The Montessori Approach to Birthdays
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