Happy Summer Birthday!
Posted by Hope Spencer on 10 Jul 2009 | Posted in: Classroom Routines, Holiday and Seasonal
My birthday is coming up soon! I have to say, having a summer birthday never really bothered me. I had friends who felt a bit cheated about not being able to celebrate their birthdays at school, but I guess I didn’t notice it. I always had a good time having a birthday party with my grandparents or with other relatives we were visiting during the summer. My little sister’s birthday was in the summer too, three weeks before mine, so I guess that helped me love a summer birthday. But, now that I think about it, it might have been fun to have my mother bring cupcakes to school on my special day just once.
In my classroom, I was careful to make a fuss over students with summer birthdays. Some years we celebrated half-birthdays. Other years, I asked students to choose a day that was special to them and we celebrated that day.
To celebrate, we sang to the birthday child and, depending on the grade I was teaching, decorated his chair, made a card in his honor, or wrote a poem for him. After all, the best part of a birthday, no matter what day it’s celebrated, is making the birthday person feel special.
Here’s hoping all of your birthdays are celebrated in style!
Hope
Congratulations to Kathy Dobbs, director of Kathy’s Family Daycare in Simi Valley, CA. She is the winner of a copy of The Big Book of Monthly Ideas (Pre-K) in our weekly blog drawing.
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Sometimes it is hard to think of a Birthday Idea, most of the time i want something which is both funny and sentimental..”;
I suggest that an individual celebration be available for any member. This means arranging half-birthday or other “unbirthday” for out-of-season birthday. My birthday is August 2, and yes, not getting a school celebration is an old complaint of mine.
(I am thinking that a combined summer-birthday celebration at, say, the end of the school year does cheapen the out-of-seeason birthdays.)
I do an un-birthday month. Usually there is one month that has one birthday or even none in it, so I make that the un-birthday month. In that month a child with a summer birthday can bring in treats on the day (number) of his/her birthday.
At our preschool, we have a Summer Birthday Celebration day during the last week of school. Parents of children with summer birthdays plan the party and provide all the goodies. All the summer birthday children get birthday crowns while the other children get party hats. Our summer birthday parties have become a preschool tradition and since our parents plan it - they are different every year.
As a child having my birthday in the summer was both good and bad. It was bad because I didn’t get to celebrate with my classmates but for my family it was the kick off of summer birthdays every two weeks. Whatever birthday money I might have received my siblings new they would get the same.
On the first Friday of the new school year I celebrate all summer birthdays. I make either cupcakes or brownies which ever the birthday students choose. I give each student a birthday activity book, a grade level book, a pencil, a crown and a card signed by the class. I also get my class roster early and send out birthday cards to those students with summer birthdays. As a kindergarten teacher I found that this even eases some of the first day anxieties by welcoming a student before he or she enters my room.
At our school, we celebrate half birthdays also. We have a snack sign up sheet out in the halway. I have the all birthdays( including half birthdays) marked on the calendar. The parents come and sign up for what day they would like to bring snacks then designate for birthday snacks. The children then make a birthday picture for that child in the morning. Then the birthday child can take it home with them at the end of the day. They also get a crown and we sing to them. I like the idea a letting the child choose the book of the day too.
I am a kindergarten teacher and we celebrate half birthdays. This way each child gets to celebrate their special day with a goodie bag provided by me and whatever treats the parents choose to bring in.
Hi,
I guess with the ending of school year was like a roller coaster. I neglected my few summer birthdays. I will try to do my best next year to honor their birthdays. My birthday is the july 18th and yes, I do wish it was during the school year. When I worked summer camp, they made a big deal. I think I will honor the summer babies in August since I usually only get one or two August babies since we start middle of August.
Lori
Happy Summer Birthday!
When I first started teaching second grade, I didn’t make a big deal about summer birthdays. Then I realized how left out some of my students felt. Now I have a big summer birthday celebration the last week of school. I contact the parents of students w/ summer bdays and arrange for them to bring in juice, fruit, cupcakes or cookie cake, and pizza. This has worked out well.
I’ve always tried to think of ways to include my summer birthdays during the school year. I usually have each student decorate a cake picture just the way they would want their birthday cake to be. Afterwards, we post them on the wall in a special location for all to see.
