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Re-Imagining Classroom Celebrations

[Insert Presenter Name]

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How do you celebrate?

What are your favorite memories of parties or celebrations from your childhood (at home or at school)?
What are some occasions you celebrate in your classroom?
What do your classroom celebrations look like?

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How do you celebrate?

Celebrating special occasions is an important part of life!

Allow for an exciting break from everyday routine
Create a sense of community
Promote positive associations with school

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Why Healthy Celebrations?

Students’ physical, emotional, and social well-being impact student success.

Healthy students perform better in school.
Healthy eating and physical activity can improve behavior.

Healthy celebrations
Demonstrate that healthy choices can be fun and exciting!
Reduce cost and planning time when the food isn’t the key focus.
Can reduce food allergies concerns.

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A Path to Healthier Celebrations

Take the focus off of food

Active games
Crafts
Music
Special guests

If you serve food, limit to healthier choices in smaller quantities

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Classroom Celebrations: Birthdays

Celebrate students’ birthdays collectively (once/month).
Ideas for non-food recognition:
Dress in fancy clothes, pajamas, or other special clothes.
Choose a book and invite parents to come read it to the class.
Bring in favorite games to play during the group celebration.

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Classroom Celebrations: Birthdays

Communicate with parents about recognizing their child’s birthday. Best practices:
Do not send in cupcakes. If they want to send something, suggest non-food treat bags with stickers or pencils.
Invite parents to eat lunch with their student (discourage bringing fast food).
Invite participation in classroom birthday recognition activities.

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Classroom Celebrations: Holidays

Plan ahead:
Create a list of all celebrations for the year, and planned activities for each
Enlist parent help
Non-food fun:

Holiday themed costumes!
Create a dance party playlist with student song suggestions
Create stations of crafts, board games, active games, or free play opportunities

What additional ideas do you have for healthy classroom celebrations?

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Get Help From the Experts

Engage students: ask them how they like to celebrate

Create a menu of celebration ideas and activities that you can draw from
Engage parents
Communicate your classroom practices regarding foods for celebrations and birthday recognition
Ask for volunteers to supply materials and supervise activities in the classroom during celebrations

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Creating School Wide Change

Engage other teachers

Expand your classroom celebrations into a grade-wide celebration, with each classroom hosting a specific activity.
Share your successes with all teachers so they can build on your success.
Give staff celebrations a makeover as well: ask team members to bring their favorite veggie or fruit to make a salad.

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Creating School Wide Change

Share ideas and successes with your wellness committee.
Review the school district wellness policy for celebrations guidelines. Share these guidelines with the whole school and offer to help teachers who may not be aligned with the policy.
Establish school-level policies that further promote healthy celebrations.

(AWAY)

Now that you have connected with parents and other teachers, you may feel confident and motivated, share your great classroom celebration ideas to the rest of the school! If you have a wellness committee, share your ideas with this group.

Your school district’s wellness policy may already have guidelines for school parties. Review this document (ask your administrator for help finding it if needed). Share what you learned with your colleagues—they may be unaware that the policy exists, or that they are not following it. Offer to share your ideas and support to teachers who are having classroom parties that do not follow the wellness policy.

If your district’s wellness policy does not mention celebrations, or could be strengthen, work with the wellness committee or your administration to propose a school-level policy around celebrations. Consider number of parties, whether food is allowed, if so, what types, and suggestions for inclusion of physical activity.

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Take Action!

What will be your next step to implementing healthy celebrations in your school?