As we head in to day 3 of below zero temperatures, I know my family is hoping that adorable little rodent does not see his shadow and Spring arrives soon! We plan on celebrating a little bit of groundhog love at our house, even if we do live 2,000 miles from Punxsatawney, PA, and all of the festivities. Now while the whole idea of the groundhog emerging from its hibernation to "prognosticate" about the arrival of Spring will likely be completely lost on your toddler or preschooler, it doesn't mean you can't still have some fun! Here are some cheap and easy ideas you can try at home...
1. Watch the event on TV! This is free and easy, as almost every morning news show will offer up coverage of the event.
2. The whole event is about whether the groundhog sees his shadow, so have some fun with shadows! Pull out the flashlight, turn off the lights, and have at it! Create shadow puppets with your hands or put on some music and have your little one "dance" with their shadow. Or turn the music off and on and play "Shadow Freeze Dance". Infants in the house can participate in this one as they love following the light along the wall. Have an older child? Have them hold the flashlight or pick the music or turn it off and on.
3. The official celebration in Punxsatawney, PA, includes a pancake breakfast. So, make pancakes! Whether you have them for breakfast or dinner (which we will be doing in our house), get the whole family involved in the preparation. And it doesn't really matter if you make them from scratch, from a box, or in the microwave. Just eat a meal together!
4. Become a part of Punxsatawney Phil's Inner Circle, those guys in the top hats who carry on the tradition year after year. Grab some black constructions paper and make top hats for the family. Visit this link for directions.
5. Speaking of circles, this is the perfect opportunity to employ some shape recognition. Help your little locate everything in the house, on the street, in the neighborhood, etc....that is shaped like a circle. If they can find 10 on their own, give 'em a little treat!
6. If your preschooler is anything like mine, they are not so good about eating their fruits and veggies. So, tell them you're going to pretend your groundhogs today. Build a little blanket fort they can crawl out of, spend some time crawling around, and then have a groundhog "snack": fresh fruits and veggies!
7. So, what's this year's verdict? Is Spring on the way? Then celebrate by planting a small, indoor herb garden (basil holds up well and is useful in so many ways, so I'd suggest this). Help your little one plant the seeds in a small pot and place them in the kitchen (Home Depot offers a great little indoor herb garden kit for about $10). Keep a chart as you watch it's progress each week. Winter sticking around? Then get into your warmest pjs, mix up some hot chocolate, and settle in for a family movie night or story time.
For more information about Groundhog Day and teachable moments for your little ones, visit the official Groundhog Day website.
