Celebrating a child’s birthday is a clear way for them to feel loved, valued and appreciated. Compliment Confetti is our way to celebrate the child who is having a birthday, whilst nurturing positive relationships, bringing happiness, love and understanding into the classroom. For children who experienced a holiday birthday, you can create an un-birthday celebration, or do the activity ahead of time and place the notes in an envelope for the child to open on their birthday.
Up to 30 minutes
Invite the children to make confetti by cutting out different sizes of love hearts from scrap paper. Each piece should be big enough, so kind and loving messages can be written on them. Ask the children to write positive words about the birthday child’s strengths, skills and attributes or how much they mean to them. Once completed, put the confetti into a bag to keep it together.
On the birthday, and after checking with the child that they are comfortable with this, dedicate time for celebrating the child. Invite the birthday child to sit on a blanket or rug, inside or outside. The other children can sprinkle the confetti over them while taking turns to read out their compliments. Everyone can then help collect up the confetti so that the birthday child can take it home in an envelope.
This is a nice activity to begin a little birthday party celebration, perhaps with a few party game energisers such as musical statues, pass the parcel or hide and seek. You might like to provide a signed birthday card, small birthday cake with candles, or decorate the classroom with birthday bunting.
Top tip: In some countries, children wear a birthday crown. Could you make one with the children for such an occasion?
Click the button for a printable activity plan.