The Red Bracelet Says Hello

Each child wears a red bracelet on one wrist, and while they walk around the room that hand waves, high-fives and touches whatever the teacher calls out. It builds awareness of one side of the body before we start using the words right and left.

How to play

1. Sit in a circle; each child picks which wrist gets the red bracelet and the teacher helps put it on (1 min).
2. Walk to the music while the bracelet hand waves hello to everyone we pass (1 min).
3. When the music stops, the bracelet hand gives a friend's bracelet hand a high five (1 min).
4. The bracelet hand touches body parts: nose, knee, foot and tummy (1 min).
5. Move the bracelet to the other wrist and repeat the greetings with the new hand (1 min).
6. Finish by raising the bracelet hand up high and saying "Hi, red hand!" (1 min).

Rules

• The bracelet hand does the waving.
• High fives are gentle, like a butterfly landing.
• When the music stops, find a friend, not the wall.
• You can choose whichever wrist you like.

Variations

Adaptations

• Limited mobility: the child waves from a chair and classmates come over for high fives.
• Autism: preview with a photo of the bracelet and let the child touch it first; if it bothers them, use a big sticker on the back of the hand instead.
• Hearing loss: signal the music stops by raising a big scarf.

Learning goals

• Recognize one hand by a color marker.
• Use the marked hand and then the other in simple actions.
• Warm up the body by greeting and touching classmates.

Equipment for a class of 25

• red yarn bracelets: 25
• music

Teacher tip

Bracelets should be loose with no dangling ends; thick knotted yarn or a wide hair tie works best. Don't correct which wrist they pick: at this age hand preference is still developing.

More activities like this

More warm-ups for Elementary