The Hello Song

What you need

• a soft toy or two to sing hello to

How to do it

1. Start the day, or a play session, with the same short hello song.
2. Wave on the word 'hello' and say the name of whoever's there, including them.
3. Finish play with a goodbye song, waving on 'bye'.
4. Keep it the same song every time so the wave lands in the same place.

Why it matters

A song puts the hello and the wave in exactly the same spot every time, so a toddler can join in with the wave long before the word turns up.

What they're learning

Waving hello

The song tells them exactly when the wave goes, which makes it easy to get right.

Words in a song

Words set to a tune are easier to remember and easier to try.

Starting and finishing

A hello song and a goodbye song give play a beginning and an end.

What to look for

Watch for their hand going up just before the 'hello' in the song.

A tip

Any tune works. Make one up. What matters is that it's the same one each time.

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