Top 5 Welcome Songs for the Elementary Classroom
Imagine your students walking into class on the first day. They are nervous and excited to start the year with YOU as their teacher. If you’re like me, you want the first day to be full of positive experiences and to set a great tone for the rest of the school year. One of the best ways to calm the nerves and establish positive connections is MUSIC! Which is why we have compiled a list of the Top 5 Welcome Songs you can use in your classroom on the very first day of class. You can also use these songs as a part of your routine every morning.
1) The Good Day Cha Cha
This song is great to use in the morning because you can turn on the Youtube video and dance/sing along with your students! There is also an entire lesson plan AND activities to go along with this song that you can access on our Teachers Pay Teachers store.
2) Hello, Hello, Can You Clap Your Hands
I love using this song with PK-1st grade because it encourages fine motor skills through simple body movements, and encourages participation in the classroom from day 1!
3) I Am Here
This song serves as a great ice-breaker. There’s clapping, stomping, spinning, and more. There will be lots of laughter! This song works for PK-5th grade!
4) Jump in, Jump out
This is a perfect song for 2nd-5th graders on the first day of school. I find that in order to get all students to be confident in participating, they need a few minutes to think through their responses beforehand. (My name is ____, and I like ______, and I can ______.) Then I have them write their responses down on a sticky note. That way students can refer to the sticky note if they get nervous on their turn.
5) Hickety Pickety Bumblebee
This song works best when played as a circle game. Students will sit in a circle, then roll the ball to one another. When the teacher rolls the ball to a selected student, we’ll all sing “Hickety Pickety Bumblebee, Can you say your name for me?” When the child says their name (for example: Christina), then we’ll all say “Hi Christina!!” Then I lead the group with, “Let’s all clap it: CHRIS-TIN-A, let’s all whisper it: Chris-tin-a, let’s all celebrate it: Chris-tin-a!!!” Then I have the student roll the ball back to me, and then choose another student to roll the ball to. You can add snaps, pats, stomps, or any other movement you can think of, with the names. Also, if you’re not comfortable singing it, you can always chant instead. There are many variations to this song you can look up on Youtube, but here’s one that features the tune.
Do you have any favorite Welcome Songs that you like using in your classroom? Let us know in the comments! We hope you have a great start to the year!
-Paige & Adrien-
Narwhals & Waterfalls
