Happy Birthday Storytime

Since L's birthday was yesterday, to celebrate her birthday, and the past and upcoming birthdays of the storytime clan, we threw a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY STORYTIME bash with books, songs, crafts, and cupcakes!

Happy Birthday Storytime Lineup:

Today Is Your Birthday

Traditional

(Fill in the blank with child's name. Steady clap throughout rhyme.)

Today is ________'s birthday.

Birthday, birthday!

Today is ________'s birthday.

Let's count the years away.

(Count to how old the child is or will be.)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5...

(Hold up number of fingers for candles as you count, then blow them out.)

Today is _______'s birthday,

(S)he is 5 years old today!

Horray!!

(Everyone claps.)

A Birthday for Cow! by Jan Thomas

Read this one back in January for Sugary Sweet Storytime. Once again, it was a hit.

Mouse's Birthday by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Bruce Degen

The kids really enjoyed this story of a mouse hosting a birthday party celebration in a house a little too small for his guests.

The Birthday Pet by Ellen Javernick, illustrated by Kevin O'Malley

All Danny wanted for his birthday was a pet turtle. Instead, his family persuades him with other pets that don't seem to work out as planned.

If You Give a Pig a Party by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond

Most of the kids were familiar with this favorite Numeroff/Bond edition of the If You Give a Mouse a Cookie family.

The Fairytale Cake by Mark Sperring, illustrated by Jonathan Langley

A short and sweet story with appearances from everyone's favorite fairy tales and nursery rhymes.

Happy Birthday Song

Traditional

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear everyone,

Happy Birthday to you!

 

Pipe Cleaner Crown Craft:

For our Happy Birthday Storytime craft we made birthday crowns fit for kings and queens. The kids had a great time making them and  had a few parents confessed that they enjoyed making too.

Materials needed: Pipe cleaners and scissors.

To start, twist 2 or 3 pipe cleaners together for desired length of headband or crown. I made headbands (tiaras) for my examples, but most of the kids twisted their pipe cleaners into circles to make crowns.

Once you've figured out the length of your crown, it's time to decorate. For a pointed crown, fold one pipe cleaner in half to make an upsidedown "V".

Twist the top of the "V" into a loop.

Attach the end of the "V" to the base of the crown by twisting the ends.

Using different lengths, assemble and attach the same way.

Bend the crown into the shape of the king or queen's head and there you have it... Instant royalty!

For the silver crown in the background, all I did was shape 3 pipe cleaners into arches and attached them to the base of the crown by twisting.

We also enjoyed cupcakes after crafting. Courtesy of my husband and our favorite bakery's cupcake recipe.

Her Majesty.

image source: spectacular attractions