We hold a simple birthday ceremony on each child's birthday.  Summer birthdays are honored at the half-year date.  Parents are invited to participate.  If you wish, simply enter the class with your child in the morning.  We celebrate immediately after morning announcements.

We light a candle and sing a song while the birthday child holds the globe of the earth and walks around "the sun" (our candle).  The other children count each revolution around "the sun" as one year of the child's life.  An adult narrates special events or accomplishments which occurred during each year based upon information provided by parents.  Also, we display sequential pictures of the birthday child, one for each year, when they are provided.  We end by singing "Happy Birthday."

You may wish to send a special snack for your child's birthday.  Please consider treats with low sugar content.  Some children respond very poorly when they eat a lot of sugar.  You might consider muffins instead of cupcakes with icing, for example.  Treats will be offered to the children at the snack table throughout the morning.

Please do not send goody bags for each child to take home on your child's birthday.  I know they are offered with generous intentions, but this sets an uncomfortable expectation that every birthday child will do this.  We want to keep our celebrations simple and happy for everyone. 

Please mail birthday party invitations instead of bringing them to school to distribute unless you're inviting the whole class.  If you do not wish to have your address and phone number distributed to each member of our class for this purpose, please notify me within a week of the beginning of school.

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