Hello Goodbye Facilitator Guide
SEL Group Guide
Hello Goodbye Circle
15-Minute Kindergarten Transition Session
TARGET AGE Kindergarten (Ages 5-6)
Time Frame
15 Minutes Total (High-Impact)
Key Objective
Normalize "mixed feelings" (sad & happy)
Materials Needed
Anchor Chart, Cards & Tokens
Group Pacing Timeline
MIN 0-3 1. Weather Check-In Warm-up & Breathing
MIN 3-7 2. Mapping Feelings Sun & Rain Anchor Chart
MIN 7-12 3. Garden Sharing Token Placement
MIN 12-15 4. Goodbye Wave Gratitude Connection
Step-by-Step Facilitator Script
1
Step 1: The Feelings Weather Check-In (3 Minutes)
Sun & Cloud Breath
Gather students sitting in a tight, cozy circle. Sit on their level. Introduce the concept of "feelings weather" using the body and breath to calm any sensory overstimulation.
Say: "Welcome to our Hello Goodbye Circle, friends! Let’s take a deep breath in together. Put your hands up high like a bright, shining sun... and breathe out like a soft summer wind. Let's do that one more time."
Say: "Inside our bodies, we can have feelings weather. Sometimes it feels like bright sunshine, sometimes a quiet rain cloud, and sometimes both at the same time! Today, we're going to talk about a very special, big feeling: saying goodbye to kindergarten and hello to summer."
Action: Lead children in raising arms in a circle overhead on the inhale, and making a "shhh" wind sound on the exhale.
2
Step 2: Mapping Our Feelings (4 Minutes)
Visual Introduction
Unroll the Mixed Feelings Anchor Chart in the center of the circle. Point to the giant sun side (excited/happy about summer) and the rain cloud side (sad/nervous about saying goodbye to school).
Say: "Look at our Feelings Garden! On this side, we have our Sunshine. It stands for happy feelings, like playing outside or eating ice cream. On this side, we have our Rain Cloud. It stands for blue feelings, like missing our classroom, our toys, and our wonderful friends."
Say: "Is it okay to feel happy and sad at the exact same time? Yes! Our feelings can grow together like flowers and rain. Today, we're going to put our own markers on this garden to show how our hearts are feeling."
Action: Gently touch each side of the chart, modeling a "mixed feeling" of your own.
THE HELLO GOODBYE CIRCLE • LESSON 1 PAGE 1 OF 2
Step-by-Step Script (Cont.) & Coping Strategies
Ensuring a gentle, supportive close for all students
FACILITATOR GUIDE
3
Step 3: Hands-On Sharing & Token Placement (5 Minutes)
Interactive Work
Pass out the flower/cloud Emotion Garden Tokens and/or use the Discussion Cards to prompt kids. Let each student place a token on the anchor chart.
Say: "I am handing each of you an emotion token. You can choose to place it on the sunny side, the rainy side, or right in the middle! While you place it, you can share: One thing you will miss, or one thing you are excited to do this summer."
Say: "Let's listen to our friends with our eyes, ears, and kind hearts."
Pacing Tip: Keep sharing rapid but respectful. If a child is shy, let them simply place their token silently or say, "I feel both!"
4
Step 4: The Hello Goodbye Wave Ritual (3 Minutes)
Connection Ritual
End with a physical/somatic ritual to ground students and provide direct social reassurance.
Say: "Let’s hold hands in our circle, or put hands on our hearts. We are going to send a giant wave of kindergarten kindness all around the circle! Look at the person next to you, smile, and say: 'Thank you for being my friend!'"
Say: "No matter where we go this summer, our kindergarten memories stay locked tight in our hearts. Let's do one final big sun breath together... and let it blow away any worries!"
Handling Schedule Anxiety
Kindergarteners thrive on predictability. For students anxious about losing the safety of school routines, use these strategies:
- Emphasize that their family/caregivers will have a new summer routine.
- Promote the Take-Home Memory Keepsake as a tool to bridge school and home.
- Reassure them: "Our school building is staying right here, and your teachers still care about you!"
