
I love using these elements and principles interactive fans to reinforce concepts at every grade level. They’re coloring, drawing pictures, and doing enough writing to count as literacy in the Arts.
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More Info10) Geoboard Drawings
Real geoboards are wooden pegboards where students create shapes with colored rubber bands. But for the purposes of art class, especially one with a small budget, having a printable version of it makes the task more versatile.
While these are primarily used in math class to talk about area and perimeter, I like them for drawing in art class, too! Give each child a page. Have them use black marker to draw the outline of an object in its most simplest form. And then they can use colored markers to fill it in.
I love seeing what creative ideas students come up with!
11) Echo Drawings
When you’re absent, it can be hard for a substitute teacher to be in your place and keep engagement up. One way to do that is to have a 2 – 3 small activities for students to complete. Echo drawing worksheets are quick drawing activities where kids copy the lines and shapes to see if they can match them.
They make great bellringers to warm-up for the lesson!
Returning From Being Absent
Whether it was one class period, a single day, or a 3 month maternity leave, returning to the art room after being away can be stressful. While you’re gone you’re wondering what’s happening there. And when you return, you’re sometimes inspecting the scene of a crime.
Case in point: I once had a sub cover a class last minute while I ran to an unexpected meeting. While I was gone, the sub pulled out chalk pastels from the storage cabinet. I had said kids could use markers. But the students talked the sub into letting them use soft pastels which were hidden in my storage cabinet. YEP. I returned to clouds of dust all. over. the. room. Total nightmare moment.
Conclusion: Stick with Easy Art Sub Plans
If anything I say sinks in, let it be this: it’s important to manage your expectations of the substitute teacher, student behavior, and the quality of their work. Because stuff is definitely going to happen while you’re out.
The easier you keep things, the better off you’ll be. Also, the more prepared you are at the start of the year, the easier taking a personal day off or sending in last minute emergency sub plans will be.
I hope you were able to find something you needed based on the type of day you’ll be taking!
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