Confession: I'm terrible about celebrating my students' birthdays. I'm not sure why, because I love holidays. Maybe it was because of the Jehova's Witness I had one year, out of sensitivity I just made myself "get over it." Maybe it's because I was a summer birthday baby so I never experienced the whole "Bring cupcakes in for the class" thing. So although birthdays are announced over the loudspeaker each morning (thanks to the main office) and I do lead the class in song when they bring in a treat for the class, I've never given them gifts.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8JuyTnOzdN0/XLtywBzHSDI/AAAAAAAAKik/AFkCXdriONoLvUIFHcPrFIFHhcNL6me0gCK4BGAYYCw/s320/birthday%2Bflowers%2Bcopy.jpg)
Well, as teachers we strive to get a little better every year, adding new things to our repertoire, so this was the year I decided to change all that!
Thanks to Pinterest,
I got inspiration for a thoughtful, cheap, and fun way to keep track of
birthdays and give students a little something on their own special
day. Birthday pencil flowers!
During the first week of school, among our "ice breaker" activities, I
asked each student their favorite color. Then I made labels with "Happy
Birthday" on one side, and the child's birthday on the other, and
attached them to pencils. They all go into a jar, and when we hear the
announcement that it's someone's birthday, they can go get their pencil
from our "Birthday Bouquet." It makes a lively classroom display that is
not just nice for me, but the kids know is actually for them,
eventually for keeps.
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ekXhZI3Yb2g/Xf5tZfbxcFI/AAAAAAAALKo/XSxIslR9fSo4gjxIGWY6b3eYgKMRdq_gwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Amber%2BThomas%2BShut%2Bthe%2BDoor%2Band%2BTeach%2B150%2Bcopy.jpg)
Sure enough, when the kids saw these, and
realized what they were, they were all smiles. If you like this
birthday pencil topper pattern, I have it available for purchase.
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