Reggio Emilia: Birthdays

In these Reggio inspired classrooms - each room develops its own birthday tradition.  Here is one classroom's documentation on how the traditions are formed:

 A peek at birthday traditions:

 IDEA 1:  I adore this idea!  Notice in the first photo there are empty hoops hanging.  On the child's birthday they decorate and fill their hoop.  There is glitter involved as well - love the sparkle!!!  The child's photo and birthday are attached to the jute holding the hoop.  Love. Totally.

IDEA 2:  Another rocking idea.  Remember the old fashion art project - paste, yarn and a balloon?  Fast forward to Reggio inspired and you have birthday lanterns.  The lanterns hang undecorated until the child's birthday (child's photo is attached to plain lantern).  In the second photo you can see the ribbons woven in for the celebration.  The teacher told me that there are little battery operated flames in the lanterns.  On the child's birthday - their plain lantern is lit.  Everyone knows when they walk in that a birthday is happening! Oh my word!  I love that!  

IDEA 3:  The bottom photo shows you an example of the frames hanging on the wall with the child's name and birthday.  I chose to photography a teacher's for obvious reasons.  On the child's birthday they get to create a painting for their frame.  A simple but amazing idea.

 IDEA 4:  Each child has their initial up on the wall plain.  On their birthday they get to decorate their initial.  Isn't it beautiful?!!  (I know - I put it on day one of this series but it deserves a second showing!!!)

IDEA 5:  This classroom decided to create collages on canvas boards.  I love the diversity of materials.  Love the angle the boards are displayed.

 IDEA 6:  This class choose to use canvas boards and create collages.  I really like how there is a birthday cupcake on the blank canvas before the birthday! (And that they decorated those as well.)

  The wide range of materials used give these such individuality! Love.

IDEA 7:  This class used the gallery canvases.  These have a deep edge.  They decorate their canvas on their birthday.

Oooo - such goodness!  

I must praise Rosa Parks again and again for their generosity for sharing their classrooms and for permission to share the beauty.   You are inspiring beyond words.  Big Hugs to you! 

Tomorrow's post is Hanging Art.

Hugs!

Make Your Own Easy Peasy Birthday Cape!

I had this brilliant idea this summer and it worked!  Woot!  (Don't you love it when an great idea really works out?)

I went to Target and purchased the cheap tea towels (4 or 6 towels for $3.99).  I purchased enough for every student in my class.   I dyed them with Rit Dye in the washing machine. 

My pile of tea towels.

 I wrote "Happy Birthday" using a fabric paint pen.  Then I let the birthday child write their name and decorate the cape with fabric pastels. 

 I just love the details the birthday child added!! So sweet!

 Ta da!  Beautiful!  (Shhh!  I did not sew anything.  I just tied it in the front and voila! An old fashion cape!  The photo cannot do this justice.  It is endearing!

Simple, easy, yes!

Birthday Rocks!

This idea came from a five year old during our Trading Post.  He said to me, "I want a birthday rock."
"A birthday rock?  Where do you get one?"  I inquired.
"There." He said as he pointed to my stack of stones.

One a grand idea!  I am preparing materials for next year and I am making a pile of birthday rocks.  I must acknowledge the little girl in my class who thought up using stickers!  What a time saving idea for mass production!

 Here's what you will need:  a bag of river rocks and enough stickers to put on both sides of the rocks.  I needed two bags of rocks and three packages of stickers.  I purchased both at Michaels (this week the stickers are 40% off).  You will also need a clear acrylic spray finish.

1. Press on a sticker on the front and back of the river rock.
2. Set rocks in large cardboard box outside to spray with a coat of clear acrylic spray.
3. Let dry.
4. Turn over and spray the other side.
5. Let dry.

I have not decided how I will present the rocks to the birthday child.  Maybe I will have a special box or basket or a little muslin bag to hold the rock with a stamped birthday image of some kind. 

Hum - a sprinkle of glitter might be in order!  I think birthday rocks should twinkle.

It is summer break - lots of time to dream about it.

Dollar Store Capes!

It was a room full of Kings and Queens of Hearts.  To make it proper - each child made their own cape and crown.  Oooo - the fun we had! (These would be so great for a birthday party!)


To make the cape - all you need is a plastic table cloth from the dollar store.  Cut in half lengthwise.  Then cut each length into 3 equal sections for a total of 6 capes per table cloth.  My dollar store had bags of Valentine foam stickers that the children decorated their capes with.

 A gathering of kings!  One of the kings lept into the air and when he landed he told my intern, "Did you see how I glided down with this cape?"  Magic was in the air!

To make a closure, use sticky back round velcro discs.  Stick to cape placing on one side and the other on the opposite (see above) for correct overlap when wearing.

Front of cape when worn.

Let the children decorate their capes with foam stickers.

One student's wonderful design work!

Making the  crowns - I used purchased pre-cut gold crowns.  I cut out hearts from scrapbook paper and had foam sticks from the dollar store for the children to decorate with.  I loved how individual each child's design turned out.

Birthday Fairy Dust!

Birthdays in the kindergarten are a very big deal!  It is those small details that make this day special.  Here are some photos of what I have done and a few things from other classrooms.

Birthday Banner for birthday child.  I will post later in the week on how to make this simple banner. 

Detail of banner.

Birthday Calendar I saw in Switzerland.  I thought this was so smart.  I make a birthday calendar every year now.  I hang it on the front wall and the children know whose birthday is next.  The birthday child takes home their birthday poster the day we celebrate it.

 

My version of the Swiss birthday calendar. 

 The first week of school each child watercolors their birthday poster that will become a part of the calendar.

Here's this year's version.

This is my special "Birthday Chest" filled with all the fanfare for the day.  I have a birthday story I read for every child's birthday, a birthday badge and a golden crown.

In this chest I have golden fabric and a birthday cape.

The birthday child sits on the golden chair during our celebration.

I saw this across the hall from me at Mrs. Goodroe's classroom.  I think it is such a sweet touch to hang up a little sign to let the children know as they arrive - it's a birthday today!

This is my homemade version for a birthday last week.

Mrs. Goodroe also puts out a wonderful display at the spot where the birthday child sits.   Such a celebration!  I'd love to hear your ideas for birthdays!  Is there anything special you do to mark the day?