The Slow Hello
A gentle story about Toby, a shy little tortoise, a quiet waterhole at dusk, and a friend who is happy to wait. Some children take their time to warm up, and the quiet truth of the story is that a slow hello is still a real hello. About six minutes read aloud, it shows patience through what the characters do.
Themes
Shyness and warming up slowly, patience, friendship at your own pace, and self regulation.
Before reading
- Ask if they have ever felt shy meeting someone new. What helped them feel comfortable?
- Look at Toby on the cover. How do they think he is feeling?
While reading
- Pause at the waterhole. Notice Toby's slow pace and the friend who waits without rushing.
- Name the feelings gently as they appear.
After reading
- Why did the friend wait? How did Toby feel by the end?
- Talk about a time it took them a while to feel comfortable, and what helped.
Three gentle activities
- A kind invitation. In pairs, one child offers a quiet invitation to play, the other joins when they are ready, with no pressure to hurry.
- Slow and steady. A calm movement game, moving as slowly as a tortoise, noticing the breath.
- A friendly hello. Draw or gently act out a warm way to greet someone new who is feeling shy.
Curriculum mapping
| EYLF V2.0, Outcome 1 | Children have a strong sense of identity. Feeling safe to warm up at one's own pace, supported by secure relationships. |
|---|---|
| EYLF V2.0, Outcome 3 | Children have a strong sense of wellbeing. Emotional regulation, patience, and empathy for a friend who needs time. |
| EYLF V2.0, Outcome 5 | Children are effective communicators. Talking about feelings, predicting and retelling a familiar narrative. |
| Australian Curriculum v9.0, Foundation English | Language and Literature. Interacting with others to share feelings, and responding to characters and events in a story. |
A note on calm
The Slow Hello is one of the calmest in the series. It suits rest time or a quiet corner, and reads as a gentle mirror for children who take their time to feel at ease.
One More Story® is a registered Australian trade mark, number 2586962. This guide is free to print and share for classroom and centre use.