I teach Kindergarten and we celebrate summer birthdays near the end of the year, usually April, May and June. I have the parents pick a date that their child’s birthday falls on. For example, if their child’s birthday is July 2, then they can choose May 2. I have the parents bring in a special treat and read 1 or 2 books of their child’s choice to the class. Also, each child completes a birthday page for the birthday child. The page says: “If I could give you a birthday gift this is what I would give you.” Then the child draws what they would give the birthday child and I write what they have drawn. The cover is a birthday cake and the birthday child colors that. I staple the pages together to make a birthday book. I also give them a Happy Birthday pencil and a book mark. I read the book to the class and the children love it! Each child goes home with a birthday book!
For our summer birthdays, we celebrated one birthday a day until the last day of school. I made for a party filled countdown to the end of the year, and the kids had a blast!
We celebrate birthdays by singing to the birthday student during calendar time and letting them choose a birthday book. Summer birthdays are celebrated before school lets out in the spring.
I do summer Birthdays in April and May. In April I’ll do the June Birthdays and May will be the July Birthdays. If a child has an August Birthday when we’re not in school, then I will celebrate it in one of those months. My kids make a Birthday Book for one another. I just found a nice Birthday cake picture that I copy and in the morning when the children come in, they color the Birthday Cake and on back they have to draw some things they would like to give the Birthday person. Since I teach kindergarten, we do a lot of talking about things to give others. I bind the book together with my cake on top and a certificate I tape on back. They love their book and look at it all day. (If someone is absent that day, I just add an extra copy with that child’s name on it. The Birthday person ALWAYS brings their book back to school so that picture is colored too.) The Birthday person can pick two things from my Birthday Bucket. (This is a container where I have little items for the kids that I pick up.) I also send my students a Birthday card with a little coupon I made up so they can have a free popcorn on me on our next school popcorn day. They love receiving mail and they think the coupon is so special.
When it is my Birthday, we play Grocery Store. I buy some crackers, cut up meat & cheese and anything else that I find. They receive 15 little chips and can come to my store to buy their snack. For every item they take, they owe me a chip. It is so much fun watching how careful they are with their “pretend” money. It is a great way to introduce money, counting, saving, etc.
As a Pre-K teacher The last week of school we always had something special everyday. One of the days we would have an unbirthday party for all the children who had summer birthdays. I would usually prepare and pass out goodie bags. We always made this day a big deal. Also there were years when we would go to Burger King And they would donate birthday crowns for us to use during the year.
I try to celebrate the students birthdays before they leave at the end of the year. I want to ry to make more of an excitement this year. Sometimes students do not want to come on their birthdays. I want to make such a fuss that they cannot wait for their birthdays to come. My birthday is in December and I did not receive much because it was close to Christmas. This year I want to make a big deal when their birthdays come around. THANKS for the ideas.
Summer birthdays are not much fun when you are young and miss out on celebrations but they are better when you are older and no one gets to give you black balloons and dead roses for your birthday!
I let my students celebrate their half birthday if they have a summer birthday, or they can choose a day to bring in treats in August or May if they prefer. I give the birthday child a certificate, a pencil, and a bookmark. I like the idea of letting them choose which book to read to the class. I’m thinking that maybe this year I will let the birthday child get time in the “reading corner” as a special reward as well.
I usually give a card, bookmark, pencil, & money for the drink machine as hirthday gifts for 6th graders. So the first week of school aftere the first couple of rule days, I give out those things to the summer birthdays. Mine is also an August birthday, so I bring the cupcakes/cookies for them and for me!
In Preschool we celebrate August birthdays in September and June and July birthdays in May, since we usually end the week of Memorial Day. If there are any birthdays during holidays, we celebrate them either before or after the holiday, depending on the date or the choice of the families. The children are given a “Happy Birthday” certificate, a birthday crown, and a special birthday pencil. We also sing “Happy Birthday” to the child, and he or she gets to pick a prize out of our “Birthday Box”. Parents are invited to stay and celebrate with us, and treats are also brought in by the parents to share with the class. Birthdays are really special!
