Relief Teacher Pack: Essential Tools for Every Casual Teacher
Whether you’re a seasoned casual teacher or stepping into your first classroom, having a well-stocked relief teacher pack can transform a stressful day into a smooth, confident experience. With a thoughtfully prepared pack, you can manage classes effectively, engage students actively, and maintain control — even when plans are thin or missing.
In this guide, we’ll show you what to include, provide resources and activities (games, worksheets, and digital tools), and share practical tips for assembling your ultimate relief teacher pack.
Why You Absolutely Need a Relief Teacher Pack
Let’s face it: CRT teaching is unpredictable. Sometimes, you walk into a class with fully detailed lesson plans. Other times, you might find yourself with almost nothing. Without a reliable “bag of tricks,” chaos can quickly unfold.
By having a relief pack ready, you can:
Take over the class confidently, even with minimal prep.
Keep students engaged and productive with ready-to-go activities.
Manage behaviour and transitions smoothly.
Build a professional reputation as a prepared, reliable teacher.
Indeed, a substitute pack is often described as a “lifesaver for relief teachers — much like a security blanket.” (stedi.org)
What to Include in Your Relief Teacher Pack
Essentials: Tools Every Relief Teacher Should Carry
First, gather your stationery and classroom basics:
Pens, pencils, erasers, whiteboard markers & erasers, sticky notes, name-tags, and stickers.
Spare paper: lined, plain, or blank A4 sheets — perfect for last-minute work or creative activities.
Clipboard or folder — helpful if there’s no desk or surface available.
Small teacher notebook — ideal for recording attendance, behaviour, incidents, or notes for the regular teacher.
With these tools, you’ll be able to respond quickly, keep the class organised, and demonstrate professionalism immediately.
Educational Games, Activities & Resources
Even with strong classroom management, you need engaging activities for gaps or early finishers. Luckily, there are countless verified resources and games you can include:
In addition to these trusted resources, you can explore more relief teaching ideas, ready-to-use activities, and resource packs to keep students engaged, even on short notice:
Printable Resource & Activity Packs
Australian Curriculum Adventures — their Substitute Teacher Activities Bundle includes warm-up cards, daily slides, and editable lessons for multiple subjects. (tpd.edu.au)
Twinkl Australia — the “EYLF Casual Educator Resource Pack” offers letter mats, STEM activities, transport Bingo, yoga, and mindfulness pages. (twinkl.com)
Oceanview Resources — a comprehensive digital kit with worksheets, games, and activities across literacy, numeracy, arts, and science. (oceanviewresources.com)
Quick Games & Time-Fillers
When lessons finish early, or a plan is incomplete, these “go-to” tools save the day:
Dice, playing cards, paddle-pop sticks, dominos, manipulatives, picture books, or origami paper
Classroom management games: assign student roles (line leader, time-keeper, supply distributor), or run small-group tasks.
Digital & Interactive Tools
When technology is available, consider:
Kahoot! — set up ready-to-go quizzes to recap learning or add a fun competitive element. Kahoot! | Learning games | Make learning awesome!
Interactive slides or whiteboard activities for literacy, STEM, or art tasks (tpd.edu.au)
A bookmarked list of reliable free educational websites or videos for your age group (oceanviewresources.com)
Classroom Management & Student Engagement
Having resources isn’t enough — you must actively manage the classroom:
Assign student roles to involve learners and keep them engaged
Circulate, check-in, and supervise actively. Quick brain-break games or discussion prompts prevent downtime
Always prepare fallback activities: worksheets, creative projects, or simple games ensure meaningful learning continues, even without formal lesson plans
Assembling Your Relief Teacher Pack: Checklist
Here’s a ready-to-go checklist you can use:
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Stationery & Basics | Pens, pencils, erasers, whiteboard markers, sticky notes, stapler, scissors, tape, clipboard/folder |
| Printables | Worksheets, cover work sheets, reading comprehension, spelling/grammar prompts |
| Games & Activities | Dice, cards, manipulatives, origami, board-games, word puzzles, drama/role-play ideas |
| Digital / Online | Kahoot quizzes, interactive slides, bookmarked educational websites, online games |
| Behaviour & Management | Student roles, reward stickers/tokens, checklist for behaviour and attendance |
| Emergency / Back-up | Brain-break games, mindfulness colouring, puzzles, read-aloud stories |
| Documentation | Teacher notebook, behaviour log, attendance/incident forms, feedback sheet |
Organise your pack by age group, subject, or activity type to make retrieval fast and efficient.
Extra Tips for Relief Teachers
Keep both digital and printed versions of your materials — tech may fail, or printing may be restricted.
Store items in a sturdy tote bag, divided by stationery, printables, games, and management tools.
Maintain a “go-to playlist” of online resources for each class level.
Show professionalism: being prepared, calm, and organised leaves a lasting impression and increases future bookings.
A well-prepared relief teacher pack doesn’t just save your day — it ensures students remain engaged, lessons run smoothly, and schools see you as a professional they can trust. By actively using resources, games, and fallback plans, you can confidently take over any classroom — no matter the circumstances.