For the past few years I've been giving goodie bags, but I don't wish to continue that this year. But I'd like to do something to acknowledge their special day, that is simple, cheap and easy. What do you do for birthdays in your HR?
We just sing Happy Birthday (as long as the student celebrates birthdays). I used to give out no-homework coupons for birthdays. I guess I just got a little busy the last two years and didn't do it. I like the birthday pencil idea. That's cute
I don't know how much time you have with them in your homeroom, but I saw a really cute idea on Pinterest. The kid sits in front of the white board (or Smartboard) and the other kids in the class write words to describe them around their heads so they can't see it. You can take a picture and give that to them. I thought it was different and something that would probably be meaningful.
That's really cute, kindercowgirl! For the past couple of years, I've given a birthday pencil and the class sings Happy Birthday. One local (?) tradition that I personally don't follow is that the kids come to school with a dollar bill pinned to their shirts, and adults are supposed to add to the $$$. Really? Seems kind of cold to me.
I got some Birthday stickers and those little plastic wristbands that kids love that say Happy Birthday! They also get a birthday certificate and a prize from our prize box. All the special birthday stuff came from Lakeshore and wasn't very expensive at all considering you get so many items in one set. (Like the certificates come in sets of 36 I think)
I have a paper bag with each month's name on it and a die cut that goes with the month. On a student's birthday we take down their 'birthday month bag' and then get to choose something from it. This year I did crazy straws and they were a huge hit.
When I was student teaching my collaborating teacher had a special birthday hat(made of beads and pipe cleaners) that a student made and a pair of giant sunglasses. The birthday student wore those while the class sang happy birthday. I will probably keep up this tradition.(was always pretty silly and fun for everyone)
I just say Happy Birthday and the kids sing to the birthday kid. I also have a list of important events for each month on my door (games, academic meets, grades due, stu-co stuff and birthdays listed). Kids always check to make sure their birthday is listed.
This is a great idea. When do you give them the photo? I can see me getting very behind on that too...
I teach Kinder, so I do a birthday crown, a birthday certificate and a birthday sticker. They get a birthday pencil from the front office. I used to give a certificate and play dough from the dollar store.
I give a giant pixie stick with a bright color cardstock "balloon" stapled at the end with a birthday greeting printed on it. I order a box of 50 Pixie Stix every couple of years from Amazon... I stick them all into a birthday bowl with a little sand in the bottom to keep it from tipping over, and it looks very festive. On their day, they pick their birthday balloon and we sing to them. I've done this for years! It only takes me a little time at the beginning of the year and it looks great all year long, I never worry about forgetting or getting behind because the kids remind ME when it's their turn to pick a birthday balloon.
I am going to do a birthday crown, a rubber birthday bracelet, a sticker that says "It's My Birthday!" (all from Lakeshore), and probably 10 tickets for our classroom ticket system. I also buy birthday cards from Target (got a pack of 30 for $3 in the dollar spot this year!) and I write a birthday card to each kid. I think liked the card the best last year.
I do a birthday bag. I usually just put a bottle of bubbles or play-doh, a top or something cheap from Oriental Trading, and a pencil. Every year before going shopping for the items, I think about downsizing and not doing a bag. Then I remember a little girl in my third grade class years ago. On the last day of school, she made a notebook paper card thanking me again for the birthday present I had given her months before. She said it was the only one she got that year. For most kids, I would doubt them if they said that, but I don't think S was telling a story. So, I buy some kid junk in case I get another S in my class.
I saw giant pixie sticks with a construction paper balloon that says Happy Birthday! We can't give out candy to be eaten at school, but it is fine to send it home. I also give out a crown and the office gives a ribbon, pencil, and ice cream pass.
I had a parent give me one of those flowerpots with lollipops stuck into it (http://media-cache-ec3.pinimg.com/736x/b4/a4/2d/b4a42d30d62f9b9776f6ba8d78e461f5.jpg). I got crazy straws, stuck a die-cut birthday cake with their name/birthday written on it, tucked a homework pass in the curve of the straw, and stuck those in between the lollipops. Kids get to pull out their straw and a sucker, and then we sing.
I have 120 students on my team, so we don't do too much. I make a poster for the hallway each month with the birthday names and dates. Since the students are coming from different elementary schools, they love to see which of their new friends have the same birthday as them. I also give a birthday pencil attached to a balloon cut out (much like the pixie stick or crazy straw ideas). Last year, we had a student who told all the teachers 2 weeks in advance that her birthday was coming - and then there was nothing for her at home. So sad.
