Hello, friends! I hope you are well and having a fantastic week. This is our 2nd full week in school, and the first week we’re trying to ‘stick’ with our schedule. This week, we have celebrated 1 birthday and we have 2 more to go. This being let’s-celebrate-all-the-brithdays-at-once week, I wanted to share how we celebrate these special days in our classroom.
Before my friends arrive, I place a plastic container of ‘Birthday Supplies‘ on the Birthday Boy’s/Girl’s desk. Other friends are definitely envious when they see this container of goodies. I stock the container full of Scentos (oooooohhh), brand-new Crayola bright markers, neon EXPO markers, different-colored pencils, and several fun erasers. In first grade, this was a HIT. As my sweet D said, “I want it to be my birthday!”
Our day continues as normal, making sure we are focusing on learning, with the occasional ‘perks’ for the Brithday Boy/Girl – special errands, a Go-Noodle Brain-Break choice, etc. We reserve the last 15 minutes of our day before reflection to fully celebrate. Family members may bring in a store-bought, peanut-free snack and we sing a lively round of “Happy Birthday”.
A day or two before this celebration, I send this note home with the student asking him or her to bring in their favorite picture book. While we are eating our birthday treat, we read our Special Person’s favorite book. I make sure to use my best reading voice and we have a great time. Monday we read a fantastic Ninja Turtle book! 😉
Short-and-sweet, our birthday traditions allow us to continue learning all day long, but still carve out some special moments for our friend. If you would like the Birthday Supplies Sign or the Book Note, you may grab them here for free. Side note – I do not discriminate against summer birthdays, I promise! These friends may celebrate their very special birthdays on the date chosen by our school 😉
If your school allows it, how do you celebrate birthdays? What do your students love? I would love to here your ideas!
I love the note to send home asking them to send a book to read on their birthday! I wondered if it could be edited though. I had parents come and read their child’s favorite book last year, but not all parents can come in, so that is what drew me to your cute handout, but I wondered if I could get it to say that they could choose to come in and read it to the class or send it with the birthday child and I would read it to the class?
I love things ideas. I have done pencils before and bookmarks and crowns. I like your container ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Don't forget those late June kiddos. Need extra shifting for them.
Don't forget those late June kiddos. Need extra shifting for them.
You need to do some other shifting for birthday or half birthday falling in late December.
We celebrate summer birthdays on their half birthday. It works really well except for the late June kiddos.
Love it! Do they keep the supplies or is it, they only get to use these supplies on their birthday and they pass it around? I love the favorite picture book idea too!
I hang a special birthday sign in the doorway and give the birthday student a card and bookmark. I also have a special birthday pin to wear and a big birthday sticker for their poetry journal. We love to cover our poetry journals with stickers. Birthdays are big fun!
Catherine
First Grade Top Dogs