Combining physical movement and social interaction with vocal confidence, this game is ideal for breaking the ice and encouraging children to express themselves confidently and creatively.
1. Start with a discussion about greetings
Gather the group and first ask them: "What is a greeting?" and "How do we usually say hello?" to spark a conversation about the importance of greeting new people.
2. Say hello to everyone
Challenge the children to walk around the space and greet as many people as they can using a simple "hello" and a wave.
3. Explore different greetings
Explain to the children that people greet each other in many different ways and ask them to share examples with the group.
4. Choose a character greeting
Announce a type of person and their special greeting. Then ask everyone to walk around and greet others using that style.
For example, you could choose:
5. Use music to add energy
Play music while the children walk around the room to amp up the energy! Just pause the music between each round.
6. Get creative
Once everyone's got the hang of the game, invite the children to suggest their own character greetings for the group to try.
This game is perfect when introducing new children to a group (such as at a party or play date). The familiarity of greetings, combined with silly characters, helps all children feel comfortable engaging with others.
Lucy Quick, Principal of Perform.
