Groundhog Day is this weekend, an age-old tradition to find out how much longer we have to put up with this cold weather! It’s also a perfect opportunity to teach the little ones all about Groundhog Day, seasons, shadows, groundhogs themselves and more.
If you need a little refresher, or want to teach your kids a little background, here is some info on Groundhog Day courtesy of TimeAndDate.com:
Groundhog Day is a popular observance in many parts of the United States. Although some states have in some cases adopted their own groundhogs, the official groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, lives at Gobbler’s Knob near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The town has attracted thousands of visitors over the years to experience various Groundhog Day events and activities on February 2.
The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club plays an important role in organizing Groundhog Day in the town. Club members, news reporters, locals, and visitors meet at Gobbler’s Knob on February 2 each year to await Phil’s appearance and his weather prediction. If he sees his shadow, then winter will persist for six more weeks. If he does not see his shadow because of cloudiness, spring will arrive early. Pennsylvania’s governor has been known to attend Groundhog Day ceremonies. Many weather researchers questioned the groundhog’s accuracy in predicting the weather, but some of the groundhog’s fans may not agree.
Punxsutawney held its first Groundhog Day in the United States in the 1800s. The first official trek to Gobbler’s Knob was made on February 2, 1887. It is said that Punxsutawney Phil (the groundhog) was named after King Phillip. He was called Br’er Groundhog prior to being known as Phil. Canada also celebrates Groundhog Day.
Groundhog Day Shadow Matching Game
One of the best ways to celebrate Groundhog Day is by playing some fun, educational games. This DIY game is great for home or the classroom and helps the kids learn about groundhogs, shapes and shadows.
What You Need
- Printable – CLICK HERE to download and print
- Scissors
How to Play
This game is pretty easy: All you have to do is match the different groundhogs to the shadow of them on the printable! You can also take it up a couple notches by coloring the groundhogs’ settings yourself, using glitter or pompoms to dress them up or even writing letters from the word “groundhog” that they have to put in order.
Hide-Me Play Tent & Tunnel Combination
Not all tents are created equal. This 48” x 48” x 42” primary colored polyester tent/tunnel combination is so durable it can be used indoors and outdoors, perfect for those little groundhogs! The new tunnel is padded on the inside, so that knees and hands will be comfortable while coming out to see their shadow. You can connect several tunnels and tents together to create a whole city!
This tent comes with “mesh” ventilation panels at the top for airflow on hot days, as well as for easy viewing. It has a tunnel port, and its’ durable, washable floor made of polyethylene keeps spills from ruining the carpet as well as keeps you dry from the wet grass. It’s also great fun for an outdoor backyard camp out on a hot summer night. It’s also easy to pack up and take on the go; it has easy set-up and take-down, and fits perfectly in its handy travel bag. The only limit this tent has is your own imagination!
More Ways to Celebrate
There are a ton of ways to celebrate Groundhog Day this weekend, and we’ve rounded up some of our favorite ideas!
Predict the Weather
Obviously, one of the most fun things to do on Groundhog Day is to predict the weather and see if you win! There are many ways to go about this, such as:
- Decorate the room. Decorate half the room in spring decorations, and the other half in winter decorations. Have children and other family members choose which side of the room to sit on.
- Dress up. Have everyone dress up in winter gear if they think Punxsutawney will see his shadow, or bright spring gear if they think he won’t.
- Write your guess. This is one of the easiest ways to go about guessing the weather. Have everyone write their guess, as well as their name, on a slip of paper and turn it in!
Once you’ve got winners, the prizes can be endless. Anything from a piece of candy to choosing what’s for dinner are great prizes kids will love!
Shadow Tracking
Since Groundhog Day is all about whether or not Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow or not, it is a great opportunity to teach kids all about shadows and how they work. It’s easy – take a large piece of paper outside and set an object right in the middle of it. This can be anything, even as simple as a rock or action figure. Throughout the day, have your child trace the shadow in different colors and write down the time so they can see how a shadow changes throughout the course of a day.
Spring Countdown Paper Chains
March 20th is the official first day of spring, so making a paper chain to countdown the days is a great activity to do. All you need to do is cut horizontal strips from paper, about 4-5 per paper. Cut out as many as you need until the first day of spring – 46 if you are beginning on February 2nd. Write a number from 1-46 on all of them. Tape the edges to form a circle in order within each other, with 46 as the bottom and 1 as the top. Hang up on a wall and have your child take one off everyday to get excited for spring!
Let Us Know!
How do you celebrate Groundhog Day with your children? Do you think Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow or not? Let us know in the comments! Happy Groundhog Day!