I have been teaching long enough to remember the days when celebrating a child’s birthday at school involved gigantic cakes, party games, treat bags for students, and huge interruptions to the day. I also remember when it swung all the way to only being allowed to give a no homework certificate at the end of the day.

My Favorite Easy Idea for celebrating student birthdays at school:

Recently 2 of my children celebrated their birthdays at school. The rules were no cupcakes or candy. We sent in fruit cups which are more expensive than the cupcakes, but at least they were able to bring something in. I honestly think that my kids are more excited to bring a fruit cup to school to celebrate their birthdays than they are about their birthday parties. Which is why I wanted to share with you how I handle these important days in my classroom.

I have beside my desk a basket of pinwheels. Each pinwheel has a tag with a student’s name and their birthday written on it.

When each child’s birthday arrives, we have a special morning work assignment. The class makes the birthday boy/girl a book full of birthday wishes. The birthday child colors/decorates the cover of their book, and the rest of the children have a page from the book to write a nice birthday note to their friend. I collect all the notes and staple them together with the cover on top, and at the end of the day I give the child their special book and the pinwheel from my basket. It is a fairly inexpensive and fun way to celebrate a student’s birthday in class. Plus pinwheels make me smile.:)

If you would like a copy of my student birthday book, you can grab it here from my TPT Shop: