Create a Meaningful Class Birthday Gift

I'm a summer baby, which means that in all of my school years, I never got to have a school birthday party. I'm obviously not over it, since I'm in my early 30's and still feel sad about missing out as a kid!

My first year of teaching, I decided two things. One, every child, even those summer babies, was going to get a party in my class. Everyone deserves a day to be celebrated! And two, I was going to create a handmade gift for each student that showed them how much our class cared about them! I also was a poor teacher, drowning in student loans, teaching at a private school. I needed something cheap, if not free! So I decided we would make a birthday book for each student on their birthdays!

I did this every year that I taught Kindergarten. On each student's birthday, as a whole class, we talked about reason why the birthday kid was special, things we appreciated about him/her, and discussed adjectives that described them. We would make an anchor chart and leave it up all week! The birthday kid always got to color the cover of their birthday book while they listened in as our whole class bragged about them. They usually acted embarrassed (wouldn't we all), but they beamed from ear to ear all day long!

After discussing all the adjectives, characteristics, etc about the birthday kid, I had my class create a page to be added to the birthday book. Depending on the time of year, and the ability of the kid, I game them different tasks. Early on in kinder, I just wanted them to write one word; by the end of the year, I expected a sentence or more, depending on where each student was. After collecting all the pages, I compiled them in to a book. The book book was super simple to assemble. I used a large 12x18 piece of construction paper, folded in half, with the student created pages stapled inside, and the cover that the birthday kid drew glued to the front. About as simple as you can come, right?!

I always scheduled the parties at the end of the day. *I ain't no fool...I know what sugar does to kids!* We would read the birthday book while eating our cupcakes (and then immediately play a movement game to burn off sugar!). As soon as the birthday kid's parent came to pick them up, they were begging their parent to read their birthday book to them! It was beautiful to watch them be so excited about something so simple (and cheap!). I can't promise that the book was treasured forever, but it was certainly impactful in the immediate!

What do you do to make your students feel unique and special on their birthday?

CHECK OUT THE BOOK I USE BY CLICKING HERE:

 

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