Today, a search for fun morning greetings is a popular search from teachers worldwide. While there are plenty of great resources to choose from, why not go with one of the originals?
Almost a decade ago (how, has it been 10 years?!) The Core Coaches released what would become one of our most popular and beloved products of all time: Good Morning Greeting Signs. We even went viral when teachers posted their students using the morning greetings!
In the ten years since releasing our first version of the morning greeting, it has only gotten better. We have added even more fun greetings and ways to engage your students and we even added choices for digital classrooms.
While we love where our Morning Greeting product has grown to, we still have a soft spot for our OG Morning Greeting signs, which is why we are giving them away! Keep reading to find out how you can get a free set of our original Morning Greeting resource.
What are morning greetings?
Before we share what greetings are included in both our original and new version, let’s take a quick look at what morning greetings are. Therefore, if you are new to morning greetings or just want a quick reminder on how to use them, you will be ready to implement them in your classroom.
Simply put, Morning Greetings are fun and creative ways for students to say hello to one another in the morning. They can also be used at the end of the school day to say good-bye.
One thing that is great about these greetings is that they provide a way for teachers to greet each student individually. Sure, you could just say “Good Morning” to the whole class, but have you ever noticed how many students do (or rather, do not) reply?
Students may not respond to a collective Good Morning because it is not specific. However, when addressed individually it not only elicits a response but helps each student feel special as they are greeted one-on-one.
Greeting students individually also helps students learn how to interact and respond to adults. It also helps students learn to engage with their peers in a more mindful way.
Another great thing about these morning greetings is that they give students a choice. We often talk about giving students choice in their learning, but it is just as important to provide choice in other areas as well.
By providing students with a choice on how they want to be greeted you give them ownership of their day from the very beginning. Moreover, it teaches students to respect one another and their different preferences.
As you will see below, students have A LOT of choices when it comes to how they are greeted. These choices allow students to choose from an interactive greeting like a fist bump or something that does not involve physical contact, such as a bow.
Now, let’s take a look at more examples of morning greetings!
Examples of Morning greetings
Since it is the ten year anniversary of our original Morning Greeting we are going to introduce you to those first. These are the original greetings we developed ten years ago. However, they are still relevant and loved today.
original morning greetings
- Hug
- High-Five
- Fist Bump
- Wave
- Pinky Hug
- Handshake
If you do not have this OG packet of greetings then you can grab a free copy today! Don’t stop there though, keep reading to see the other greetings we have added over the years.
New Morning Greetings
Since releasing our first set of greetings we have added several more over the years. Today, we have 26 Good Morning Greetings for your kids to choose from.
Here are some of our favorite additions to the list:
Air Hug
Curtsy
Elbow Bump
Hip Bump
Hat Tip
Wink
Dance
Silly Face
Spirit Fingers
Salute
Morning Meeting Greeting
While you can use any of our Good Morning Greeting Signs on their own, we suggest combining them with Morning Meeting. As one of the most popular routines in first and second grade, Morning Meeting was always our favorite time of day.
Although you don’t have to combine Morning Meeting with Morning Greeting it is a simple addition that is quite effective. By greeting kids at the door with a Good Morning Greeting it is easy to then direct them to the carpet for a morning meeting as a whole class.
This combination of routines helps students know what to expect each morning which is a wonderful way to set students up for success. Moreover, having routines such as these is important for effective classroom management.
Back to School routines
Whether you are a veteran teacher or brand new to the classroom, while getting ready for back to school we encourage you to think about which routines will best support your classroom for the new year. As we mentioned above, two of our favorite routines to use are Morning Meeting and Morning Greetings.
In addition to starting the morning with a consistent routine, we also suggest having a routine for reading time. This goes beyond the procedure of moving from desks to the reading carpet. In addition, it is helpful to have familiar reading routines for students to know what to expect.
Therefore, we have created all of our read alouds using the same format. If you are looking for a simple way to add a routine to your classroom this year then take a look at some of our favorite back to school read alouds.
Beyond to these routines, we have an entire lesson on how to use procedures and routines for effective classroom management in our Classroom Management Course! We also include additional resources with the course that you won’t find anywhere else in The Core Coaches store.
Whether you choose to use Good Morning Greetings alone or combine them with other routines, we know your students will love starting the day with a fun way to say Hello!