I love the half birthday idea! I just might do that this year. Thanks for the idea
I have a June birthday and I do remember feeling cheated out of sharing my special day with my school friends when I was younger. I make sure to reconize students with the birthday hat, singing to them and talking about the season of their special day. Each student also draws a picture of a birthday cake for the birthday student instead of eating those high cal treats. Students love to decorate their drawn cakes and make it very special to give their friend a kind birthday wish.
I also have had that same experience. I am a July baby. I guess it didn’t affect me as a child. We always had birthday parties and the friends and family that were close to us always were invited.
In the school the children with summer birthdays are recognized on their half birthdays. They like to bring in a special treat and the other children make cards for them. This is also confusing for some children as well, so it is recognized as their half-birthday, letting the other children know that we are celebrating their birthdays this way due to the fact that they have summer birthdays.
My son is also one who has a July birthday and We have had birthday parties at the end of the school year for all of his friends. He had fun with this idea at first, but now he wants his party on his birthday. I think he likes being recognized, but just wants his special day to remain his special day. That is what happens as we grow up, right?
My preschoolers with summer birthdays were surprised and delighted to find out they had their own day to celebrate their birthday during the last weeks of school. Besides the crowns and other birthday privileges, they love being able to pick the book to be read to the class at story time. I have a basket of birthday stories that are only read on someone’s birthday. It is a growing collection and the children love it.
Two of my sisters and I all have birthdays the same week in August! My parents were always careful to make us feel special individually on our birthday week, even if it meant multiple birthday parties. In my classroom, I love for all of the kids to have their own “special” day. So most often we celebrate summer birthdays on their half birthdays.
I’ve always worked at year-round preschools, so this has never been an issue for me (though great ideas if I’m ever held to the traditional school year!) I’ve always been kinda bummed with my middle of winter birthday… summer birthdays get to have so much more outdoor fun (like pool parties!)
I have to say I can relate. My birthday is in December the 20th to be exact and it often got lost in the shuffle of the holidays in school and having parties were always a challenge because of everything that is going on during that time of the year. I try to make a big deal over my students birthday and I am fortunate that I have been able to celebrate with all of my students because they are all attending a summer camp program at my school this year so that no birthdays will get forgotten.
I always meant to do something in June for summer birthdays but when June rolls around, birthdays are forgotten. After reading the thought about some families not able to afford a party I now see I need to make summer birthdays a priority.
Unfortunately, I usually forget to celebrate summer b-days. I think I will try to celebrate near the end of the year with the last week or two to wrap up.I always give a b-day pencil, but I have wanted to buy the crowns.I think I will go ahead and get them during the summer.
I too often thought about celebrating summer birthdays in the classroom but sorry to say my follow through was sketchy. After reading some of the thoughts and ideas here I will try harder to make everyones special day special.
I liked the bag of the chair idea.
Thanks again to the Mailbox and my colleagues for helping make sure all the little things in life are noticed.
My son’s birthday is the last week of April which is always vacation week for us in New England. He always chose to wait until summer to celebrate because everyone goes away. So it’s not just summer! We recognize August birthday’s in September, and July b’day’s in June.
Neat ideas-
I also celebrate my summer birthday students towards the end of the year. It makes for lots of yummy treats at the end of the year:)
As a teacher, I celebrated everyone’s birthday in my class. We often think about the summer birthdays being hard to celebrate with friends from school but there are other times of the year that it is just as hard to have a well-attended party. I am thinking of the child’s birthday that falls during Thanksgiving or Christmas. Many families are busy with the holiday celebrations so their children do not accept invitations during the holiday breaks. I try to make these children feel even more special during our schooltime celebration of their birthday. Oh, and there are also the children whose families can not afford to have birthday parties. I know my students’ families well-enough to know when this might be an issue. I try to do more for these children, too! Everyone’s birthday should be celebrated!
I too have a summer birthday and always wished I had one during the school year when I was with my school friends.
I talked to my parents of the children with summer birthdays and have them choose a day in a month to have a special “remember my bithday”. They bring a special snack and we sing “Have a Special Day” to the tune of “Happy Birthday”. They wear a crown just like the Birthday children do and have a card or cards made by the children to take home.
