English greetings for kids are some of the friendliest first words a child can learn: “hi,” “bye-bye,” “good morning” and “good night.” They happen many times a day, they come with a wave and a smile, and they get an instant reward, because people smile and say hello back. For a child learning English, a greeting is the shortest way to connect with someone new.
You don’t need flashcards for greetings. You need the moments you already have: waking up, the door opening, a grandparent on a video call, the walk into preschool, the hug at pick-up. Say the same short words in those moments every day, wave while you say them, and your child will start joining in, first with a hand, then with a sound, then with the word.
This guide covers where to start, greetings for every part of the day, the first little conversations, hellos and goodbyes at preschool, what to do when your child is shy, five-minute greeting games, a silly game about Tatako’s eight waving arms, greetings in English and Spanish, and common mistakes.
In this guide
- Why greetings make great first words
- Hello, hi and bye-bye: where to start
- Good morning, good night: greetings for the whole day
- First little conversations: how are you and what’s your name
- Hello and goodbye at preschool
- When your child is shy about saying hello
- Greeting games for five minutes
- Why Tatako waves with eight arms: a silly game
- Greetings in English and Spanish
- Common mistakes (and what to do instead)
- Where Tatako fits
- Questions parents ask
Why greetings make great first words
Greetings are short, useful and social. A child who can say “hi” and “bye-bye” can take part in a moment with anyone, even before they know many other words. That feeling of being part of the conversation is a big motivator for a small child.
Greetings also come with a built-in gesture. A wave says “hello” and “bye-bye” before the words arrive, and the wave helps the word along. When you wave and say “Bye-bye!” at the same time, your child hears the word and sees its meaning together.
They repeat on their own, too. You might say “good morning” once a day, but “hi” and “bye-bye” come up again and again: people arriving, people leaving, the bus going by, the bath water swirling down the drain. Every one of those moments is a tiny English lesson.
And greetings are about people, which is what kids care about most. Saying hello to Grandma, to the teacher or to a new friend at the park turns English into something warm and real, not a school subject.
Hello, hi and bye-bye: where to start
Start with three words: “hi,” “hello” and “bye-bye.” They are short, easy to say and easy to pair with a wave.
- hi. The shortest greeting, and the one many children say first. It works with everyone, from the teacher to the dog next door.
- hello. A little longer and a little warmer. Stretch it out when you say it: “Hel-lo!”
- bye-bye. The playful version of “goodbye.” It is easier to say than “goodbye,” and children love the double sound.
When those feel natural, add “see you later,” “see you soon” and “goodbye.” Older children often trade “bye-bye” for “bye” or “see you!” on their own, once they hear other kids say it.
Pair every greeting with the same gesture. Wave for “hi” and “bye-bye,” blow a kiss for “good night,” give a high five for “see you later.” The gesture gives your child a way to answer before the word is ready, and many children wave for weeks before the word follows. Celebrate the wave. It is a real greeting.
Say hello and goodbye to things as well as people. “Bye-bye, bath water!” when the tub drains. “Hi, bus!” when the school bus goes by. “Bye-bye, cookies!” when the snack is gone. Kids find this hilarious, and it doubles the practice.
Good morning, good night: greetings for the whole day
Greetings that match the time of day give the day its shape. Use them at the same moments every day:
- Good morning! When your child wakes up, with a big stretch.
- Good afternoon! After lunch or a nap, mostly with grown-ups and teachers.
- Good evening! When someone arrives in the evening, like a guest for dinner.
- Good night! At bedtime, or when someone leaves at night.
“Good morning” and “good night” are the two to start with. They are part of every day, and they come with a ritual: a stretch and a smile in the morning, a hug and a kiss at bedtime. “Good afternoon” and “good evening” sound more formal, so save them for later, or use them in pretend play when a teddy comes to visit.
A good morning tour makes waking up fun: “Good morning, window! Good morning, Teddy! Good morning, Daddy!” Walk around the room and greet everything your child points at. At night, do the same tour in reverse: “Good night, car. Good night, books. Good night, lamp.” It is a calm, cozy way to end the day, and a lot of English for two minutes.
After a nap, try “Hi, sleepyhead! Did you have a good nap?” The same few words at the same moment every day become words your child can count on, and then words your child says back.
First little conversations: how are you and what’s your name
Once “hi” and “bye-bye” come easily, add a short back-and-forth. These two questions open almost every first conversation in English.
“How are you?” Many textbooks teach “I’m fine, thank you, and you?”, but real children answer “Good!”, “Happy!” or “Tired!” Teach the short, natural answers first. Better still, use the question as a feelings check: “How are you? Happy? Sleepy? Hungry?” Our guide to emotion words for kids has more feelings words to add to the answer.
