If you are a substitute for a teacher who is out sick, get the kids involved in a card-making activity. Put out supplies like construction paper, markers, paints and scissors and ask each child to make a card for their teacher. The students will enjoy the opportunity to be completely creative while learning about what it means to be kind and compassionate. Finish up the activity by talking about other ways to bring joy to people, whether it is being kind to another child on the playground or picking flowers for a parent.
Use the classroom chalkboard for a collaborative art project in a young class. Pass out colored chalk and have each child make a piece of the mural. You might choose an age-appopriate theme, like animals or favorite things, or ask the class to draw a response to a question like, "What makes you happy?" The children will enjoy using the board for an art project and can look forward to showing it to the teacher when she returns.
Many kindergartners are not able to read, but enjoy stories. Make your substituting day a time to introduce them to new worlds by bringing in your favorite books. Read each book to the class, talk about them together and encourage kids to explore the lessons by drawing pictures or making up their own stories. If you are substituting in the same class for several days, ask children to bring in their favorite books from home and read them out loud.
There's no reason for learning to stop when the main teacher is out of the classroom. Help your kindergartners work on their math skills using objects around the classroom; the more unexpected, the better. Play a large-scale game by pushing desks together in groups for adding and subtracting problems, or stack chairs. By using non-traditional items in math problems, you can get small children interested; it can also feel slightly mischievous, which can make learning more entertaining.