Start your day by connecting to each of your students in a special way!
BUTTERFLY HANDSHAKE - Clasp right thumbs together. Extend fingers and flutter hands around like a butterfly.
3 “H” HELLO - Go up to each child and ask them which “H” they would like to have – a “high five,” “hug,” or “handshake.” They can also ask for a “triple play” which means they want all three!
LUMBERJACK HANDSHAKE - Stick right thumbs in the air. Clasp with left fist. Grasp partner’s right fingers and pretend to “saw” back and forth.
GHOST HANDSHAKE - Extend both arms and cross them over as you wave them in the air and go “Oooooo!”
BIKER HANDSHAKE - One person pretends to be the motorcycle by sticking their thumbs up in front of them. The other person grabs their thumbs and pretends to turn them as they make a “rrrrrmmm” noise.
FISHERMAN HANDSHAKE - Partners place right palms on each other’s forearms and tap gently. (It will feel like a wiggling fish!)
GARBAGEMAN HANDSHAKE - Partners take right hands, extend them, and slide down each other’s arm from the elbow to fingertips. Then they pretend to shake their hand as if trying to shake off garbage.
FARMER HANDSHAKE - One partner is the cow. Cross fingers, stick up thumbs, then bring thumbs in toward body and point down. (You guessed it - the cow’s udders!) The partner grasps “udders” and pretends to milk. “Utterly” fun!
THUMBS, BACKS, ELBOWS, ETC. - Challenge children to say “hello” with their elbows, thumbs, wrists, ankles, patellas, and other body parts. (Easily adaptable for ESL classrooms.)
THUMB KISS - Hold up your thumb and touch it to your partner’s thumb as you make a smacking sound with your lips.
SPIDERMAN HANDSHAKE - Hold up 4 fingers and intertwine them with your partner’s 4 fingers. Wiggle fingers like the 8 legs of a spider.
BOB THE BUILDER - “Hi, I’m your name the builder.” Shake hands with your partner. “I use a hammer.” Move fists up and down like a hammer. “I use a saw.” Move fists back and forth like a saw. “And I use a screw driver.” Twists fists around like a screw driver.
BOW WOW - Bow at the waist to a friend and then stand up and make “wow” by making the sign language “w” and placing them on either side of an open mouth.
BUZZ! - Children stick out one index finger and then tap a friend’s index finger as they say “Buzz!”
FRIENDSHIP HAND HUG - Children stand in a circle and hold hands. The teacher begins the activity by squeezing the hand of the child on her right. That child then squeezes the hand of the person on their right and then sits down. Children continue passing the hand hug and sitting down around until it circles back to the teacher.
GOOD DAY RALLY! - Divide the class into two lines facing each other. One at a time children walk through the center as friends give them “high five” and say, “Good day!”