Since today is my birthday, I wanted to share with y’all what I do for birthdays in my classroom. I always hated having a summer birthday when I was growing up…no chance to celebrate at school! Dangit!! I know my school babies feel the same way, so it’s important I have a little something for everyone. Each of my kiddos gets to wear a H-U-G-E birthday button {you can get them at the Dollar Tree…and they’re the size of your head :) Seriously, though…they remind me of the big ol’ buttons that NKOTB used to sell…I had them ALL.}
I adhere ribbon to it so they can wear it like a necklace…SO much easier than sticking them with a pin!
At the end of the day….after we sing a little “happy birthday” before heading out the door…I hand the birthday baby a birthday bag full of fun little goodies!
The bags matched my theme last year. The boys got green balloons and the girls got pink. I just traced a balloon template {freehand…sorry, no tracer!} onto scrapbook paper, typed up a little “happy birthday”, cut, paste, curled, and voila!
I like to make all these bags at once before the start of the school year. You know as well as I do that as soon as the school year starts, things get crazy. Doing everything at the beginning of the year saves me time…and gives me a peace of mind…for the rest of the year. I always make several extra just incase I get a few new friends throughout the year. I shop the back to school aisles of Wal Mart for the goodies inside. Depending on school rules and regulations…and student allergies…I throw in a few little pieces of candy, a bookmark, a Happy Birthday pencil, and crayons. You can find the crayons at Wal Mart for 50cents a pack right now!!! HURRY!
The kids LOVE this gift!!! I also throw in a little birthday certificate into the mix. Click on the pic to download yours!
Quick, E-A-S-Y, and inexpensive!!! I love being able to give my kids something I know they’ll put to good use and they couldn’t be more thrilled to be recognized on their special day!! For my sweeties who celebrate during the summer, we *celebrate* their half birthday during the school year :)
There are LOTS of GREAT birthday ideas floating around…here are some of my favorites!!!!
{Just click on the pic to take you straight to the link for more info!!!}
Pixie Stix birthday balloons from Rachelle at What the Teacher Wants! LOVE this idea!
Cute idea from Denise at Sunny Days in Second Grade!
Now this is just precious! A birthday banana {& other cute birthday ideas} from Caffeinated Conclusions!
Love this precious Birthday Take Home Packet from Erica Bohrer!
How do you celebrate birthdays in your class?!?!?!
Cute ideas! Happy Birthday to you!! I"m a summer baby too so I feel ya!
ReplyDeleteApple Blossoms
I send home a birthday bag. You can read about it on my site:
ReplyDeletehttp://teacherweb.com/TX/Copperfield/MrsCrowder/apt7.aspx
Erica
Sprinkles to Kindergarten
erica_crowder0612@yahoo.com
I love the button idea!!!!!!!!!! You are so cute!!!
ReplyDeleteP.s. thanks for giving me a shout out. ;)
Cute bag! Good idea :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
ReplyDeleteKimberly
The Learning Tree
Happy birthday, Cara!!!!
ReplyDeleteI also love the button idea! I am doing the birthday balloon thing this year. My kiddos also make a class book for the birthday student.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful birthday!!!
:)
Blessings of Teaching
You are amazing! I know I will always find the most wonderful ideas on your blog. Birthdays are the best!! I have the class help me make a "Birthday Book" for each child. They also get a balloon in their favorite color! You can grab a copy of the book here http://frogsinfirst.blogspot.com/2012/01/birthday-book.html
ReplyDeleteThanks again for all of your fantasticness:)
Fredia
Frogs in First
Happy Birthday! We share it -- hee hee! :-) I still feel left out because all the staff celebrate birthdays all year too! Guess I might as well get over it...Ha!
ReplyDeleteCrystal
Teaching Little Miracles
happy birthday! mine is tomorrow :)
ReplyDeletelove your bag idea! it looks super cute!
Sara
Miss Elementary
Happy Birthday sweet girl! Hope your day is as awesome as you are! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the Birthday ideas! too cute!
Elisabeth
www.missdelk.blogspot.com
Happy Birthday! The birthday bag is so cute. I just finished making birthday straws - an idea I saw on Pinterest. I like the huge birthday button idea and may just do those too! Thanks for sharing your ideas!
ReplyDeleteAntoinette
Shoelaces and Sugar Cookies
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I'm a fellow summer birthday and I hated it too when I was in school... but now as a teacher, I never have to work on my birthday!! LOVE THAT!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, to celebrate birthdays in my classroom, I ask the birthday person, "If you could have anything at all for your birthday, what would you want?" and s/he gives us a list of 3-5 things. S/he also gives us his/her favorite colors. Then each student makes a page for the birthday book that says, "If I could, I would give you..." and they pick one thing from the list. We also eat birthday snacks during this time. I bind it into a book that they can take home. I think it's a fun way to build community and take 15-20 minutes out of our busy day to celebrate each person.
Angela :)
Hippo Hooray for Second Grade
love your ideas - my BD is this week, too! I was SOOOO tickled to see NKOTB...hehe - I just started working out again & downloaded their songs to walk to...hahaha!! Glad someone still remembers them!!! Have a very HAPPY birthday!!
ReplyDelete~ Kimberlee ~
Two Fulbright Hugs
Happy Birthday!!!! I am a summer kid too and was so envious of those that got to celebrate at school! We celebrate birthday week at my house, trying to do a little something special each day. Hope yours is terrific!
ReplyDeleteJenn
Finally in First
Happy Birthday! And thanks for sharing the idea. We can't really do food in our school so this is a great alternative!
ReplyDeleteSara :)
Smiling In Second Grade
Happy birthday!!! These are really awesome ideas! I love that you make your birthday bags before the start of the school year! What a time-saver! I'm always scrambling on the morning of a birthday to put the goodies together. Thanks for always sharing your gift of creativity!
ReplyDeletePS...I think I had those NKOTB buttons, too! Sure did love Joey McIntire!
Shining and Sparkling in First Grade
We sing a little song I got from a Dr. Jean conference years ago and they get a birthday sticker to wear all day. That way even if my kids didn't bring a birthday treat for the class we still do something special for them. I LOVE the idea of a little treat bags. Never thought of doing that! Now I have to go shopping (again)!
ReplyDeleteCaroline
A Tale of 2 First Grades
Oh, oh, oh, oh hangin' tough...
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday!! I'm also a summer birthday and often have to work on my b-day testing my new kiddos!
I just finished up my birthday bags and I hang them above my calendar. On the first day the kids color in a birthday cake (which has their date of birth on it) and I tape them to the bag. We check throughout the year to see who's b-day is next!
Great ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Laurie
www.firstgradelyonsden.blogspot.com
Happy birthday! I also have a summer birthday, and we celebrate staff summer birthdays on our "half-birthday" as well...still not the same. As soon as I get my class list, I go out to the dollar store and buy coloring books for each student. When it's their birthday, I give them the coloring book, a happy birthday pencil and bookmark, and an "It's My Birthday" sticker. I let the kiddos color in their coloring books whenever they have free time. They LOVE it!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!! I love the birthday button idea. It looks like another trip to Dollar Tree is in my future. I usually have my students wear a special birthday shirt, get a pixie stick balloon, stickers, pencils, and a certificate. I see so many cute birthday ideas though that I think I'm going to put some more into it! :)
ReplyDeleteLisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
Happy, Happy Birthday! I also do a birthday bag...I put a pencil, eraser, sticker, certificate, bubbles, free homework or treasure box coupon. I like the button idea..their sticker only lasts about an hour. I have a a hard time keeping up with summer birthdays..do you write their half birthday on your birthday chart?
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! I hope it's extra special!
ReplyDeleteHappiest of happy birthdays to you!
