It’s always a good idea to start the day with a Hello song for kids in a nursery or music group setting. Hello songs are perfect for settling everyone in, and a great way to break the ice and get to know each other. When you make them a daily habit, these songs become a familiar, reassuring start to the routine of the day.
A Hello song is great for helping little ones to settle down and become part of the group while also gently encouraging the shyer children to gain confidence.
Although Hello songs usually make a point of greeting everyone in turn, they also focus on the class as a whole. So that’s why they’re a good way to to bring the group together. Consequently the children enjoy the chance to greet everyone in a relaxed way but without feeling any pressure or anxiety.
Say Hello Song For Kids #1
Say hel-lo! hel-lo! Say hel-lo! hel-lo!
Say hel-lo! hel-lo!, Say hel-lo! hel-lo!
Clap your hands, clap! clap! clap! (repeat x 3)
Stamp your feet! stamp, stamp, stamp! (repeat x 3)
Curl up small, very small (repeat x 3 )
Let’s stand up, stretch up high, (repeat x 3 )
Say hel-lo! hel-lo! (repeat x 3 )
(you can change hello to goodbye and sing the song at the end too!)
This Say Hello song is one of my all time favourites as you can adapt the actions to suit any age from babies up to five year olds and it gets everyone joining in together with the clapping and the stamping.
Children respond really well to routine and this familiar easy chant becomes a firm favourite that signals the time for the group to come together and listen to the teacher and take part together as a whole.
Here’s a lovely circle game that also works well as a preschool Hello song. Slightly older children might enjoy this one more as it can be used to encourage solo singing with the sung questions and answers. Therefore make sure you practice together in unison first until the children know it well enough.
The teacher starts the song off by turning to the right and greeting the first child and then each child takes it in turn to greet his neighbour on the right as the song passes around the circle.
I Turn Towards My Neighbour – Preschool Hello Song For Kids #2
I turn towards my neighbour, (turn to person on the right)
And wave hello at them, (wave hello)
I nod my head and smile, (nod and smile )
And shake them by the hand, (shake hands together)
He -llo! (2nd child echoes) “He-llo!”
How are you? (2nd child) “How are you?”
I’m just fine! (2nd child echoes) “I’m just fine”
I’m pleased to see you too! (echo) “I’m pleased to see you too!”
More preschool Hello Songs from around the web
Here are a few other popular preschool hello songs to choose from, I love the one with the sign language!
- 8 Songs to Start The Preschool Day from Teaching Mama
- 15 Hello Songs by Margie at Music Therapy Tunes (via YouTube)
- “Hello Hello” by Super Simple Songs (via YouTube)
- Hello and Goodbye Song Using Sign Language (via YouTube)
- The purpose of a Hello song from Strings Keys and Melodies
If you’re looking for more preschool music ideas, check out my Pinterest board below!
Follow Sara @ Let’s Play Music’s board Preschool Music Activities on Pinterest.
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Such a cute song 🙂
hi, can i get the score of I Turn Towards My Neighbour?
Hi Yue Syuen, I’m sorry, I don’t have a copy of the music for this. It is only intended to be sung unaccompanied as a greeting circle game, so perhaps you can copy down the melody line from watching the ‘How Are You?’ chime bar video below a couple of times?
I was so glad to find this information. As a mother of a child with SPD and working as a Family Support Liaison for an Early Intervention Program this website provides a wealth of opportunities to promote parent-child interactions through music. I found so helpful the Best Books for Musical Learning list. Thanks for sharing your talen.
You’re very welcome Silvia! What an interesting and valuable job you do! I’m so glad to hear you are finding my website useful. 🙂
I was so happy to read this post today! Over the years, I have struggled with Hello songs for children because I usually find the melody (or words) uninteresting to me and I know I will be singing the song A WHOLE LOT!!! In fact, I have only 2 favorites…until now. I like both of your examples above very much and I can begin our classes with one or the other right away (tomorrow!) Now, I have 4 hello songs that I can enjoy over and over.
Your blog has been greatly inspiring me since I first discovered it and every one of your posts has something I can use, and I do. Thanks for continuous music fun and inspiration.
Thanks Carolyn! I’m so glad you are finding the content on the blog so useful – It makes it all worth while to know! So thanks for the encouragement 🙂