Look no further! In this article, we have listed 15 adorable, unique ways to display and celebrate each child’s birthday, using quick and easy techniques to create the greatest displays you will ever see in a classroom.
Let’s get into it.
Separated By Seasons
Starting off this list, here is a fun way to display the birthdays of each person in your class.
You can either use the whole bulletin board for this display, or simply take a section of it: either way, you’re going to want to create a square shape. Create a border using ribbons, cardboard, or anything else that is colorful and bright.
Create four sections inside this square by adding borders through the middle, one horizontally and one vertically. Use paper or cardboard to color the backgrounds of each square:
Top Left Square – red
Top Right Square – blue
Bottom Left Square – green
Bottom Right Square – yellow
The red square will represent fall (red leaves on trees), the blue square will represent winter (snow and ice), the green square will represent spring (green leaves and blooming plants), and the yellow square will represent summer (the sun).
Add each season to the matching box, using big, bold letters to write each word. Then, work out which children were born in each season! Here is a quick guide for those who are unsure:
Fall – September, October, November
Winter – December, January, February
Spring – March, April, May
Summer – June, July, August
You can either add the children’s photographs inside each square, along with their birthdate, or you could ask them to draw self-portraits to stick onto the board!
You can also get creative and add little pictures to each section of things that represent each season, e.g., snowflakes for the winter section.
This is a fun, simple way to not only let the students know when their friends’ birthdays are, but it will also teach them the seasons of the year.
Candles On A Cupcake
This is a popular interactive option for many classrooms across the world, and it is a fun one to create!
You will need to craft 12 different images of birthday cupcakes to pin onto the board: you can either make these cupcakes different colors with different patterns, or you can simply label them with each month of the year.
Make sure each cupcake is around 10 × 10 inches (ca. 25 centimeters), or larger.
In order to make this board reusable for each new class that starts every year, stick several pieces of Velcro onto the ‘frosting’ of each cupcake. We recommend applying, at least, five pieces of Velcro to each cupcake.
Next, you will want to make ‘candles’, preferably using laminated paper.
If you use laminated paper, you can write your students’ names onto each individual candle with a washable marker, and then rub the names off and reuse the candles during the following year.
Stick the rest of the Velcro onto the backs of the candles, and then you can stick them onto the cupcakes on the board!
On the first day of class, hand each student a candle, and ask them to write their names and birthdays along the candlestick with washable markers.
Then, let them stick their candle onto the colorful cupcake with their birthday month written on it.
The Themes Of Each Month
Returning to an idea that we touched upon in the first entry on this list, it can be fun to incorporate the themes of each month and season that the students are born in.
Separate this section of the board into 12, and label each section with the month that it will be associated with. Then, add stickers and sketches of things to do with that month, along with the children’s names and birthdays.
Some months are more difficult to come up with ideas for themes, so here is a list of ideas for you to take inspiration from:
September – fallen leaves, school bus, apples (back to school)
October – pumpkins, ghosts (Halloween)
November – turkeys, the US flag (Thanksgiving)
December – snowflakes, Christmas trees (Christmas)
January – fireworks, the new year (New Year)
February – love hearts, teddy bears (Valentine’s Day)
March – butterflies, farm animals (start of spring)
April – bunnies, Easter eggs (Easter)
May – flowers, birds (end of spring)
June – picnics, the sun (start of summer)
July – the sun, sandcastles (summer)
August – campfires, sunsets (end of summer)
You could also add the symbols for the zodiac signs of those born in that month, e.g., adding stickers of the Aries and Taurus star signs for the month of April.
Color Coding
Another way to separate 12 months is by color coding each month, giving each of the 12 sections a different color.
Remember when we color coded the seasons into red, yellow, green, and blue? You can do this again, but using more colors between, to bump the number up to 12.
You can use the 7 colors of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet – and then use some combinations of colors, such as orange-red (blood orange), or bluey-green (teal).
By using the colors in order, you can teach the children the order of the colors in the rainbow, as well as teaching them basic color theory from a young age.
