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Birthday Party — Cake, candles, presents, and "Happy Birthday!"
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Birthday Party

Cake, candles, presents, and "Happy Birthday!"

⏱ 5–10 min per lesson🎯 Kids · ages 7–12 · CEFR A1Free 5-min trial · no card
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Why this matters

Birthdays are the easiest fun English kids ever do. The vocabulary is bright and physical (cake, candles, balloons, presents), the grammar is gentle (I am eight, I love this, my birthday is in May), and every child has a memory or two to share. Even quiet children light up when they get to talk about cake.

The tutor stays excited and warm. They sing the first line of Happy Birthday, ooh and ahh over a remembered present, and ask follow-ups about the cake colour, the friends who came, the game everyone played. By the end of two lessons, most kids can introduce their birthday, count to twelve, and wish someone happy birthday in English.

What you’ll be able to do

  • ✓Say their age in English: "I am eight."
  • ✓Name birthday vocabulary: cake, candle, balloon, present, party.
  • ✓Sing or say "Happy birthday to you!" confidently.
  • ✓Talk about a present they loved and why.
  • ✓Ask another person "When is your birthday?".

What a lesson actually feels like

A 9-year-old talks about their last birthday cake.

Tutor
Hi! I'm Sarah. When is your birthday?
You
My birthday is in March. I was nine!
Tutor
Wow, nine! Did you have a cake?
You
Yes, a chocolate cake. With nine candles.
Tutor
Nine candles — perfect! Did you blow them all out in one go?
You
Yes! And I made a wish.
Try this scenario yourself →

Key vocabulary

cake
торт
A sweet round food with sugar and frosting.
"I had a chocolate cake."
candle
свеча
A small wax stick with a little flame on top.
"I had nine candles."
balloon
воздушный шар
A bag full of air or gas, usually colourful and floating.
"My balloon was red."
present
подарок
A gift wrapped in paper. Same as "gift".
"I love this present!"
party
вечеринка
A happy group of people having fun.
"My party was at home."
song
песня
Words people sing to music.
"Everyone sang the Happy Birthday song."
age
возраст
How many years old you are.
"What's your age? I'm eight."
blow out
задуть
To make air come out of your mouth — to put out the candles.
"Blow out the candles and make a wish!"

Useful phrases by situation

My birthday

  • “My birthday is in March.”
  • “I am eight today.”
  • “I had a chocolate cake.”
  • “My favourite present was a soft toy.”

At a party

  • “The cake is so big!”
  • “I love this present!”
  • “Make a wish!”
  • “Blow out the candles!”

Saying happy birthday

  • “Happy birthday!”
  • “Happy birthday to you!”
  • “How old are you today?”
  • “Many happy returns.”

Common mistakes & how to fix them

Sounds wrong
I am at eight years old.
Natural
I am eight years old.
No "at" before the number. Just "I am [number] years old" — or even shorter, "I am eight".
Sounds wrong
I have one candle and one candle and one candle.
Natural
I have three candles.
When you have more than one, add "s" at the end: "candles", "presents", "balloons".
Sounds wrong
I birthday is March.
Natural
My birthday is in March.
"My" comes before "birthday", and use "in" before months: "in March", "in July".

Cultural notes

  • ★In English-speaking countries, the Happy Birthday song is universal. Kids sing it at school, at home, even at the office. The first line is "Happy birthday to you!".
  • ★Many children make a silent wish before blowing out the candles. The wish is supposed to come true if you blow them all out in one breath — and never tell anyone what you wished for!

Tips from our tutors

Sarah
Sarah · Warm & encouraging

“Even one word about your cake is a great start. Was it chocolate? Strawberry? We'll go from there.”

Katya
Katya · Casual & friendly

“If your family doesn't celebrate birthdays, that's totally fine — tell me about another special day instead.”

Frequently asked

My child gets overwhelmed at parties. Will this be too much?+
No. The tutor stays calm and lets the child set the pace. If the child says they don't like loud parties, the lesson pivots to a quieter version (just cake, just one friend) — no pressure.
What if my family does not celebrate birthdays?+
The tutor is trained to ask about a different special day instead — a religious holiday, a name day, a family tradition. The vocabulary still comes (food, song, family) without anything that doesn't fit your home.
Will the tutor sing?+
Yes — the first line of Happy Birthday is part of the lesson, and your child can join in. Singing is one of the fastest ways to lock in pronunciation.
How is this different from Family & Home or School Day?+
Different vocabulary set (party + numbers + feelings) and lots of practice with age numbers. Most kids do this third or fourth in the kids series — once they have basic family and school words.

Beginner, intermediate, advanced

Tell the tutor your level at the start of the lesson and the conversation adjusts. Same topic, different depth.

🌱 beginner

Say your age and your favourite cake. The tutor practises numbers and the Happy Birthday song.

  • →Say "I am [number]" and "my birthday is in [month]".
  • →Name your favourite cake flavour.
  • →Sing the first line of "Happy birthday to you!".
🌿 intermediate

Describe last birthday in 3 sentences. Friends, food, presents. Past tense scaffolded by the tutor.

  • →Tell what you did on your last birthday in simple past.
  • →Name 3 things at the party (cake / balloons / friends).
  • →Say what your favourite present was and why.
🌳 advanced

Tell a memorable-birthday story — funny, surprising, or a little disappointing. Connect events with "and then", "but", "in the end".

  • →Tell a 4-sentence story with sequence words.
  • →Describe one feeling word for the day ("excited", "shy", "happy").
  • →Ask another person about their last birthday.

Suggested tutors for this topic

Sarah
Sarah
Warm & encouraging
Judy
Judy
Professional teacher
Shawn
Shawn
Calm & patient
Graham
Graham
Formal & precise

Related topics

Family & Home
🏠 Family & Home
Mum, dad, my sister, my room.
Animals & Pets
🐶 Animals & Pets
My dog, your cat, the bird at school.
School Day
🎒 School Day
My class, my friends, my favourite subject.

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