I don't recommend it. The kids wanted to celebrate my birthday last spring, but My AP gave me such a hard time about having a party in my room. She said "I'm concerned about it being a free-for-all." The kids had already bought a cake, so she relented. She told me no one's to leave the room. I was like OK, but wasn't really listening. I remember thinking, why are you making such a big deal about this? It's 30 minutes during lunchtime. Big deal. So, during the party I let one of the students use the bathroom because he thought he was going to throw up. He's a good kid, really respectful and responsible, so I let him go. One of the school monitors was in the hallway, but I didn't think anything of it as the bathroom is at the other end of the hallway. The party went smoothly, and everything was cleaned up and put away, but unfortunately, the students would not settle down for the next class. So I said 'no more parties.' The kids started getting louder so I slammed my door and yelled at them in my loudest voice. 20 minutes with me after school. All of you! Then it got quiet. The next week I got written up for insubordination because I let the sick child leave the room. The monitor must have told her. That's why I'm wary of parties for me now because it's hard to get the students settled after one and issues you don't even think of come up.
Thank you for sharing this story. This really makes me rethink how I do birthdays. I think I'll try to include some more "kid junk" for those possible kids. There are probably at least some in my school.
I think I'm going to have to start doing something like this! My babies do without so much already, I just never thought of doing something more special for their birthday! I always have a present for all of my students for Christmas. I guess I just thought it would be unfair for the kiddos who have birthdays in the summer.
Pwhat...you could do half birthdays for your summer kids or celebrate summer bdays the last week of school.:thumb:
Birthdays At my school the P announce birthdays at the end of the day. June and July Birthdays are announce one the corresponding day in May. We get out in the middle of May so those names are announced on the corresponding day in April. Students get a birthday ribbon form the office. In the classroom I give my students a birthday bag. In the bag is a paper birthday balloon attached to a silly straw, a certificate, and a couple of party favor toys. I don't do anything gender specific. I spend no more that about 10-12 dollars. I buy everything form Dollar Tree.
I write their birthdays on my calendar. And usually that day I'll do an extra credit question which is either "whose birthday is it today?" or "how old is so-and-so turning today?" That's it. A lot of time parents bring in cake and pizza, but I don't do anything beyond saying "happy birthday". I like the idea of giving out free homework passes! Annnnd, I hope Milsey never leaves us. Always a good laugh
I celebrate summer birthdays either in the last week of school or the first week of school - whatever is closest to their actual day. I am a summer birthday, so I know how they feel .
We sang a different birthday song. It goes: I don't know, but I've been told (kids repeat after you) Someone here is getting old (kids repeat) It is someone's special day (kids repeat) Here is what we have to say (kids repeat) Happy! (kids repeat) Birthday! (kids repeat) Happy birthday to you! (kids repeat and point to birthday kid.) They liked it.
Paperheart, how cute! On the first day (or week) of school, as part of a get-to-know-you activity, we go around the circle saying our name and one hobby or thing we really like. Then I pair the kids with someone they don't know well. They write their partner's name and draw the activity with crayons. I collect the bags and put them in birthday order - so when a birthday comes around I just drop in the trinkets I like to give, add a note from me, and give it to the child. By October, I'm glad I did this! I used to get behind on birthdays which is a big sin in elementary
For the ones turning 18-years-old, I make them aware that everything they do now goes on their permanent adult record, get them familiar with the "Miranda rights," and hand them a military registration card. Happy Birthday! :lol:
Put a spin on it We put a small flag on their desk and spin them around. No giving of any sort. They have enough stuff. I think it's mostly about giving them extra attention. The birthday boy/girl comes to the front of the room and I then spin them around one time for each year and say something about what might have happened to them that year. Ex: 7 y.o. Student faces forward. "On this day, 7 tears ago, X was born." spin student one time. "Then he/she turned one and started walking" Spin another time. "At age 2, he/she could run - fast. And talk at the same time!" Spin again. "At age 3, X thought he/she could do whatever she/he wanted and had terrible tantrums, hitting and maybe even kicking the floor screaming "I want this and I want that!!" .. The whole idea is to make it a bit funny and I add things I know about the students that might have happened that year, like getting siblings or pets etc according to their age today. One year, one spin, one sentence.. And then we end it with "And here he/she is; giva a clap for X, he/she's 7 years old"! And we all clap and end with the student choosing a birthday song that we sing while the birthday student stands on his/her desk.
