Big, Medium and Teeny Hellos

Children dance around the room and, when the music stops, greet a classmate with a hello in the size the teacher calls: giant with the whole body, medium with an arm, or teeny with one finger and a whisper. It builds expressive movement, range of motion and greeting as an opening routine.

How to play

1. In a circle, teach the three hellos: giant (star jump and a playground-voice “HELLO!”), medium (waving hand, normal voice) and teeny (wiggling finger, mouse voice) (2 min).
2. With music, dance around waving at anyone you see (1 min).
3. When the music stops, the teacher calls a size: find someone and greet them that way (3 min).
4. Add silly hellos: backward hello, foot hello, robot hello, slow-motion hello (2 min).
5. Finish with a giant group hello toward the middle of the circle, then a teeny one to calm down (2 min).

Rules

• Greet someone different each time.
• The giant hello is big, but no bumping.
• When the music stops, walk to find a friend.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the giant hello uses wide-open arms and voice.
• Hearing impairment: show the size with hands (wide apart or close together) when the music stops.
• Autism or noise sensitivity: the child can always do the teeny hello and gets a heads-up before the giant one.

Learning goals

• Vary the size of movements and voice.
• Greet different classmates.
• Warm up joyfully at the start of class.

Equipment for a class of 25

• Music

Teacher tip

Works great on Mondays when kids arrive scattered. Make sure the giant hello doesn't turn into running; it's a jump in place.

More main activities for Elementary