The Montessori Celebration of Life is a beautiful way to celebrate a child's birthday in a school setting. Children love to hear about the journey from their birth to the present day. They want to hear stories, look at photos, and be gifted with the parents and caregivers memories, and celebration of some of their own memories. They want to know how cherished they are, and how our life and world is better because they were born or came into their family or now belong to our class. The Montessori Celebration of Life is the perfect way to do this.
 

Many Montessori schools use some form of a sun, the months, a candle, and a globe to help show the passage of time and the growth of the child from birth to this birthday celebration.

In preparation for the Montessori Celebration of Life, the parents/guardians/caregivers of the birthday student are asked to bring in a picture for each year of the student's life, and answer some life story questions. 

Birthday Walk Around the Sun

 

All of the students step back to form a clear space in the center of the room. The birthday student will stand outside a large circle around the sun that has been placed on the floor. The birthday student stands beside the label that has their birth month on it. The teacher lights a candle to represent the sun. The birthday student holds a small globe. The teacher will begin to tell the Life Story (anticipating the arrival, the excitement of the fist time parents saw child, etc.) then will recite the life story for each year. At which point, the birthday child begins the journey walking slowly around the sun, marking milestones, as well as each years birthday. This continues on until the child's reaches present day. Then the group will sing several birthday songs. The studet will then blow out the candle representing the Sun. A special surprise awaits the students after.