Top 5 Welcome Songs for Pre-k through 2nd

So today was the first day of school for students and teachers in my district. In the elementary world this means plentiful amounts of Pre-k and Kinder tears, calming down nervous parents, scheduling confusions, teachers running on adrenaline and coffee, shy students (lasts for only 1 day), and mind-numbing fatigue. Even with all of this beginning of the year stress, I feel an excitement to start the year and a sense of pride for the work I do. The first week is always hard, but that first Saturday to sleep in feels SO REWARDING. So, here’s to sleeping in on Saturday! As the last post in my “Back-to-School” series, I’d like to share with you my favorite beginning of class Welcome Songs for the lower grades. 

When I start classes, I love setting the tone with a “Welcome Song” or chant. I often use these songs for Pre-K, Kinder, 1st and 2nd grade students at the beginning of a class. I am a huge fan of routine in the classroom, and I like to start class with some music-making. This also gives them a chance to transition from their last class, check in with their emotions, get their head in the right space, and let out some of their energy! So here’s my top 5.

1.The More We Get Together

I love to use “The More We Get Together” as a movement song. First we’ll sing “The More We Get Together”, and then I’ll ask students to replace “get” with another action word. I usually explain what an action word is, and teach them that you can also call action words “verbs”. So the next verse might be “The More We DANCE together”, and some favorites are play, hug, jump, skip, run, dab, etc. This song can go on for however long you’d like! It’s one of my favorite welcome songs to sing with my students. Also, I always play this song on my guitar, ukulele or piano. 

The More We Get Together Chords

D
The more we get (dance, run, skip, jump) together
   A
together
    D
together
       D
The more we get together
      A                 D
the happier we’ll be (repeat)

A                                    D
For your friends are my friends
          A                          D
And my friends are your friends
D
The more we get together
         A                    D
the happier we’ll be

2. Action Song by The Singing Walrus 

I love using this song in my classroom, because it gives students to check in with their emotions, to feel the beat of a song, and move around a bit. The video starts off with a chorus “Nah, nah, nah I’m so happy, I’m so happy-sing with me” and then has different body movements such as clap, stomp, swinging arms. It is just fun and the kids never get tired of it.

3. “Hello, Hello”- Super Simple Songs

This song is another great movement song that I also play on my guitar or ukulele. I teach them through echo singing. One of my favorite things to do with this song is teach fast/slow or with music terms “Presto” (very fast) and “Largo” (very slow). So we will start the song with a medium tempo, and build it up to “Presto”, then change to “Largo” at the end. This song gets all of the kids engaged and ready to learn music. 

4. Shake Your Hands-Patty Shukla 

I like this song because it can be sung sitting down and it is more calming than some of the other “hello songs”. I use it for classes that come to the music room with an excessive amount of energy and need a more relaxing welcome song.

5. Hickety Tickety Bumblebee 

This is a great song to sing with the students the first week of classes. I always sing it with the younger kids at the beginning of the year in order to learn all of their names! We get into a circle, and I will roll a ball to one of the students. The student who gets the ball will say their name. The class says, “Hello _____!”, Let’s all clap it! (clap the name) Let’s all whisper it! (whisper the name) Then we sing the song again and roll the ball to a new student! 

Hopefully you are able to use some of these in your classes!! Have a great beginning of the school year. 

Paige