Co-Regulation Tips
When kids get silly, loud, or highly emotional during the session, maintain a calm presence:
- Match & Lower: Mirror their energy, then slow your breathing and speak in a soft, melodic "storyteller" whisper.
- Physical Touchpoint: Have them press their palms flat on the floor to feel the "solid, strong ground" beneath them.
- Use the physical tokens as a concrete sensory anchor to keep hands occupied.
THE HELLO GOODBYE CIRCLE • LESSON 1 PAGE 2 OF 2
Mixed Feelings Anchor Chart
The Hello Goodbye Circle
Our Big Feelings Garden
Is your heart feeling like sunshine, rain clouds, or both? Place your token to show!
☀️
Sunshine Side
"I feel happy & excited!"
Put Tokens Here
☀️
☀️
☀️
☀️
Excited for summer play, warm weather, and family time!
🌈
Both Side
"I feel happy AND sad!"
Put Tokens Here
🌱
🌈
🌱
🌈
Feeling happy about summer, but sad to say goodbye to school.
🌧️
Rain Cloud
"I feel sad or nervous..."
Put Tokens Here
🌧️
🌧️
🌧️
🌧️
Missing my friends, the schedule, my teacher, and my classroom.
Every feeling is welcome in our garden.
Our memories stay forever!
THE HELLO GOODBYE CIRCLE • PRINTABLE POSTER FOR CIRCLE TIME WORK
Sunny Sad Keepsake
🌱
My Hello Goodbye Keepsake
My Kindergarten Garden
Name:
Date:
🌸 We are finishing our wonderful year in Kindergarten! Draw or write about your mixed feelings below. Color in the garden when you are done! 🌸
☀️
My Sunny Side
What I am excited to do this summer:
🌧️
My Rain Cloud Side
What I will miss about kindergarten:
🌱
Look How I Grew!
Draw yourself growing like a big flower in your garden!
One thing I learned to do:
My favorite kindergarten memory:
Dear Families: We completed this reflection sheet in class today to celebrate our growth and talk about the transitions of leaving school. Ask your child to share their "sunny" and "rainy" feelings with you tonight!
THE HELLO GOODBYE CIRCLE • STUDENT MEMORY KEEPSAKE TAKE-HOME SHEET
Emotion Garden Discussion Cards
Interactive Group Kit
Emotion Garden Discussion Cards
Print on cardstock, cut along dotted lines, and use in group circles!
MATERIALS KIT Cards & 24 Tokens
1. Discussion Cards (Cut out 6 cards)
☀️
Sunny Dreams
"What is one fun thing you are excited to do under the warm summer sun?"
Sunshine Prompt
🌧️
Sweet Memories
"What was your favorite game or toy to play with in our classroom?"
Rainy Prompt
🌸
Kindness Share
"Look at a friend sitting next to you. Tell them one reason they are special!"
Flower Prompt
🌱
Brave Changes
"Summer routines can be different. What is something that makes you feel safe?"
Sprout Prompt
🌈
Both feelings
"Can you share one happy summer thing AND one thing you will miss?"
Rainbow Prompt
❤️
Big Thank Yous
"Who is a helper at our school you want to give a giant thank-you wave to?"
Heart Prompt
2. Emotion Garden Tokens (6 of each type so every student has every choice!)
☀️ HAPPY
☀️ HAPPY
☀️ HAPPY
☀️ HAPPY
☀️ HAPPY
☀️ HAPPY
🌧️ SAD
🌧️ SAD
🌧️ SAD
🌧️ SAD
🌧️ SAD
🌧️ SAD
🌈 BOTH
🌈 BOTH
🌈 BOTH
🌈 BOTH
🌈 BOTH
🌈 BOTH
🌱 GROWTH
🌱 GROWTH
🌱 GROWTH
🌱 GROWTH
🌱 GROWTH
🌱 GROWTH
Facilitator Print & Play Tip
For best durability, print this page on 110lb cardstock. Give students markers to color their tokens first, or write their names in small letters on the backs before placing them on the Mixed Feelings Anchor Chart.
THE HELLO GOODBYE CIRCLE • DISCUSSION CARDS & TOKENS ACTIVITY KIT
