Let’s face it – Kids love their birthdays! It is the one special day each year that is just for them. So why don’t we make it even more special for them? They don’t need a gift or a cake. There’s something that they will love even more. And, guess what? It’s free!
Put the birthday child, on a chair, in the middle of the room and have all of the other children circle around them, either in chairs or on the floor. Go around the room and have each of the other children say something nice about the birthday child. You and any other adults in the room should do it as well (maybe even go first to show the others how to do it). Those words of affirmation from their peers and teachers will stay with them a lot longer than a gift will. They will remember those words and, hopefully, try to live up to them. Maybe those words will help them through a tough day at school or after a fight with a sibling.
To make it last even longer, you or another adult could write down all of the words of affirmation and send it home with them. I have put together a simple page that you can have printed and fill out when needed. If you have a large group, too large to be able to have each child say a word of affirmation, you could have the “It’s _______ Birthday” page printed out and placed by the sign in station with markers near by. That way, as each person signs in, they can write a message to the birthday child.