ReplyDeleteHappy, Happy Birthday to my favorite TX blogger! Hope you all are finding ways to stay cool in this heat!!
ReplyDeleteI love your certificates! So cute! Where did you get the cupcake graphics from? I adore them!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!!!!!!
Tonya
Tonya’s Treats for Teachers
Happy Birthday! You almost celebrate with your son.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the inspirations!
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteI use to do half-birthdays, but I was horrible at keeping track! We do a great big birthday bash at the end of the school year for the kids with summer birthdays.
All birthday kids get a pixie stick balloon, a sticker, homework pass, and pencil.
We definitely make it a big to-do!!
Halle
Across the Hall in 2nd
Happy birthday! It's my birthday too! Love your blog...great ideas!
ReplyDeleteA very happy birthday, Cara! I love your cheap, I mean, FABULOUS birthday idea:)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Cara! Love the birthday idea!! We give out a birthday cake pencil (it has a cute cake eraser on the top), they take home a birthday bag with a book and journal, have their locker decorated and then we sing the "Happy Birthday" song from T.G.I. Fridays (or one of those restaurants. The kids love it!! In fact, they beg me to come to 3rd grade to sing it to them. Too funny! Hope your day is great and I totally rocked those buttons too, although I was partial to Joey!
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute idea! Those NKOTB buttons...lol! I bought one actually at a concert I went to with a bunch of my friends--they are HUGE! Oh the memories! Happy birthday and I hope that you had a fantastic day!
ReplyDeleteBarbara
My blog: http://mrskilburnkiddos.wordpress.com
Happy Birthday! I hope you have fun celebrating!! Check out my blog for some fun ideas (they're similar to yours!)
ReplyDeleteLauren
Go Fourth and Inspire
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Cute ideas! I would love for you to check out my blog...since it your lucky day you should enter my giveaway!!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your day!
Brigid
Brigid's Daily Lesson Log
Happy Birthday!
ReplyDeleteI get very dramatic with the kids and secretively close the door so the principal won't know that I'm going to let them stand on their desk while we sing happy birthday. It is such a huge deal and they love the "danger" of it. So much fun for "nothin'"
ReplyDeleteI too loved The New Kids On the Block. I went to their concert in third grade.I thought I was the coolest kid every. Great birthday ideas.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!
ஐRikki
The Hive
Happy Birthday Cara!! I have a summer birthday too so I remember that feeling too! On birthday days in my classroom, I have this stretchy necklace that the birthday person gets to wear all day(I found these plastic neon stretchy tubes at the Target Dollar Spot last August and just snapped them together to make a necklace.) Also, I have Happy Birthday sparkly decorations that stand on that person's desk. I give the birthday person a BIG birthday sticker and certificate that says Happy Birthday from the whole class. Also, if that person brings in a treat, we sing and eat the treat. If there is no treat, we still sing! Birthdays are so special and fun and there is so much anticipation for them because we mark them on our classroom calendar at the beginning of each month!
ReplyDeleteI almost choked when I saw your pic of the NKOTB buttons. I LOVED Donnie and had a huge one on my desk in the 5th grade!!! Love your birthday ideas! Can't wait to use them in my classroom:)
ReplyDeleteAmanda
preecelovehappiness.blogspot.com
Happy Birthday!!! :)
ReplyDeleteI used to celebrate birthdays like this:
http://the-sharpenedpencil.blogspot.com/2010/09/birthdays.html
But since I'm at a new school with nearly 30 KIDS, I'm doing something easier and cheaper. Stay tuned! :)
Janae
Happy Birthday to you! I was a New Kids fan, too! Jordan was my favorite. :)
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! In my classroom for birthdays, we make a birthday cake for the one celebrating. All students get in a circle holding hands (minus the bday person)...this is the "cake". Using the bday person age, they choose that many people to be "candles" that stand inside the circle/"cake". The "candles" use their arms to make a triangle above their head. We ask the bday person, "What kind of cake are we?" They respond with their favorite cake. Then we all sing happy birthday. After the song, the bday persons makes a wish and "blows" out their candles. (The candles melt to the ground).
