Preschoolers will get to know their preschool classroom and their classmates’ names. They will practice their perceptivity and start learning the ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ song.

Educational aids:

the ‘Hello!’ song, a puppet/a figure of a dwarf, a ball, a picture card with a preschool classroom, cards with the names of items in the preschool with double-sided tape, labels with double-sided tape, the ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ song.

Description of activities:

1. ‘Hello!’ – greeting children – children sit in the circle with their teacher. The teacher plays the song and shows the right gestures. The group tries to imitate the teacher’s gestures.

Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)
Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)

I’m good. (show one thumb)
I’m great! (show two thumbs)
I’m wonderful! (raise thumbs up)
I’m good. (show one thumb)
I’m great! (show two thumbs)
I’m wonderful! (raise thumbs up

Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)
Hello, hello, hello, how are you? (wave to each other)

I’m tired. (wipe forehead with a hand)
I’m hungry. (massage the belly)
I’m not so good. (wave index finger)
I’m tired. (wipe forehead with a hand)
I’m hungry. (massage the belly)
I’m not so good. (wave index finger)

2. ‘The dwarf’ – chatting – children sit in the circle with the teacher. The teacher takes out the puppet/figure with the dwarf and says in a changed voice: ‘Good morning Kids! I am the Dwarf. I’ve been waiting for you all summer. I’m very glad that you came. I will show you around this classroom. I hope that you enjoy it.’ In the next step, the dwarf comes up to every child to say hello and the children tell him their names.

3. ‘Hi, Ola!’ – movement activity – children and the teacher stand in the circle. The teacher throws the ball to one child and says his/her name, for example: ‘Hi, Ola!’. Next, the teacher runs around the circle and comes back to her/his place and the child throws the ball to another child, saying his or her name. After throwing the ball, she or he runs around the circle and comes back to her/his place. The game is continued until all the children throw the ball.

4. ‘Compare’ – educational activity – children sit in the circle with the teacher. The teacher asks the children to look around the classroom and try to memorize as many details as possible. Then the teacher shows children a picture of another preschool classroom and asks the children to do the same in 20 seconds. After this time, the teacher covers the picture and asks the children to indicate the similarities and differences between the picture and their classroom. After children provide their answers the teacher shows the picture again and asks about other similarities and differences. Next, the children speak about things which can be found in every preschool classroom (a carpet, chairs, desks, toys, books). The teacher (together with the dwarf) guides the children around the room and informs them about the location of items and toys.

5. ’People to people’ – movement activity – children form pairs and the teacher tells them how they should greet, for example: ‘Elbows to elbows/knees to knees/heels to heels. The teacher gives commands with several parts of the body and then says: ‘People to people!’ and children have to look for new partners. This activity is repeated 4-5 times.

6. ‘Labels for kids’ – educational activity – children sit in the circle with the teacher. The teacher describes items/animals in the pictures – labels which will be sticked to kids’ drawers/shelves. The person who raises his/her hand and guesses what is in the picture receives the label and sticks it next to his or her name on a drawer in the preschool classroom, a shelf in a cloakroom, next to the towel in the bathroom ect.

7. ‘Just like me’ – movement activity – children sit in the circle, and the teacher goes to the middle of it and says for example: ‘Who has dark hair just like me?’. Children with dark hair have to stand up and change places. The person who’s left without a place to sit stays in the middle of the circle and says: ‘Who … just like me?’. This activity is repeated about 6 times. If children want to continue to play, the teacher tells them they can play for example after dinner/in the afternoon.

8. ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ – listening to the song – children sit in the circle and listen to the ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ song in an active way: they have to remember one pair of rhymes. After listening to the song, the teacher talks with preschoolers about the lyrics of this song and asks about rhymes. Children listen to the song again and repeat the lyrics of the first part of the song after the teacher.

Welcome to Kindergarten

Welcome to Kindergarten where we can learn and play.
Get ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.
I’ll try my best and work hard be kind in every way.
We’re ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.

Welcome to Kindergarten welcome to our time at school
the best way to have a whole lot of fun is to listen to the teacher and follow the rules.
There are just so many things to learn like counting by fives and how to take turns.
Holding the pencil correctly to write with you the future is bright
So sing with me now

Welcome to Kindergarten where we can learn and play.
Get ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.
I’ll try my best and work hard be kind in every way.
We’re ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.

A whole lot of fun a whole lot of games we’ll learn how to write our first and last name.
Reading sight words, like I’m a good and sharing our supplies like every friend should.
Colors and numbers, letters big and small and recess you bet we go always have a ball.
Amazing stories we’re reading we’re right with you the future is bright
So sing with me now.

Welcome to Kindergarten where we can learn and play.
Get ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.
I’ll try my best and work hard be kind in every way.
We’re ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.

Welcome to Kindergarten where we can learn and play.
Get ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.
I’ll try my best and work hard be kind in every way.
We’re ready for all of the fun we’ll have today.

9. ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ – movement activity – children walk around in the circle and sing the ‘Welcome to Kindergarten’ song.

Attachments:

A figure for the ‘The dwarf’ activity

An A4 picture card for the ‘Compare’ activity

An A3 picture card for the ‘Compare’ activity

An A2 picture card for the ‘Compare’ activity

Labels for the ‘Labels for kids’ activity

Pages:

1. https://supersimple.com/song/hello/ – the ‘Hello!’ song for the ‘Hello!’ activity
2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgzXd_Z9RLs&ab – the “Welcome to Kindergarten” song for the ‘Welcome to kindergarten’ activities