You could use warmer colors (red, orange, yellow) for the warmer months, and cooler colors (blue, purple) for the colder months.
Get creative with this method, using different ways to add the children’s names and birthdays!
Eldest To Youngest Chart
Why not create a list of the birthdays, starting with the first birthday of the year and ending with the last?
This way, you can accurately track whose birthdays are coming next, and the children can work out where they fit in a list of the eldest-to-youngest in the class.
This is easier for smaller classes, but can still be easily done for classes with more students: it just may take up a little more space on the board.
Take a photograph of each member of the class, print them out, and place them in order of their birthdays on the birthday board.
You could even stick Velcro on the back of each photograph, so that when a student’s birthday passes, you can move them to the bottom of the list, revealing whose birthday is next!
This is a fun way to reveal who is the eldest in the class, and who is the youngest.
It is also a better option for classes who have a lot of birthdays in one particular month, and no birthdays in other months: you won’t need to waste time creating a section for a month in which no one’s birthday falls into, as you just have the list to work from.
Birthday King Or Queen For The Day
For this birthday board display, you will need printed off photographs of each member of your class.
You can use one of the other options in this list to display the photos, but you will need to create a separate section on the board with a fancy, colorful ‘photo frame’ on.
You can create this frame out of cardboard, ribbons, or any materials you like.
Write the words, ‘Birthday King/Queen For The Day’ in bold, colorful lettering above the frame.
Once you’ve created this frame, use Velcro (or something sticky) on the backs of the photographs, so they can be easily stuck and unstuck from the board.
When it is a student’s birthday, you can remove their photo from the original board, and stick their photo inside the frame!
Their photograph will then be on display, center stage (or board) so that everyone can see it is their birthday.
For more fun, craft a crown/tiara that can also easily be stuck and unstuck from the board, and stick it onto the head of the student in the photograph. That way, they really will be the birthday king or queen.
‘A Star Is Born’
This is a simpler option for those who would prefer to use less craft supplies, or simply have less time to create a birthday board.
Count how many students there are in your class, and cut out that exact amount of star shapes: you can make these out of cardboard, colored papers, or any material you like.
Write down the names and birthdates of each child on each star, and then pin them up on the board for everyone to see.
For best results, use glitter on each star to make them shine on the board! You could make the background of the board black or dark blue to resemble the night sky, and add some shooting stars, and even the moon.
Birthday Card Designing
Here is a cute way to make each individual student feel special on their birthday, whilst getting every member of the class involved in the crafting.
To create the initial board, you can use any of the options we have already mentioned in this list. However, you will want to leave a blank section at the side or in the middle.
On the day of the student’s birthday, hand every child a blank piece of paper along with some colored pencils, pens, and other materials.
Tell them that they have 10-15 minutes to design an extra special birthday card for that student!
This will be a fun challenge, as giving them a time limit will mean that they have to work extra hard and fast to get the design finished.
Once they have finished the cards, pin each card onto the empty section of the bulletin board for everyone to see! Then, at the end of the day, the birthday boy or girl can take the cards home with them to keep.
Photographs Of Students For Birthday Month
This is another easy way to capture each student’s birthday, but without much effort needed!
Make a list of each student’s birthday, and group them together into each month. Then, get each group together – e.g., gather the students who were all born in November – and take a photograph of them altogether.
There may be some months in which only one person was born. In these instances, just take the photo of this child on their own.
For extra fun, bring in some props for the photographs, such as birthday hats, feather boas, balloons, etc. Have a photoshoot with them, grabbing some fantastic, themed photographs to add to your bulletin board!
This will be lots of fun for everyone involved, and you will definitely capture some funny photos that the kids are going to love.
Once you have the 12 photographs, pin them onto the wall, and add the month of their birthday above them in bold lettering.
Make A Wish!
Here is another themed idea to add some color to the blank birthday board in your classroom.
This is a similar idea to the ‘Candles on a Cupcake’ entry at the top of this list, but instead of only crafting 12 cupcakes, you will want to craft a cupcake for each member of your class. Instead of adding a separate candle, add the candle to the cupcake permanently.