“What’s your name?” Teach your child to answer with “I’m Sofia” or just “Sofia!” The full sentence, “My name is Sofia,” comes later. Then add the friendly ending, “Nice to meet you!”, which children love to say with a handshake or a high five.
Puppets and stuffed animals are perfect partners for these first conversations. Let a teddy ask, “Hi! What’s your name?” in a funny voice, and let your child answer. Then switch: your child holds the teddy and asks you. Children who go quiet with a real stranger often chat happily with a sock puppet.
“How old are you?” is another question kids hear all the time, and the answer is a proud handful of fingers. Practice holding up the right fingers together, and the words will follow. For more short phrases like these, see our guide to first English phrases for kids.
Hello and goodbye at preschool
Preschool brings two big greeting moments every day: drop-off and pick-up. When the teacher speaks English, these are often the first English words your child uses outside home, so they are worth practicing.
At drop-off, keep the goodbye short, warm and the same every day. A hug, a kiss, a wave at the window and the same words: “Bye-bye! See you after snack!” A predictable goodbye helps children settle, because they know what comes next. Sneaking out while your child is busy feels easier in the moment, but a clear goodbye builds trust.
Many teachers greet each child at the door: “Good morning, Lucas!” Practice the answer at home. A “good morning” back, or a wave, is all your child needs. Many classrooms also start the day with a hello song in a circle, so singing “hello” and your child’s name to any tune you like is great practice.
At pick-up, greet your child with the same words every day: “Hi! I missed you! How was your day?” Then add the goodbye to the class: “Bye, friends! See you tomorrow!” Our guide to preschool English words has more of the words your child will hear in class.
When your child is shy about saying hello
Many children go quiet when someone new says hello. They hide behind your leg, look at the floor or bury their face in your shoulder. That is a normal part of meeting people, and it passes with time and gentle practice.
Skip the pressure. “Say hello! Say hello to the lady!” puts a child on the spot, and a child on the spot hides even more. Instead, greet for your child: “Hi! Mia says hi too.” You show the greeting, you keep the moment warm, and you leave the door open for your child to join in.
Offer other ways to greet. A wave, a high five, a smile or a peek all count. Some children find it easier to greet with a toy: the teddy waves, and the child is braver behind it. Give choices: “Do you want to wave or give a high five?”
Give your child time to warm up. Many shy children say a loud “Bye-bye!” at the end of a visit after staying quiet at the start. Celebrate that goodbye. It is the same skill, ready a little later.
Practice at home, where there is no pressure. Pretend to arrive at the door as a mail carrier, a grandparent or a lion, and let your child greet you. Children who rehearse greetings in play find the real thing easier.
Greeting games for five minutes
Each of these games takes about five minutes and needs nothing you don’t already have:
- Knock, knock, hello. Close a door, knock and wait for your child to open it. “Hello! Is Lucas home?” Then switch places. Children never tire of opening the door.
- Toy phone. Pick up a toy phone or a banana: “Hello? Hi, Grandma! How are you?” Hand it to your child and let them talk. Phones are the classic place for “hello” and “bye-bye.”
- Toy parade. Line up stuffed animals and greet each one: “Hi, Bear! Hello, Duck!” Then send each one off to bed: “Good night, Bear!”
- Puppet meets puppet. Put a sock on each hand and let them meet: “Hi! What’s your name?” “I’m Socky! Nice to meet you!” Then hand one puppet to your child.
- Hello, goodbye, peekaboo. Hide behind a blanket: “Bye-bye!” Pop out: “Hello!” Kids love this one, and it teaches the two words as a pair.
- Window waves. Wave and say hi to everything that passes the window: cars, dogs, buses, people. Say “bye-bye” as they go.
Pick one game and play it for a few days in a row. Repeating the same game is how the words stick, and children enjoy knowing what comes next.
Why Tatako waves with eight arms: a silly game
Tatako is an octopus with eight arms, so its hello is the biggest wave in town. That makes a great greeting and counting game for kids.
Draw a simple octopus on paper, or use any toy with lots of legs. Make Tatako say hello with one arm: “Hi!” Then two arms: “Hi, hi!” Keep going and count the waving arms together: “One, two, three…” Tatako always loses count at seven, so your child gets to finish: “Eight!” Then do the same for goodbye, one arm at a time, until Tatako is waving with all eight: “Bye-bye, bye-bye, bye-bye!”
Turn it around and let your child wave like Tatako, with one hand, then two hands, then two hands and a foot, then everything at once. Finish with a tickle, because Tatako is very ticklish and giggles at every high five. Children practice “hi,” “bye-bye” and their counting words, and nobody can keep a straight face. Our guide to counting for kids has more number games to mix in.
