Birthday treat for reception class

[MrsNA]

My daughter’s 5th birthday is coming up and she really wanted to take some cupcakes for her class but we’ve just been notified that the school policy no longer allows cake to be bought in. I was wondering if anyone can suggest anything else she could take In, I was thinking some story books as a favour.

Cake is the done thing here but as not at yours I would go with Haribo, they appear to be recommended as safe for most diets.

I’ve never known ‘favours’ as such in class though, surely that’s what you have party bags for? Seems a bit overall to do party bags for the class if not having an actual party…

Haricot are minging. Do bubbles or bouncy balls or rubbers or a fidget toy or a gel pen each or something like that. The sort of thing you’d put in a party bag that you can pick up multiples of cheaply at supermarkets.

Our school doesn’t allow sweets or chocolates. Most bring a book in which then gets read to the class.

This is so strange I’m so thankful that this is not a thing at my child’s school! I absolutely would not want my child getting a bag of haribo every week at school because it’s someone else's birthday. Why don't you throw her a party instead?

Swizzels sweets are suitable for vegans and usually free from allergens. I buy a mixed tub of these as a teacher and the kids like the choices. I had multiple pupils with different allergies one year and everyone could eat these.

Is it just cake that’s off the menu or is it all edibles?

Edibles? Bloody hell, they're 4 and 5, I'd hope they're off the menu 🤣

It's usually small packets of sweets or lollies here, as already suggested. The kids get them on their way out the door at pickup and aren't allowed to eat them at school.

Haribo/chocolates but maybe check with teacher re allergies/dietary restrictions.

Skittles fun size are fairly good because last I checked they’re vegan so suitable for most children x

This might be due to the change in EYFS eating and dietary guidlines that came into effect this September. Cakes and other unhealthy foods are explicity warned against. I wouldn't worry just send her in with a birthday badge and they can all enjoy singing Happy Birthday!

Not this. It excludes the vegan/ vegetarian kids.

I wouldn't do favours if you're having a party but I'd ask what is allowed in terms of sweets / treats

I like the library book idea, potentially that could be 20-30 new books each year if most children took one in on their birthday and the whole class benefits, and the classes who follow them too

Nothing. Or donate a book to school.

Dc school normally is sweets, crisps or sticker sheet with a pen
some also by a book for the class or a few of the same for the school library which are usually well appreciated

Totally agree here. My son has only started reception as well and has a dairy allergy. He’s only in his first proper week and he has come home sad twice as 2 separate kids brought in cake for the class which he couldn’t have. I wish the parents asked first.

I found this really irritating in primary. It's unnecessary and sets an expectation. Fortunately, ours banned birthday sweets/stuff when my DC were still quite little and asked for a donation (of a book) to the library instead.

I didn't want my kids coming home with sweets every week.

And please don't replace sweets with stuff - it's just giving away landfill. As well as putting pressure on other families to do the same.

Stickers is the standard in my DD’s class if they’re not having an all-class party. They also wear birthday badges, crowns etc and get generally fussed over!

I done this before for my DD 5th birthday and they aren’t allowed to hand cake or sweets out for allergy and dietary reasons the full Costco cake came home lol xxx

Don’t do sweets. Too many potential issues with allergies/dietary needs/parents not wanting kids having sweets every time there’s a birthday in the class. A book to share with the class or stickers should be enough.

Yeah you don't need to send in anything at all. It's a pain when dd comes out of school absolutely gleeful because she's got yet another pack of Haribo and I then get to choose between tears because I'm such a mean mummy or her not eating her dinner. Spare me.

Can't they just sing Happy Birthday to her, then each child gets it sung to them on their birthday?

I know the world is full of rampant commecialism so maybe this would be a real gift to them all; you don't need stuff to be happy and enjoy life. Just a thought.

Personally wouldnt get anything, but if i did not food - Bubbles? Or fun hats

My daughter has just started year 1 and we have only had it once and the parent sent the packet on the WhatsApp group just before school thankfully. My daughter has 20 allergies so it's quite complicated.
Briefing my daughter on the walk to school (having only just seen the message) that she mustn't eat any of the sweets that X offered her was not what I needed on the school run!
Thankfully the teacher stepped in and said it wasn't allowed and we didn't have to panic.

We have had one incident where they made biscuits in class which had dairy and egg in them. They made them for another purpose and didn't plan for the children eating the biscuits! My daughter didn't pick up that the butter was butter and not the dairy free butter but knew as soon as the egg went in she couldn't have it. She came home crying asking why they put egg in the biscuits so she couldn't have them. They got a ticking off by the head for that and it has been requested that they run recipes by me in future so I can offer alternative recipes

My 6 year old is incredibly talkative, full of 'facts' and odd enough at times at it is, I don't think I could handle him on edibles 😂

Diabetics can eat Haribo. Or anything.

Tangerines? I personally wouldn’t take anything in.