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Activity 3: Many Ways to Say Hello

Activity time: 15 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Print out the leader resource and cut apart the cards. If the group is too small for you to use all the cards, prioritize the ones in bold type.
  • Review the cards. Pronouncing the words consistently is more important than pronouncing them correctly.
  • Arrange chairs in a circle for all participants and leaders.

Description of Activity

More than 30 languages are spoken in India. Some are tied to a religious culture (e.g., Hindu people who speak Hindi, Muslims who speak Arabic) while others are native to a region, such as the greeting word "khublei" in the story.

Have children sit in a circle. Go around the circle, handing one card to each child. As you hand out each card, say "hello" in the language on the card and have the child repeat it back to you until they can say it.

Return to your seat. Say, in your own words:

We're going to learn how to say hello in a number of new languages. I'm going to start, in English, which is also spoken in India. I'll turn to the person on my right and say "hello." They will say "hello" back and then turn to the person next to them and say "hello," who will also repeat it and turn to the next person and so on. When it goes all around the circle, the next person will begin. They will say "hello," but instead of English they will use the language printed on their card. We will go around the circle again, until everyone has said "hello" in all the languages on all our cards.

Ask for questions. Answer questions until you are sure everyone understands. Then begin.

When the group has completed the activity, ask children to pass their cards back to you. Process with these questions:

  • Does anyone know any other language? (If so... ) How do you say "hello" in that language? Where did you learn that language? To whom do you speak it?
  • What are the benefits of learning another language? Why would Margaret want to say "hello" in a variety of different ways?
  • Why it might be good to learn to say "hello" in different languages, even if you only know a few words of the language, or only "hello?"


To take this simple game to the next level, see if someone can remember all the ways to say "hello."

Including All Participants

Be aware of children with any reading difficulty. Take the time to give clear oral instruction to each child when you give them their card.

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