Greetings in English and Spanish
In a bilingual home, your child may say “hola” to Grandma and “hi” to the teacher, and that is exactly right. Greetings are tied to people and places, and children sort them well. The table below pairs the most common greetings in both languages.
| English | Spanish | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| hi, hello | hola | when you meet someone |
| good morning | buenos días | in the morning |
| good afternoon | buenas tardes | after lunch |
| good evening | buenas noches | when you arrive in the evening |
| good night | buenas noches | at bedtime or when you leave at night |
| bye-bye, goodbye | chau, chao, adiós | when someone leaves |
| see you later | hasta luego, nos vemos | when you’ll meet again soon |
| how are you? | cómo estás? | right after hello |
| what’s your name? | cómo te llamas? | meeting someone new |
| I’m Sofia | me llamo Sofía, soy Sofía | answering the name question |
| nice to meet you | mucho gusto | after you trade names |
Notice that Spanish uses “buenas noches” for both “good evening” and “good night.” Children who grow up with Spanish sometimes say “Good night!” when they arrive at a party in the evening. It is a sweet mix-up, and modeling “Good evening!” at the door fixes it.
Greetings also carry customs. In many families, children learn to greet everyone in the room, often with a kiss on the cheek. In many classrooms, a wave and a cheerful “Hi!” is the usual greeting, especially with teachers and other children. Your child can learn both: a kiss for Abuela, a wave for the teacher. Knowing which greeting fits which person is a social skill bilingual children practice every day.
Common mistakes (and what to do instead)
- Demanding a greeting on the spot. “Say hi! Say hi!” makes most children hide. Model the greeting yourself and let your child join in.
- Teaching only textbook answers. “I’m fine, thank you, and you?” is a mouthful. Start with what children really say: “Good!” “Hi!” “Bye!”
- Correcting “hi” to “hello.” Both are right. “Hi” is shorter and very common, so let your child use whichever comes out.
- Skipping the goodbye. Slipping out quietly at drop-off or at a party saves a minute but costs trust. Say a short, warm goodbye every time.
- Saving greetings for guests. Greet your child too: “Good morning!” at wake-up, “Hi, sleepyhead!” after a nap, “I missed you!” at pick-up. Children learn greetings from the ones they receive.
Greetings sit right next to polite words like “please” and “thank you.” Our guide on how to teach kids manners covers those first polite words.
Where Tatako fits
Greetings grow best in real hellos and goodbyes with the people your child loves. Tatako adds short, calm English lessons for the first words around those moments, starting with friendly words like “hello” and “mommy.” Tatako is a first-words app for bilingual families, and its short spoken lessons cover first words and phrases: people, food, animals, colors, actions, little helper words and what the teacher says at preschool, in about five minutes a day, with nothing to read.
Each lesson follows one simple rhythm. Your child hears each word three times, with a pause to say it out loud. Next come two pictures, and your child touches the one they hear. Finally the picture comes back without the word, and your child gets to name it first. Afterward, a grown-up spends about two minutes marking how each word went (New, Repeat more, Understands or Can say), and the next lesson brings the shaky words back first. You choose the mix of old and new words.
A guide voice explains what to do, and you can turn it off once you don’t need it. Lessons work on the web, on Apple and on Android, and you sign in with Google. Learn more on the Tatako home page.
Try it today
- Say “Good morning!” with a big stretch the moment your child wakes up.
- Wave and say “Bye-bye!” to the bath water, the bus and the last cookie.
- Let a teddy ask your child, “Hi! What’s your name?”
- Do the good night tour before bed: “Good night, car. Good night, books.”
Questions parents ask
When do children start saying hello and bye-bye?
Most children wave before they say a word, and the wave is their first greeting. The words follow at each child’s own pace. Keep greeting with a wave and a word every day, and celebrate each wave as a real hello.
Should I make my child say hello to relatives?
Invite the greeting and let your child choose how: a wave, a high five, a hug or a word. Greet for your child when the moment feels big. A greeting your child chooses means more to everyone, and it comes back more often.
Will greeting in two languages confuse my child?
Children sort greetings by person and place with ease: “hola” for Abuela, “hi” for the teacher. Mixing words now and then is a normal part of growing up with two languages, and it sorts itself out with time.
What greetings should my child know before preschool?
“Hi,” “bye-bye,” “good morning” and their own name, as in “I’m Sofia,” cover most of the day. Add “See you tomorrow!” for pick-up, and practice the drop-off goodbye at home with a teddy.
How do I teach my child to wave?
Wave every time you say hi or bye-bye, with a big smile, and wave close to your child’s face so they see it well. Gently help their hand wave at first, then pause and let them try. Games like window waves make it a daily habit.
Greetings are the friendliest corner of English: hi, bye-bye, good morning, good night and a wave to go with each. Say them at the same moments every day, greet your child as warmly as you greet guests and let shy hellos take their time. And when you’d like a short, calm English lesson to share, start a Tatako lesson together.
