Suggestions for birthday at daycare?

Hi Tuckers Mom: How about stickers, crayons and coloring book, pencils, dollar store type items? I feel the same way you do, why does it always have to be food related??

I am not sure I understand what you mean about competition with the other moms and teacher when it comes to this...What do you send for your child when it is an other childs birthday?

Is it possible for you to go to school that day and read a special book to the class? Maybe they could do a project for the birthday and make a card for your child from the class?

I have posted a safe birthday suggestion list in my PA 4 yr olds class and it has been working out great! The parents can only bring in what is on this list when it is their childs birhtday...

Let me know what you decide, Good Luck! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

Tucker's Mom - I just went through the same thing. Today is my daughter's birthday and I was in a dilemma over what to send in for the class to celebrate with her. I, too, feel that a non-food item is best (you just never know if there are any food allergic children - sure enough there is one child in her class who is). Anyways, I went out to a party store and bought some cheap party treat bags and these little paints, pencils, stickers and cheap activity booklets. I put them all in the party bags and the kids all loved them (certainly lasts longer than cupcakes!). It cost me more than if I were to send in cupcakes, but at least I know that everyone was safe from exposure to any potential allergens. Hope this helps.

At that age they love balloons, maybe you could show up at pick up time with a big bunch of helium mylar balloons.

We've been dealing with this for years and it can be a real a problem. Parents feel pressure to send in cupcakes or some other food snack on their child's birthday. I think it is because we worry sometimes that we're not good enough parents, that we don't do enough for our kids, or show them we love them enough. There is also that piece of us that cares about the opinions of others.

I thought ds's preschool had the most creative way to celebrate birthdays. They encouraged parents to purchase a book for the school in the child's name, the parent was invited to come in and read the book on the child's birthday! The children loved having their parents come into the school and the school loved adding to their library.

Another idea is to bring in special birthday napkins to share with the other children to make the day more festive. Perhaps your child could wear a special birthday sticker, and give one to his friends.

Since my ds started kindergarten I have come to really dislike other parents celebrating their child's birthday in the school. I know I sound like a party pooper but I have always thought birthdays should be celebrated home, not in school.

I completely understand the "cupcake" pressures. My ds campaigned to get me to bring in cupcakes for his birthday. His argument was that this would be the only time he would be able to have the same snack as everyone else. Of course, I caved. He is so understanding about his limitations usually, I just couldn't refuse. I'm hoping that stickers might work next year though!

For Lauren's birthday I am going to send in fabric markers or fabric paint (non-toxic of course) and a large white t-shirt. I will ask all the childre to paint a small something on it...even if it is a handprint or a simple balloon and their initials and ask the teacher to write a large "Happy Birthday" on it. Afterwards, Lauren can change into her new birthday shirt.

Somewhere, though I searched and could not find it, I tried to get a thread going about this exact topic...suggestions to offer in place of snacks when it came to birthdays. The thread did not take off like I had hoped it would.

I tend to do the birthday thing at school for my two PA girls since it's the one time during the school year when they can participate in the treats that everyone else is getting. I do wish that school and church and other functions weren't so food-oriented, but they are. I enjoy seeing my girls get to indulge themselves in the same treat the rest of the class is having (since I am the one who supplies the treats that day). Also, my kindergartner gets a kick out of showing the other kids what good things she can have in spite of the PA. She recently told me some of the kids in class were complaining to the teacher that "Bryce's snacks are always better than ours." I got a little chuckle out of that. : ) My kids feel left out so often that it's good to know that there are times when they feel special. I do understand not wanting to do the traditional party thing at school though. It would be a lot easier if birthday celebrations (especially the food part) were discouraged. Joey

Pinatas are a big hit (pardon the pun [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img] )
if the teacher can stand the mess! This is one substitute that kids don't seem to notice doesn't have food involved. (And even if they do, they don't care.) This will defnitely make your kid the envy of every other child.

With little kids, its a good idea to do treat bags (stickers or mini-crayon packs,) and then just fill the pinata with stuff like confetti or sidewalk chalk for them to use right then and there.... avoids the "blues" for less aggressive kids.

Making balloon buddies (drawing faces on latex balloons and taping them to children's chairs) is another idea- but it does involve latex balloons.

Some of the good old fashioned birthday games that we all played are actually fun and interesting to our kids! (Pin the tail on the donkey, musical chairs, etc.)

Teachers also LOVE for parents to come in and help in the classroom for the most part- especially if they are planning and supplying a wonderful craft/art/physical activity (much much better than dropping off twenty sugary cupcakes and leaving the mess and the kids!) [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/eek.gif[/img] Budgets are so tight that many of the fun things like stickers and tissue paper are not as plentiful as we recall from our youth- or the teacher is paying for them out of pocket.

It's just my personal opinion, but I don't see the need for birthday celebrations at school. To be honest, I consider them a waste of instructional time and also somewhat overindulgent. I wish they weren't allowed, so I don't do anything to petpetuate them--I don't send anything to school when my kids have a birthday. I do write a check for the school library's "Birthday Book Club" because it is a worthy cause. My kids get a small birthday party outside of school and I think that's plenty (I know, I'm SOOO mean!!!).

I haven't noticed any "competitiveness" on this issue. Nobody has ever mentioned it or asked why I don't send anything. The teachers think these birthday celebrations are a pain, so I know they don't look down on parents who don't participate. Our principal has mentioned to me that he doesn't like the school birthdays, but eliminating them would cause an uproar and he doesn't want to alienate parents.