There are two types of people in this world: those who love birthdays and those who don't. I am one of the former. A birthday party is my favorite kind of celebration. It's a great opportunity to honor an individual, reflect on fond memories, get social, and have fun! A little cake and a few presents can up the ante as well.
Here are five fun birthday-themed things to teach your kids.
1. A silly joke.
Birthdays and cakes go hand-in-hand. Here's a fun joke for all ages:
How do cats bake cakes? From scratch.
2. A new vocabulary word.
If you've ever walked into a party space and admired the decorations, you can give the host a compliment for their excellent festooning skills.
What does it mean to festoon? Festoon is the action of decorating a space. Birthday party spaces are commonly festooned with balloons, streamers, banners, and other festive decor.
3. A word puzzle.
To solve a rebus, consider not just the words, but the placement, size, color, and quantity of everything within the box (and sometimes just outside the box!) when trying to decipher the puzzle.
4. A fun fact.
Have you ever met someone who had the same birthday as you? It's such a fun feeling! According to science, September is the most common birthday month (with Sept 9th ranking as the most common birthday of all). The least common birth date is December 25. And that's not all...
In a group of 23 people, there's a 50% chance that two people will have the same birthday. In a group of 75, the odds increase to 99%. I've tested this math fact on my own kids' classrooms and it turns out to be exactly 50/50 for them! One classroom has a birthday match while the other doesn't.
Not sure you believe it or want to learn more about this was calculated? See the official birthday problem calculation from Sevast'yanov, Diaconis, and Mosteller.
5. Teach a personal discovery.
There are twelve astrological signs in the zodiac. The ancient Greeks referred to them as zodiakos kyklos which translates to "circle of animals." Astrology is a pseudoscience that uses these zodiac signs to analyze and influence human behavior. Some believe it can help predict the future.
What is your astrological sign? Your astrological sign is tied directly to your birthday. Use the list below to discover your sign.
- Aries (Ram): March 21–April 19
- Taurus (Bull): April 20–May 20
- Gemini (Twins): May 21–June 21
- Cancer (Crab): June 22–July 22
- Leo (Lion): July 23–August 22
- Virgo (Maiden): August 23–September 22
- Libra (Scales/Balance): September 23–October 23
- Scorpius (Scorpion): October 24–November 21
- Sagittarius (Centaur/Archer): November 22–December 21
- Capricornus (Goat): December 22–January 19
- Aquarius (Water Bearer): January 20–February 18
- Pisces (Fish): February 19–March 20
"The secret of genius is to carry the spirit of the child into old age, which means never losing your enthusiasm." – Aldous Huxley
