Montessori Birthday Celebration (Photo from Angie Lile at Vivid Life)
My son, Will, celebrated his birthday two days ago, and my daughter, Christina, is celebrating her birthday today! In honor of my children’s birthdays, I’m featuring some posts about a meaningful and educational tradition in many Montessori schools – Montessori birthday celebration, a celebration of life ceremony.
Celebration of Life Ceremony
The photo is from a post by Angie Lile at Vivid Life: Celebration of Life – A Montessori Birthday. In her post, Angie gives a lovely description of the birthday celebration for her twin daughters at their Montessori school.
I love that the Montessori birthday celebration gives a concrete way for young children to understand the months of the year and the earth’s revolution around the sun each year. It also is a way for children to feel special and to connect with their place in the world.
Not every Montessori school celebrates birthdays with a celebration of life ceremony, sometimes called a Montessori birthday walk. The first two Montessori schools I taught at had mainly American Montessori Society (AMS) teachers, and neither school used the celebration of life ceremony.
Following are some other helpful links about Montessori birthday celebrations.
If you would like to use the ceremony at home or in a school, it’s a beautiful addition to a young child’s birthday celebration. You’ll notice there are variations among Montessori birthday ceremonies. Choose whichever variation would have the most meaning or work best for your own child or school.
Birthday Ceremony at Montessori from Joan4 at Squidoo (includes 3 videos)
Montessori Birthday Walk from Montessori Mum (includes 3 videos)
Montessori Birthdays from Life in the Pink Tower
The Celebration of Life (album page) from Montessori Methods
Nora’s Montessori Birthday Celebration from Kerry’s Ramblings
New Years from Montessori Mom (gives the idea of using the Montessori birthday celebration for a New Year’s activity as well)
A Homemade Montessori Birthday Celebration from Our Montessori Story
The book How to Raise an Amazing Child the Montessori Way by Tim Seldin has information on a Montessori birthday celebration.
Montessori Birthday Celebration at Home (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)
UPDATES: Pup’s Celebration of Life from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments
A Birthday Here from September
Has your child experienced a Montessori birthday celebration?
Linked to Birthday Parties Linky
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I'm Deb Chitwood. My header photo models are my children, Christina, at 1 1/2, my son, Will, at 3, and Christina again at 16. Christina is now 20, and Will is 25. Please see the 
Happy Birthday’s all around!!!!
sheila recently posted..Living by the Golden Rule
Twitter: DebChitwood
Thanks, Sheila! This is always one of my favorite times of the year with birthday celebrations and the arrival of spring, too!
Deb recently posted..How to Prepare a Montessori Baby Room
Happy birthday to Will and Christina!! Today is also my birthday. Love this post. Thank you for sharing some really nice ideas.
Twitter: DebChitwood
Thanks SO MUCH! And happy birthday to you!
Deb recently posted..How to Prepare a Montessori Baby Room
Just to let you know I just posted a raffle to help Japan.
http://olivesandpickles.blogspot.com/2011/03/japan-quake-appeal.html
If you are interested on helping you are more than welcome to participate.
thank you : )
Patty
Twitter: DebChitwood
Thanks, Patty! What a lovely thing to do!
Deb recently posted..How to Prepare a Montessori Baby Room
Happy Birthday! It’s my birthday in a couple of days too! hehe
Kirsty recently posted..Linky Party & Government Cottage Featuring Le Chaise Parfait
Twitter: DebChitwood
Great time to have a birthday! Happy Birthday to you, Kirsty!
Deb recently posted..How to Prepare a Montessori Baby Room
Twitter: montessoricandy
Thanks for posting this. Montessori birthday celebrations are truly beautiful and we love celebrating them in our home. The children love to hear about the different milestones in their life, and I feel it is a very unique and special way to honor the child
Gracias!
-Susana of Montessori Candy
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Twitter: DebChitwood
Thanks for your comment, Susana! It’s wonderful that you have Montessori birthday celebrations at home! I totally agree that they’re a fabulous way to honor the child!
Deb recently posted..How to Prepare a Montessori Baby Room
Happy Birthday to Will and Christina!!
Here from HHH.
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Twitter: DebChitwood
Thanks so much, 5ennie! Will and Christina both had wonderful birthdays with special birthday trips this year!
Deb recently posted..How to Prepare a Montessori Baby Room