Then, craft a ‘flame’ out of ripped up tissue paper, or cotton balls painted orange and red. Attach some Velcro to the back, and add a small piece of Velcro to the tip of the candle on each cupcake.
On each cupcake, either add a photograph of each child in the class, or simply write their names along with their birthdays. Pin the cakes to the wall, and design the rest of the board as you wish. Get creative with it!
When it is a child’s birthday, place the ‘flame’ on top of the candle of that child’s cupcake. This is a quick and easy way to announce the child’s birthday to the rest of the class!
‘Blooming With Age’
This is an adorable bulletin board idea that younger children are going to love.
Cut out a piece of cardboard in the shape of a flower for each member of the class, and give it to them to color in and design.
Make sure they write their name on the back of each flower so that you remember who designed which one!
Then, pin each flower to the board, and write their names and birthdays underneath.
Create a stem with leaves trailing down the board, and add blades of grass, etc. to create a colorful garden. You could even add a photograph of each child inside their flower.
This adorable birthday board will display every member of the class as a blooming flower!
Gift Bags On The Board
Next up, we have another interactive bulletin board. Simply purchase a couple of gift bags, one of each child in your class. For extra personalization, ask each member what their favorite color is, and find a gift bag of this color.
Pin the gift bags onto the board, and write each child’s name and birthday above them, or on them.
When it is their birthday, encourage the children to drop a gift or a card into the gift bag, and then let the child empty the bag at the end of the day to see all their presents.
This is a nice way to show the child how appreciated they are by their friends, and gives them something to take home with them.
Birthday Countdowns
For this idea, sketch out a large chart onto the board, or create one using craft materials and stick it onto the board.
You will need to write everybody’s birthdays in order, alongside their names, and then leave a blank section at the side of each birthday.
Use a laminated piece of paper to stick alongside each birthday, so that you can write on it with a washable marker and easily clean it away.
Or, you could use some chalkboard paint to paint squares next to each name and birthday.
Every day, write how many days are left until each child’s birthday. These numbers will, obviously, range from 1 to 365, and every day you will rub out each number and write the new one down, counting down to each child’s birthday.
This is an exciting way for each child to know exactly when their birthday will be, as well as teaching them how to count the days and learn the months of the year.
It does, however, take a lot more effort than some other entries on this list. Be warned!
A Piece Of Cake
For this bulletin board idea, craft a large cake onto the board. You can do this by sketching out a large circle, or adding materials to create one.
You will then need to section the circle into ‘slices’. Write each child’s name on individual slices, along with their birthdays.
Then, get creative and add some ‘toppings’ to the cake! Glue on some cut up Popsicle sticks for sprinkles, or crumpled up colored tissue paper to make fruit.
If you’re willing to put in some extra effort, ask each child what their favorite cake is, and design their slice to resemble that cake!
All Aboard The Birthday Train
Finally, this idea includes creating a large train that swirls around the board, covering the entire thing. Get creative with the train, using all types of materials to make it look fun and realistic.
Then, cut out photographs of each child’s face, and glue them into the windows of the train, making it appear that they are riding the train and waving out the window!
Below each child, write their name and their birthday. Place each child in the order of their birthdays.
This is a fun way to celebrate your child’s special day, and you could also take the time out to teach them fun facts about trains and travelling.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, we’ve provided 15 ideas for you to use when creating a birthday bulletin board for all the children in your class.
We hope these suggestions will help you create a unique bulletin board for each child’s special day!
Hi, my name is Helena Waters and I was a teacher for 40 years before retiring last year.
During my time as a teacher I dedicated the majority of it to making classrooms as fun as possible, with educational parties, fun activities, and low cost entertainment that made the children excited about learning.
I taught children of all ages, from preschoolers to high school students. Now, with the pandemic having uprooted everything that children once knew about school and learning, I think that the need for my ideas is bigger than ever.
That is why I created School Sparks, a place in which I can write down and share all of my ideas on how to get students excited about going to school again. I hope that you’ll find some useful within a school setting, even at home too!
