As I get older, birthdays don't seem to mean as much (other than you're grateful you made it to another one! :) Plus it falls on a Monday this year, I have to work and then take my dog to the vet today--so not a lot of time for celebrating.
I do think it's fun for kiddos to celebrate their birthdays in the classroom though. One thing I didn't really consider this past year, was that I had about 10 students who were summer babies. Since I will teach most of the same kids next year, I definitely want to do a day for them to celebrate while they are in class.
I found this on Pinterest and thought it was a neat idea and wouldn't take up very much space-you take pics of the kids holding up the date of their b'days and put the various months together (of course mine would not be nearly that fancy either :)
I love this idea as well. You could keep a class book of all the kids photos. The students describe the student.
I also read some articles with great ideas for alternatives to bringing in cupcakes, but I'm not sure how well that would go over (with the kids or the parents!). But the child could donate a book to the class library-we'd write a special message in it for them. The parents could come have lunch with them in the cafeteria-that one doesn't sound so exciting when I say it out loud. :) Still mulling it over. I don't like having food in the classroom at all---did I tell you about the time I put on my shoe last year and it had a big roach in it! Ewwww! And cupcakes are about the hardest things to clean up-the dye in that frosting ends up everywhere-no matter how careful we remind the kiddos to be. Oh well, we'll see how brave I end up being!
Every year I try to figure out a way to avoid having birthday snacks. We have a rule that cupcakes aren't allowed, but there's always a parent or two that doesn't pay attention and shows up with 24 cupcakes that we have to then turn away. It's so awkward! This year I had two students whose parents didn't want them eating artificial coloring and it made me think that possibly I can make an excuse that with allergies and food preferences I just can't serve food in the classroom and manage "special" snacks for those who can't partake. I was thinking of doing one of those birthday walls where every kid has a little baggy of treats that I take down and give them on their birthday. That way EVERY kid gets celebrated rather that just those whose parents can afford a treat for the class.
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday! Looks like you've found lots of ideas and things to mull over. (Sorry about the roach - ugh. I don't think I'd ever wear those shoes again. :)
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First