Groundhog Day

February Play-of-the-Day Activities for Fun and Learning

Ya know how sports programs show the play-of-the-day?–well this is a play-of-the-day calendar for fun and learning for the whole month of February! And why you may ask? Because play is a winner since it’s the brain’s favorite way to develop and grow. 90% of the brain develops by the age of 5 and the best way to grow connections and pathways is thru play. So, encouraging play is a no-brainer.

Print off the image below and paste it on the fridge or a bulletin board. Adapt as suits the needs of your family or care centre and let it inspire other ways to play.

February play and learn activities for kids

 

February Play & Learn Activities for Kids

Even though it’s a shorter month, with so many February play and learn activities it’s a very exciting one. It starts with International Ice Cream for Breakfast Day and then, we watch to see if the Groundhog sees his shadow or not. The Super Bowl inspires lots of fun with throwing, catching, and kicking a ball. Valentine’s Day inspires kindness and friendship. That only takes us to the middle of the month. There’s more to come.

Here’s a calendar of February play and learn activities to start.
Yours in play, Mrs. A.

February play and learn activities for kids

Do Like Groundhogs – Go Outside For Groundhog Day

Need something to do today? Kids and grownups can make like the creatures themselves and go outside for groundhog day. No matter the weather or prediction.

We know kids need more outdoor and nature time. Need some ideas? Here are some we can do any day:

  1. Check out the sky. Any sun? Clouds can be different in the winter. In some areas, the entire sky seem to be lower.
  1. Look on the ground. The ground may be all white for some people. Or, it could be just brown, with or without puddles. Where it’s hot and dry, the winter months may be the only time the grass is green because summer sun turns it brown.
  1. Any action down there? There might not be a great deal of action, but that’s something to notice too. What’s happened to the worms and bugs? Animals may have left some prints in the snow.children and nature wonder
  2. Did you know trees can talk? Well, not in words, but they are still telling us their news. The news might be a few buds on the branches if we can get close enough to see. The message could also be “Stay tuned and check back again soon.”
  1. Close eyes and turn face up to the sky. If you are lucky, some sun will kiss your cheek. Feel any wind today? If it’s cold, you might want to bring your nose back down pretty quick.
  1. Take in a deep breath. What does the air feel like today?
  1. Turn around slowly and see if you have a shadow. If the groundhog sees its shadow, it’s back to sleep for 6 more weeks of winter.

groundhog day for kids
Whether or not your area gets more winter or starts spring, groundhogs need two things, a good sleep and outside time. Outside time helps kids with sleep, and that definitely helps grownups. As a matter of fact, Parents Get Some Sleep is an even better day, er night, to celebrate. Can you and your child go outside for groundhog day?

Groundhog Day: Outside Nature Time for Kids

While nature may not dictate our activities as completely as for the ground hog, we can follow his example and include some outside nature time for kids.During the cooler months of the year, we often don’t encourage kids to be outside. With warm clothes and either snow or rain gear, kids can still enjoy being … Continue reading Groundhog Day: Outside Nature Time for Kids