More Than a Birthday: Celebrating Belonging

There is something especially sweet about birthdays at the Day School. They are joyful, of course, but they are also about something much bigger than celebrating another year. They are a celebration of belonging, relationships, and the unique place each child holds within our school community.

When a child begins their journey at the Day School, they receive a blank white canvas. Over time, that canvas becomes part of their story with us.

When they celebrate their first birthday with their class at the Day School, their classmates work together to create something just for them. With our youngest friends, the children watercolor the canvas in their friend's favorite color. As children grow, their representations become more detailed and personal. The first year, they may paint a face and use loose parts to represent their friend while looking closely at a photograph. The following year, they add even more details and incorporate their own words about what they love about their friend.

The canvas is more than a gift. It is a reflection of how children see one another.

This is one of the ways our Reggio inspired approach comes to life. We believe relationships are at the heart of learning, and children are capable of noticing, remembering, communicating, and expressing what matters to them. Through paint, color, loose parts, conversation, and words, children use many different languages to say, “I see you. I know you. You are important to me.”

Our birthday celebrations take place during afternoon snack, with family members invited to join us. The Day School provides a simple treat of vanilla ice cream or a popsicle and pretzels, while families are invited to bring a book from our school library wishlist in place of a birthday treat.

Families can write a special message inside the book for their child, and then the book becomes part of our shared library. Some of the books in our collection have been here for many years, carrying the notes, names, and memories of the families who have helped build our library.

During the celebration, classmates present the canvas to their friend and share what they contributed and why. We sing Happy Birthday, give big birthday claps, and make space for the birthday child's family to share a favorite story with the class. Sometimes a family member reads the book they brought, and sometimes the teacher reads it with the children.

The children truly love these celebrations. They look forward to their friends' birthdays, remember the traditions, and become excited to create something meaningful for someone they care about.

Because at the Day School, a birthday is not just about turning another year older.

It is about being known, being celebrated, and knowing that you belong.