Celebrating summer birthdays at the end of the school year

Throughout the school year, we celebrated the children’s birthdays but what about those summer birthdays?

I have quite a few birthdays that fall right after school gets out and the children have been plotting out who’s coming to who’s birthday party. Listening to their plotting and planning has been quite entertaining for me. I am not sure how they are going to pull off all these amazing birthday adventures but I do know we can, at the very least, have a summer birthday party that everyone is invited to attend right here in the classroom.

Birthday Crown Making Station

We kept our classroom summer birthday party really simple. Around the classroom, I set up a few birthday party related centers including making their own birthday crowns. I went ahead and prepared enough crowns for every child to make one whether they had a summer birthday party or not. The crowns were already cut out so all the children had to do was add their name and decorate it with a little dot paint.

 

Birthday Card Making Station

At the birthday card station, the children found squares of white card stock (like postcards), markers, and lots of random stickers. They also found a small bag for each child with their name on it to put the cards in. The children were invited to make birthday cards for each other and let me tell you what. The children stayed at this station almost an hour making cards. I kept thinking they would stop any minute but they just kept going back and making more.

Birthday Play Dough Station

You can’t have a birthday party without making cupcakes only we set out homemade play dough, some birthday candles, and some small gems. We had all kinds of birthday cakes and cupcakes being made and it gave the children a chance to sing “Happy Birthday” to each other.

A couple of my boys came over and made the most inventive birthday cake. At first they said it was my birthday cake (I figured thats why they added so many candles) but then they changed their mind and decided it was a porcupine birthday cake.

Oh, and I forgot to tell you that we read Eric Carle’s book “The Secret Birthday Message” and the children were mesmerized. The children were crazy excited when we first sat down for circle but the minute I told the them that we were going to read about a SECRET BIRTHDAY MESSAGE, they were all in! It truly is such a great book for our mystery loving group of children.

And one more thing. After we read the story, I told the children that they could make “Mystery Birthday Cards” at the birthday card making station. Maybe that’s why they stayed there longer than usual. I did have a few children show me their mysteries but I just now remembered it was because of the book. Oh my, I think the last day of school can’t come too soon for me!

Deborah J Stewart

Deborah J Stewart

Every time I think I know everything I need to know about teaching young children, God says, "Hold on a minute!" and gives me a new challenge.

Let me tell ya...

With each new challenge that you overcome, you will find yourself better equipped and more passionate about teaching young children.

God didn't call wimps to lead, teach, or care for His children. Nope, he has high expectations, so get ready. You will have to give your very best but after teaching for over 30 years, I can tell you that it is a wonderful and rewarding journey.

Whenever your calling feels hard, just remember, 'He who began a good work in you (and in the children you serve) will be faithful to complete it.'

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