I used to hardly think of Groundhog Day, and if I did, it didn't really register as a holiday. That is, until I started two things: parenting and teaching. I’ve discovered so much more to the story. And, it’s not about a groundhog, per se (sorry, Phil), or even Bill Murray. It’s way bigger than that.
February 2nd, or thereabouts, has real significance as an important turn in the Earth’s annual dance. It’s the halfway point between the start of winter and the start of spring. And, this midwinter milestone is and has been marked in different ways by cultures all over the world.
Since 1887, many people in the US have marked Feb 2nd by checking to see if Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog, sees his shadow and predicts a longer winter. You may find this tradition fun, ridiculous, or you may not think much about it at all. Or, like me, you may just feel badly for whichever sleepy groundhog gets to play “Phil” each year.
Whatever your mindset, this moment is such a notable stop along the life cycle of a year, and if we listen to nature and channel childlike wonder, we can harness this chance to slow down, connect, and learn together.
To that end, here are 5 of our favorite ways to mark this Halfway to Spring/Groundhog Moment with kids you love or teach:
8 Ways to Celebrate
Groundhogs are among the few creatures that truly hibernate. Though timing varies with latitude, hibernation generally begins in late October/early November and extends into late February and March. So, let’s mark this moment by playing like hibernating groundhogs!
Watch a FREE Tinkergarten Home lesson! This one is dedicated to celebrating the groundhog’s animal superpowers and encourages kids to make cozy dens!
Play!
Make your own cozy dens by:
- Using sticks, leaves, grasses, or even snow (if you’ve got it) to build a cozy den for our pretend, printable groundhog(s). Tough to get outside? Bring the building inside!
- Build a cozy den for YOU! Take couch cushions, blankets, sheets, or whatever you have to turn a couch or a corner of your home into a cozy spot for kids to “hibernate.”
Get ideas in this special Tinkergarten DIY Activity, too.
Share!
Share your cozy den play! Tag #Tinkergarten, and we can cheer you on and feature you in our Groundhog Day round up!
Many midwinter celebrations include playing with light and shadows. Winter in the Northern Hemisphere, with the sun often low in the sky, offers a great time to play with shadows outside.
Find a variety of games & activities to do with your shadow in this Tinkergarten DIY Activity.
Our family enjoyed exploring this How-To tutorial for making your own shadow puppets from the Royal Academy of Art in London. So cool!
Another great way to engage in this moment (and promote democracy!) is to have a family or classroom vote. What's on the ballot? Will Phil See His Shadow?!
Sometime before Friday, talk about the Groundhog Day tradition. We learned in our Highlights 2024 Almanac of Fun that, after 127 years, Punxatawnie Phil is right only 39% of the time. Knowing that, we can encourage kids to wonder how well we could predict Phil’s reaction and how much winter is left!
Talk with kids about how Punxatawnie Phil comes out each year. If he sees his shadow and runs back into his “den,” we should have six more weeks of winter weather. If not, winter should be shorter, and spring conditions should come sooner.
Take a vote (these printable ballots could be extra fun) and see how many people in your family, classroom, or school predict that Phil WILL forecast a longer winter and how many think he WILL NOT.
On Thursday, Feb 1st, be sure to vote on our live polls on either Facebook or Instagram, too.
On Friday morning, if you want to get up at 6am, you can livestream Phil’s prognostication. Or, search the news whenever you pop out of your sleepy state to see how many people were right about Phil’s prediction.
Then, hold onto the ballots and make a note in your calendar for six weeks from Groundhog Day (Friday, March 15th). Try to remember to step outside and feel how “wintery” the weather is on that day. Was Phil right? Did spring come early?
Want to get preschool and school-aged kids engaged in the chance to tunnel like a groundhog and tickle their brains with a great puzzle? Try one of these activities in your home or classroom:
Search & Find
Kids ages 3 and up can search for objects in this groundhog den-themed Highlights Hidden Pictures puzzle. Download your copy here.
Game
Kids ages 5 and up can problem solve and tunnel like groundhogs in the Pipe Puzzle Game on highlightskids.com.
Depending on what your winter mindset is, you may be happy that we’re halfway to spring (cue the Bon Jovi!). If you love winter, you may be feeling like your days to capture winter’s magic are dwindling.
Either way, it is a great time to embrace whatever winter is left with kids. Take a jar, scissors, marker(s), and some paper. Then, cut the paper into slips and write, draw, or let kids dictate ideas for Wishes for Winter on different slips. Generate things you want to try, experience, make, see, etc. that are unique to winter where you live.
Make a Wonder Mobile
One of our favorite wintery ways to dazzle kids' senses is making Wonder Mobiles. How? Just grab a deep cookie sheet, pan, or other container that can hold some water. Fill it half way with water. Add in nature treasures (i.e. branches, evergreen sprigs, berries, pine cones, etc). Tuck two ends of a piece of twine or string into the water. Then, let it freeze (outside if you can, or in the freezer). Make sure it's frozen (~6-12 hours), then leave it at room temperature until it melts just enough to pop out of the container. Take it outside to behold, sense, and explore (and maybe even destroy!).
Get even more ideas in This Tinkergarten DIY Activity.
Take a Winter Wonder Walk
Feeling part of a whole world of people who notice and respond in celebration to the shifts in the Earth can be wonderful for kids (and us). First, it gives us reason to slow down and notice whatever moment we’re in. We can see that humans celebrate in community with what is happening in their local biome, which can encourage us to notice and celebrate whatever is happening in winter where we are.
Take a Winter Wonder Walk and use all of your senses to see, smell, feel, taste, and touch all that winter has to offer.
Enjoy a Winter Tea Party
Pack a thermos full of herbal tea, some treats, a blanket to sit on, and some stuffy friends, then head out to have an outdoor Winter Tea Party to make it even more special.
Share photos and stories with friends about what you notice and enjoy about winter right in this moment, and encourage them to get out and sense winter, too!
Learn More About How Humans Worldwide Celebrate.
Take a moment to learn about how different people around the world notice and respond in celebration to this halfway moment. You can search for midwinter festivals around the world and in specific areas. Or check out just a few examples:
- The Sapporo Snow Festival in Japan hits at this same moment and celebrates the beauty of Japan’s winter landscape.
- The Winter Carnaval de Quebec in Canada is a spectacular celebration of ice, lights, music, food, and community.
- The Haudeshaune, Iroquois, Midwinter Ceremony falls in this similar timeframe and includes chances to share traditional dances, songs, and games that express gratitude and help refresh and refocus for the new lunar year ahead.
- Also timed to the lunar cycle, the Lunar New Year—a most important holiday in China that is also widely celebrated in South Korea, Vietnam, the US, and more—typically starts around this time of year as well.
- The pagan celebration of Imbolc and the story of Brigid and her prediction of a longer winter have been around for ages. Once you read more, it’s hard not to see how the Punxsutawney Phil tradition connects to this ancient Celtic tradition.
Keep an eye out on Friday, February 2nd for a sweet little Groundhog Day giveaway we’ll announce on our Tinkergarten social channels. We’ll be giving away three bundles of goodies from both Tinkergarten and Highlights to keep you cozy, inspired and ready to play for much longer than whatever amount of winter Phil predicts we’ve got ahead of us!
