At Somersfield Academy, we honour birthdays in our Montessori classrooms through the tradition of the "Walk Around the Sun." This unique celebration not only marks each year of a child’s life but also teaches children about the passage of time, the months, and the seasons in a meaningful way.
Gathered around the Waseca Seasons Mat, which illustrates the transitions of nature throughout the year, classmates sit in a circle with a candle at the centre representing the sun. The birthday child takes one walk around the sun for each year of their life, holding a globe to symbolise the Earth’s journey around the sun. As they walk, the class sings:
The Earth goes round the Sun,
The Earth goes round the Sun,
Once a year, every year,
The Earth goes round the Sun