When my daughter was in kindergarten, she was upset that she wouldn’t be able to celebrate her birthday because it was a summer birthday, July 13th. So that was the first year we started sending cupcakes in to school on her half birthday–January 13th. It seemed to work out well with all. Christmas was over and everyone was ready to celebrate something else in the middle of a cold and snowy month.
I have a summer birthday in August. Most of my parties with friends were always smaller because a lot of families would travel about that time for their summer vacations. In my classroom, I always make sure that summer birthdays are celebrated at the beginning if they are in August and June and July are usually celebrated in May. This year, I had lots of students to celebrate so I started asking in April if they would like to celebrate. Let’s just say we had lots of yummy treats the last few months of school!
I always like to recognize my student’s birthdays, even the ones who have summer birthdays. My assistant and I have a bag that slips over the birthday child’s chair with decorations and Happy Birthday written on it. We all sing to that child and give them a card with a birthday pencil. Then we let the child pick a gift from the birthday box, which they all love to do. For summer birthdays, we pick a day toward the end of the school year, put the birthday bag over the child’s chair, and also give them the birthday card, pencil and let them pick a gift from the birthday box. This way, summer birthdays are not forgotten, and they are surprised at the same time!
Oh my gosh! I completely forgot summer birthdays
I think I will try the half birthdays next year. Oh, and I love the idea about finding something special on each student’s birthday. Thanks for the great ideas!
I admit that while I have planned to celebrate summer birthdays in my classroom, I haven’t actually followed through. The last weeks of school are so busy for us with special programs, so non-essentials fall by the wayside. But reading this, I’m reminded that summer birthdays are essentials too. I should know, one of my own children has a summer birthday and loved when her teachers acknowledged it.
This year I will definitely plan ahead to ensure we do get those summer birthdays celebrated. Thanks for the reminder!
I send a note home to the parents about a month before school is out and ask them if they would like to celebrate early. Most love the idea so we celebrate each birthday during the last few weeks of school. It is a great break during assessments.
MY SUMMER BIRTH DAY FALLS ON THE 9TH OF DECEMBER.
I AM ALWYS ANXIOUS TO CELEBRATING THIS HAPIEST MOMENT IN MY LIFETIME. YOU CANT IMMAGINE PEOPLE.
With a July 3rd birthday, parties were always tough. Most friends were either away, or entertaining company, and “summer birthdays’ were not focused upon in school. But, there was a library aide who made each of us know that our births had a pace in history. She had 12 marble notebooks- each labeled with a month of the year. Each notebook was then labeled with the dates of the month (1,2,3,etc.), skipping a page (or two?) between each date. As she’d come across interesting facts, author birthdays, special celebrations, and other tidbit related to a date (and this was LONG before computers made that easy!), she’d enter it on the matching page. In kindergarten, she entered every new student’s birthday, and ensured that any new student through the years added theirs. On the first day back to school after Christmas break each year, she’d have a birthday celebration for all of us. The marble notebooks would come out, and we’d all explore our birthdays as we munched on some sort of trail mix that she used to concoct. . The result? Each of us felt not only celebrated, but deeply connected to our past, present, and future. Even today, when July 3rd rolls around, I remember that on my birthday: the three-day Battle of Gettysburg ended, Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec. I’ll always remember that Algeria had once been ruled by the French, because I learned they gained independence on July 3, 1962. I connected with George Washington, since he took over the Continental Army on my birthday (back in 1775). I also shared my birthday with “Bob” (a boy a grade ahead of me, Michael Cole (of “Mod Squad” fame, which was a highly popular TV show at the time), George M. Cohan, and Franz Kafka, and Casey Cox (a NY Yankee at the time).
Once the books were started, I imagine they were easy to add to. But beyond the book, I felt connected as if by invisible thread to the people and events that lined “my” page. I often think about that teacher, and the way she made me feel as if my birthday was every bit as important to her as the other events that shared the JULY 3 page.
I also have a summer birthday end of June. My daughter has an early June birthday and this past school year ended 2 days after her birthday so she got to have cupcakes at school. This was so much fun for her because usually the school year ends the day before her birthday. Fortunately for me having a home child care everyone enjoys their special birthday celebration. No matter how old we get birthdays are the one day we want to feel the most special.