Starting storytime with a welcome song sets a positive and inclusive tone. For those looking to add a global touch or engage a diverse audience, incorporating a Song In Spanish can be a wonderful strategy. This post explores the benefits of using a Spanish welcome song, specifically “Hola, amigos,” and provides practical tips for making your storytime welcoming and engaging for everyone.
Discovering “Hola, Amigos”: A Bilingual Welcome Song
“Hola, amigos” is a versatile and easy-to-learn song in Spanish perfect for welcoming children and families to storytime. It’s based on the familiar tune of the folk song “Goodnight Ladies,” making it instantly accessible to English speakers. This bilingual approach not only introduces a song in Spanish but also builds bridges and celebrates linguistic diversity from the very start.
Here are the basic bilingual lyrics:
Bilingual Lyrics to Welcome Song
Spanish:
Hola, amigos, hola, amigas, hola, amigues, es hora de decir hola.
English:
Hello, friends, hello, friends, hello, friends, it’s time to say hello.
The inclusive Spanish lyrics incorporate different forms of “friends” to be as welcoming as possible: “amigos” (masculine), “amigas” (feminine), and “amigues” (gender-neutral). This thoughtful inclusion in a simple song in Spanish demonstrates a commitment to welcoming all participants.
Simple Melody and Ukulele Accompaniment
The melody of “Hola, amigos” follows the well-known tune of “Goodnight Ladies.” Its simplicity is a major advantage, allowing everyone, regardless of musical background, to quickly join in.
For those who play instruments, the ukulele is an excellent accompaniment to this song in Spanish. Its cheerful sound enhances the welcoming atmosphere. A basic chord progression for ukulele is:
C CHola, amigos,C GHola, amigas,C FHola, amigues,C G CEs hora de decir hola.Using a capo can help adjust the key to better suit children’s singing voices, which typically fall within the C to C octave range. Starting storytime with a gentle ukulele and a song in Spanish can be a delightful way to capture attention and signal the beginning of a special time.
Photo of a table with children
A colorful array of materials prepared for an engaging children’s storytime session, showcasing books, puppets, and musical instruments.
Strategies to Maximize Engagement with Your Spanish Welcome Song
Beyond simply singing a song in Spanish, there are several strategies to make “Hola, amigos” even more interactive and inclusive during storytime. These techniques draw from principles of Universal Design for Learning, aiming to offer multiple ways for children and families to participate.
Multiple Avenues for Participation
To ensure everyone feels comfortable and can engage with the song in Spanish in their own way, consider these options:
- Rhythm and Beat: Before singing, establish the rhythm by clapping hands. Encourage everyone to join in keeping the beat throughout the song in Spanish. This is a non-verbal way to participate and great for kinesthetic learners.
- Singing on “La”: After a verse with lyrics, sing the melody using only the syllable “la.” This shifts the focus to the musicality of the song in Spanish and allows participation without requiring Spanish language proficiency.
- Gestures: Simple gestures like waving during the song in Spanish can be universally understood and encourage active participation.
- American Sign Language (ASL): Incorporating basic ASL signs for “hello” or “friends” adds another layer of inclusivity and visual engagement to the song in Spanish.
Choosing one or two of these strategies for each storytime keeps the welcome song in Spanish fresh and engaging without overwhelming participants.
Personalization: Transforming it into a Name Song
One of the most impactful ways to foster a sense of community is by making the welcome song in Spanish personal. You can easily adapt “Hola, amigos” into a name song by substituting children’s names for “amigos,” “amigas,” and “amigues.” Singing each child’s name within the song in Spanish makes them feel seen, valued, and a part of the group.
For example, you would sing: “Hola, [Child’s Name], hola, [Child’s Name], hola, [Child’s Name], es hora de decir hola.”
To smoothly transition after singing individual names, you can conclude with verses like:
- Hola adultos (Hello adults)
- Hola niños (Hello children)
- Hola todos (Hello everyone)
This personalization using a song in Spanish creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere right from the beginning of storytime.
“Adiós, Amigos”: A Farewell Song in Spanish
To create a cohesive storytime experience, consider using a closing song in Spanish that mirrors the welcome song. “Adiós, amigos” uses the same melody and structure as “Hola, amigos,” providing a sense of closure.
Spanish:
Adiós, amigos, adiós, amigas, adiós, amigues, es hora de decir adiós.
English:
Goodbye, friends, goodbye, friends, goodbye, friends, it’s time to say goodbye.
Using “Adiós, amigos” as a goodbye song in Spanish reinforces the bilingual element and provides a consistent and comforting routine for children.
Embracing Cultural Diversity Through Language
Expanding beyond basic inclusivity, incorporating a song in Spanish like “Hola, amigos” also opens doors to celebrating cultural and linguistic diversity. Drawing from the principles of Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy, storytime can be a space to value and nurture different languages and cultural expressions.
Photo of picture book held against a wall: Di Hola by Rachel Isadora, illustration of a brown-skinned child with black pigtails holding the leash of a dog. The background of the cover is the word hello in various languages.
A children’s book cover titled “Di Hola” by Rachel Isadora, featuring a vibrant illustration of a child and dog, with the word “hello” displayed in multiple languages in the background.
Reading books like “Say Hello!” (Di Hola!) by Rachel Isadora, which explores greetings in various languages, can be a wonderful complement to using a song in Spanish. Furthermore, you can invite families to share how they say “hello” or “friends” in other languages they speak. Incorporating these phrases into your welcome song in Spanish demonstrates genuine appreciation for the diverse linguistic landscape of your community.
Conclusion: The Power of a Spanish Song in Storytime
A welcome song in Spanish, like “Hola, amigos,” is more than just a musical opening for storytime. It’s a tool for creating an inclusive environment, fostering a sense of belonging, and celebrating linguistic diversity. By using strategies to engage participants in multiple ways and personalizing the song in Spanish, you can transform storytime into a truly welcoming and enriching experience for all. Whether you choose “Hola, amigos” or another song in Spanish, incorporating diverse elements can significantly enhance the value and impact of your storytime sessions.
References
CAST (2018). Universal Design for Learning Guidelines version 2.2. Retrieved from http://udlguidelines.cast.org
Goodnight, Ladies. (2023, April 21). In Wikipedia. Retrieved 23:31, June 25, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Goodnight,_Ladies&oldid=115102241
Hughes-Hassell, S., Rawson, C., Hirsh, K. (2024). Module 18: Culturally sustaining pedagogy. Project Ready: Reimagining Equity & Access for Diverse Youth. Retrieved from https://ready.web.unc.edu/section-2-transforming-practice/module-18/
Isadora, R. (2010). Say hello! New York, G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Laurence, F. (2000). Children’s singing. In J. Potter (Ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Singing (pp. 221–230). chapter, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
