[sweet.pea09]

I am using a birthday box for students to visit when it's their birthday! I also am going to have a treasure box for students to visit weekly. What are some things I can put in my birthday box so it's not the same things that are in my treasure box? Any good suggestions on treasure box fillers to keep it different?

[cvolcteacher]

me but I do have birthday treats for everyone.

On the first day of school I have kids decorate a small white "penny candy" bag. They use crayons. On the wall I have a graph and we put up a marker for their birthdays beside each of the months. Then I take away the bags and fill them at home.

The next day, the neatly folded bags are stapled up on the wall over each child's marker. The markers underneath the bags are important so that when bags are removed, as birthdays arrive, there is still the sense of a graph on the wall. Some months will say "No Birthdays."

As each child's birthday comes along, we remove their bag in a little ceremony and send it home explaining to the child that since there are still birthdays to come, the child shouldn't open their bag at school. We don't want to spoil the surprise for others!

Inside the bag I put whatever I can find for a very good price. I shop all the time for little items that can fit in that bag. I shop at our local discount store when things are 90% off. I sometimes might find things like:

a handful of crayons
always a candy of some sort... like Rockets that last without spoiling
some stickers
a balloon
a little notepad or sticky pad
a bouncy ball
little mirrors or necklaces or bracelets for girls
little trucks etc. for boys
little bubbles/wand
little birthday favors like tiny paints/brushes
rings


In all, I spend about 50 cents a bag and I'm pretty choosy about the items I buy in terms of price.... I only buy things when they are very cheap. I look all year round and have no trouble finding things kids like at a good price so that I'm set to go in September every year.

Kerry in BC

[bennyjake]

I've always let them choose a book for their birthday. I get quite a supply of extra books through book order free books or use my points. I don't do rewards.

[amyluvs2teach]

Hi Sweet.Pea 09!

For my treasure box. I let my kids (if they have had a good week--and all usually do) all go to the treasure box on Friday afternoons. My kids come from a lower socio-economic area and a lot of times--the teeny bouncy ball, sticker, pencil, ruler or so on.... means the world to them. I believe in both intrinsic and extrinsic awards--I think a balance is what works for my students. My kids are always encouraged to do what is right--"just because it is"--so I feel that treasure box is okay to do as well.

For treasure box, I try to have parents donate items via the class wishlist--or their unused McDonald's toys. I usually hit up US TOY once in the beginning of the year for a stock up and I am good for the rest of the year with donations.

For my birthday box--(this will be my first year doing this--I'm excited!) I bought different items that aren't in my treasure box--like notepads, little erasers and whistles. Like the PP, I also let them pick out a book. They take home our class Birthday Bag, get to donate a book to our class (and unwrap it at school) and wear a crown (and/or they will get to wear a new headband hat that I just got a the dollar store--it's too cute!)

*For both, I always buy in bulk at a party store, US TOY or Oriental Trading Co so that I get the most value for my $. I usually spend about $30 total for the year, I get lots of help with donations from parents.

I don't make a HUGE difference between the two, the kids are happy to get anything and they are so appreciative--so if the BB and TB have some of the same things--I don't think it matters--well to me it doesn't. I hope this helped!! Have fun!!

--Amy

[sweet.pea09]

I am excited about using my birthday box because my system only allows us to use 50% of our walls for decoration. I feel like part of my 50% shouldn't be the birthday bags so I am eliminating those for my birthday box. However, I did make a chart of everyones birthday to hang up. As for my treasure box, I only use it on Fridays and the students have to earn to visit the box. I DO believe in rewarding because a child at this age level responds more to positive rewards. I just need some ideas as to what to put in my treasure box to change it up a bit. I want their birthday treat to be something different than what they can earn from the treasure box. Thanks for all your suggestions!

[dmastand]

I am all about rewarding positive behavior!!! Good luck with both of your "boxes"...sounds exciting!

[Luckybug]

I am a mom with 3 kiddos. I take their happy meal toys (that they only play with for a few minutes and small toys from home that they have outgrown or don't play with anymore. Everytime I clean out bedrooms, I take a whole bag of stuff for my treasure chest. I also put that in my newsletter at the beginning of the year and parents often will send in lots of "recycled" small toys, happy meal toys, odds and ends. The kids never realize that they are recycled stuff and it saves me tons of money and it makes for a very diverse treasure box. I only use treasure box on special occasions or for very hard earned behavior. We do have a small class store and token economy and if they save 25 cents, they can buy a trip to the treasure chest.

[SDmom3]

In my treasure box, I put school related things. I put glue sticks, dry erase markers, crayons, pencils, stickers, little notebooks. I use it as a way to have the kids "buy" the supplies they might need to replace in their school box. I have a low socio-economic area and I was buying a lot of things for the kids. I use it to talk to them about what they need and should buy. Then, they can buy what they want. In my birthday bag, I put just fun toys-things like bubbles, little toys from fast food places, little toys for birthday goodies bags. I order a little from oriental trading, but I get a lot from garage sales, things my own kids out grow, other teachers, and clearance. I agree with everyone else about positive reinforcement for the kids that everyone else said too.

[BeamingBees]

I do a birthday box full of books, and a treasure box full of usual treasure box trinkets.

My birthday box is a big square box wrapped in colorful wrapping paper (that says "Happy Bday") and has a wrapped removable top with a big colorful bow. I keep the box pretty fully stocked by collecting cheap new books throughout the year (Scholastic dollar books & bonus points mostly).

On a child's birthday (or half for summer b'days) he/she comes in to find the birthday box and some other treats (bookmark, certificate, sticker) on his/her desk. The b'day boy/girl picks a book and I write a message in it and then send it home. The kids love it, especially because it looks like they have a big huge birthday present on their desk when they arrive in the morning.