Birthday child selects a friend to be the "cake maker."
In call-and-response fashion, teacher leads the chant, one phrase at a time, with children echoing.
During the music, the cake maker draws (interactive or chalk board) a big, luscious cake with lots of swirly frosting at the board. Include candles with flames.
Also during the music, while the cake is being drawn, the birthday child plays the "birthday drum" (hand drum, bongo, etc.) to the half-note steady beat. Remaining children can pat legs or play to the beat on instruments as they echo the lyrics.
Adapt birthday child's first name to fit within two or three beats. For one-syllable name, add last name to fill out the rhythm. Substitute "girl," "her," "she's" and birthday student's name and age throughout.
At "count," the birthday child plays the exact number of beats on the drum as his/her age. The accompaniment track accommodates up to twelve beats. If the birthday child is, for example, eight years old, s/he plays eight beats, then rests for the remaining measure of accompaniment.
At the end of the music, the birthday child closes his/her eyes, makes a wish, and "blows out the candles." With a whisk of the "eraser", the flames vanish and everyone applauds!
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