A Piano Teacher’s Guide to Celebrating Birthdays at Lessons

I have a summer birthday, so when I was a young ‘un, I’d jealously watch other kids’ parents celebrate their birthdays by bringing treats for their school mates on their birthdays. I’d beg my mom to do the same. “But it’s not your birthday,” she’d always say. 

And the idea of a “half birthday” celebration at school went over like a lead balloon for my traditional, literalist mother. For some reason, in the 1970s, teachers weren’t particularly open to this idea either – even those fun-loving piano teachers.

So it’s likely no surprise to you to learn that I now make sure that my summer birthday gets celebrated in my studio during lessons – even if I have to play the part of ‘The Little Red Hen’ and “do it myself”! This little self-hosted surprise party is also a great opportunity to make sure I acknowledge my students with summer birthdays too.

Since I’m guessing loads of my fellow piano teachers – and their students – have summer birthdays as well, I’m going to encourage you to host a surprise party with these ideas from my teacher goodie bag. 

And, hey, even if you don’t have a summer birthday, you can use my idea any time of year to celebrate special days with your students! 🥳

Shh! It’s a surprise!

First off, in order for this little birthday party to be seriously special, I don’t publish the fact that it’s my birthday to my students and families. I mean, it can still be a surprise party even if the birthday girl (or guy or person) is the one keeping the secret, and the student is the one getting a surprise.

I love the looks on my students’ faces when I announce that it’s my birthday, and we’re going to celebrate it together with some extra fun activities, and a dash of learning to boot. (It’s still a lesson after all!)

Happy birthday to…

Your surprise birthday celebration must include a rousing rendition of the song, ‘Happy Birthday to You’. Sure, you can play it for yourself and ask your students to sing to you and/or their lesson buddies. But don’t miss this golden opportunity to teach your students to play the song on the piano. 

They’ll be happy to learn (or review) the song, and you’ll be glad you taught it, as it falls squarely into what I would call a “musical life skill” – something every musician should know. Make this song a smidge easier – and quicker – to learn by teaching it by rote. Or, if you prefer, make it an aural challenge, just giving your student(s) a few notes to get the ball rolling on piecing the song together by ear.

But what if my birthday falls during a camp week?

Because I have a June birthday, and I also do piano camps during the summer, it’s easy to use a camp as an opportunity to teach the song. No matter the camp theme, I can usually find a way to make the birthday song a part of it. I’ve sneaked this song into a camp I called ‘Colour and Chords’ (focussing on primary colours and chords) as well as a ‘Pop Piano’ camp. You could even worm the song into an art and music camp with one of the ideas listed below.

Make a Musical B-day Card

Provide your student(s) with some paper, writing utensils, scissors, glue, stickers and any other craft supplies you like, and allow them to make a birthday card. They can certainly give it to you, or the birthday student, as their gift after crafting it, or you can allow them to take it home to give to someone else.

Since this is still a music lesson and/or camp, and I want to feel like I’ve actually taught something resembling music, I ask the student(s) to make artful use of musical symbols in the content of the card.

If they just add some quavers (eighth notes) here and there along with their other creations, that’s fine. But I also like to ask them to recreate and combine musical symbols to make interesting shapes and figures.

Musical Party Games

Many of us already use music theory games to teach a host of concepts to our students. And, yes, this is still a lesson (or camp) and you want some learning to take place. 

But since you’ve decided to throw yourself and/or your fellow summer birthday students a party, have some fun with traditional, musical party games like musical chairs, freeze dance (aka “musical statues”) or hot potato. 

This is also a great opportunity to teach your students celebratory music and games from cultures other than their own. Some of my favourites include:

• Tinikling (Phillipines)
• Pass the Parcel (United Kingdom)
• Statues (Greece)
• Catch the Dragon’s Tail (China)

In addition to world cultures, use music from the world of “pop” for your games. This playlist from YouTube includes legends like Elvis, Dolly Parton and Whitney Houston.

Have a Treat

Although you may not want to partake of cake, cookies or candy at every lesson – or camp – on your birthday (but no one here will judge you if you do!), be sure that you give your student(s) a little treat at the lesson. 

Even if it isn’t an edible treat, remember that it’s almost as much fun to give a gift on your special day as it is to receive one. 

How do you recognise birthdays in your studio?

Tell us about it in the comments so we can celebrate too!