ReplyDeleteI saw my mentor teacher do this during student teaching and the students LOVED this! I hope I explained it easy! My students can't wait for their birthdays to "make" their cake and choose their "candles"!!
Happy Birthday to YOU! My birthday was last Wed. the 18th. When I was growing up, summer birthdays were not celebrated and I always vowed as a teacher I would NEVER do that to my kids! I have always given birthday books like some of the others have said. I order a variety of books using bonus points from Scholastic and have them in a tub for the kids to choose one from. They also get a certificate. Thanks for sharing all of your fabulous ideas!
ReplyDeleteHappy, Happy, HAPPY Birthday Cara! I knew today was extra special! You share your birthday with my sweet momma. We didn't get to celebrate it tonight though because of soccer practice...we will get our party on this weekend!
ReplyDeleteHope your day was fabulous!
❤Tanya
Ms. Solano's Kindergarten
Happy Birthday from Hungary!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday Cara!!! Hope your day was FAB UUUUUUU Lous!!!!
ReplyDeleteI have a summer birthday too :( In fact, mine is Sunday! wooooo!!!
I may not have gotten to celebrate my birthday at school every year, but 2nd best - we always went onvacation for my bday!!
I'm turning 30 Sunday - weeeee!!! And we're going to Key West to celebrate!!
On the students birthday they bring in an all about me bag ( a white lunch sack filled with whatever they want to share that helps us see what they like). as they share I write the things on the board. Then each student draws a picture from the list of things on the board and write a sentence for the birthday person. I bind them together and make a birthday book for the student. I also do summer birthdays so each student has a special day. the birthday person also wears a sticker and gets a special pencil along with taking home the frog backpack for the night filled with a little surprise they can keep.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, happy belated birthday! I just found your site from Pinterest and I am in love!! Thank you so much for posting all of the adorable things that you do with and for your students. I would love for my kids to be in your class! I am a new literacy coach for our district and I can't wait to share all of the neat ideas I've read about on your blog with my teachers. Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! I had those giant NKOTB buttons too. Joey was my favorite. To celebrate birthdays in my class I give each kid a "It's my birthday" sticker and we always sing. I usually have parents bring in a snack to eat also. My first grade team celebrates summer birthdays in June. We invite the parents of the summer birthdays in for a grade level ice cream party.
ReplyDeleteBeverly
funandlearninginfirst.blogspot.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt's so important to recognize birthdays. For some kids its the only present they will get. I usually give a big fat birthday cake eraser and pencils and a rubber bracelette that says Happy Birthday. I think I'm going to premake the bags though, it definitely keeps it nice and tidy. Jessica-
ReplyDeleteTales-of-a-first-grade-teacher.blogspot.com.
P.s. I'm having a give away---stop by!
Thanks, Cara! Happy (late) Birthday! I love your blog, and adore the sweet birthday certificates and the birthday bag idea - I'm always scrambling to get together a pencil, candy, sticker, and bookmark at the last minute - you are TOO smart to get it all together before school starts! That just went on my to-do list!
ReplyDeleteBrooke
We were born on the same day!! OMG! How cool is that? Happy belated birthday!! :)
ReplyDeleteAwe, just read your post! Thanks for the shout out . I love your idea for the buttons. The stickers never make it through the whole day.
ReplyDeletecute ideas! How do you come up with so much!?
ReplyDeletehttp://teachingside.blogspot.com/
First of all, Happy Birthday!!! I'm a summer baby too, August the 6th so I know how it feels!!! I LOVE you Birthday Ideas!!!! I'm going to do the bags, pin, and Giant Pixie Stixx for my students this year!!! Thank you for such great ideas!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDelete