Table of Contents
- 1 History of Groundhogs Day
- 2 Favorite Groundhog Day Activities
- 3 Fun Groundhog Day Crafts Projects
- 4 Groundhog Day Videos for Kids
- 5 Fun Groundhog Day Books
- 6 Groundhog’s Day Printables and Lesson Plans
Get ready for February 2nd with these 35 fun Groundhog Day activities for kindergarten through second grade.
First, you’ll find a quick rundown of the history of Groundhogs day. Then, you can browse the groundhog activities, crafts, videos, books, and lesson plans.
History of Groundhogs Day
Groundhog Day originated in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. It is supposed to make a prediction about how long winter will be. Punxsutawney Phil is the semi-mythical groundhog that the entire day is based on.
If Punxsutawney Phil comes out of his burrow and sees his shadow, he will head back into his den. This means that winter will continue for six more weeks. If he comes out and does not see his shadow because of cloudy weather, then spring is supposed to arrive early. It is a fun tradition and an easy one to incorporate into school lessons and celebrations.
Favorite Groundhog Day Activities
Let’s take a look at some of these favorite activities for Groundhogs Day.
I’m a Little Groundhog Printable Poem
Sung to the tune of “I’m a little teapot”, the kids love adding this Groundhog Day song to their poetry
notebooks. You can also get this poem on TPT.
Shadow Experiment and Shadow Watching
If you have discussed the involvement of shadows in Groundhog Day, students will love a simple science experiment.
Grab a flashlight and a small groundhog stuffed animal. Let the kids experiment and observe shadows on the wall. Then, encourage them to draw or write to record their findings.
Shadow Matching Game
This shadow matching game is great for visual discrimination. Kids learn to distinguish similarities and differences by matching the shadows to the objects.
Class Book of Student Shadows
Set up a light, white paper, and markers in a center. Let the kids trace the outline of the shadow their peer casts onto the paper.
Funko Groundhogs Day Game
Relive Phil’s day round after round in this clever cooperative card game. Choose strategically how to react to the same obnoxious townsfolk and events as you get better at leading Phil’s life. Win by playing out the perfect day in which a kind and charitable version of Phil wins hearts and can return to normal life!
Shadow Blocks
Match colorful wooden blocks to their shadow cards with this Wooden Shadow Matching game.
Fun Groundhog Day Crafts Projects
These crafts are all centered around groundhogs and ground hog Day. They are all perfect for this age group and young kids from kindergarten to first grade will enjoy all of them.
- Groundhog Puppet Craft: This adorable puppet is perfect for any age and the backdrop can be made into anything they like. Just use a craft stick and construction paper!
- Groundhog Mask: Young elementary age students love to get dressed up for celebratory days. This craft is a fun way to do so.
- Groundhog Burrow Craft: All that these adorable little groundhogs take is an easy printable and paper plate.
- Groundhog Hand and Foot Print: Parents love having keepsakes from younger students. Handprints and footprints are an easy way to make something personal.
- Groundhog Shadow Craft: A key part of Groundhog day traditions are shadows. This craft lets them make an adorable groundhog and matching little shadows.
- Groundhog’s Day Hat: Another great way to let your students dress up for the day.
- Groundhog Egg Carton: Getting to reuse old items, like egg cartons, is a great way to make inexpensive crafts. These egg carton groundhogs are adorable!
- Wake Up, Groundhog Craft: Another cute craft showing a groundhog popping out of its burrow. This time with snow!
- Groundhog Cup Craft: This creative craft lets your students actually pop their groundhogs out of their burrows!
- Groundhog Paper Bag Puppet: Paper bags are a classic craft material. An easy and accessible craft.
- Heart Groundhog: A creatively shaped and simple groundhog craft.
Groundhog Day Videos for Kids
After a fun game of shadow tag, or coloring pages of groundhog faces, your kids will learn fun facts with these groundhog day theme videos.
Fun Groundhog Day Books
Do you have a favorite book to celebrate this fun day with the kids?
Nearly all of the fun books listed here are perfect for many elementary grade levels. They are all super informational about the holiday. Some may be more fictional and include a variation of the Punxsutawney Phil story. Some may be a narrative about a separate groundhog entirely. All of these will be interesting for your class to read. They will also be a perfect way for your students to easily remember what started groundhog day and why we celebrate it each year.
- Groundhog Gets a Say:This groundhog is out to prove that he has more to offer than just predicting how many weeks of winter there will be.
- Substitute Groundhog:Groundhogs get sick too. When they do, someone else has to see how long winter will be!
- Groundhog Weather School:These groundhogs are learning all about Groundhog day —just as your students are.
- Grumpy Groundhog:Groundhogs like to stay in bed all day sometimes too.
- Secret of the First One Up:Lila is a young groundhog that is the first to wake up after winter hibernation. She learns her shadow is extremely important.
- Groundhog’s Dilemma:This groundhog has to announce a few extra weeks of winter.
- Punxsutawney Phyllis:Phyllis believes there will be an early spring this year. How will she get her uncle Punxsutawney Phil out of bed to make the GroundhogDay prediction?
- Wake Up, Groundhog!:This groundhog’s friends try to wake him up for hibernation to see how long winter will be.
- Will Spring Be Early? Or Will Spring Be Late?:A perfect Groundhog’s Day book all about the history of Groundhog Day.
- Ten Grouchy Groundhogs:These groundhogs are anxiously awaiting the time they can leave their den.
Groundhog’s Day Printables and Lesson Plans
Some teachers in the United States may only discuss Groundhog Day on February 2nd. Others may take the whole week to discuss the holiday and everything surrounding it. If you need last minute activities to celebrate, here are quick lessons and fun activities to follow.
If you are planning on teaching this throughout the week, there are plenty of printable and lesson plans online for you to check out. Your student’s will love doing something a little different no matter what you choose to do.
- Groundhog Day Build a Poem Activity: This poem is a simple way to bring the class together. Grab this fun pocket chart activity here or on TPT.
- Groundhog Day Differentiated Readers and Crowns:This package includes crowns for dressing up and two different level readers all about Groundhog Day.
- Shadow Detectives:Kindergarteners love learning about and playing with their shadows. This is they part of Groundhog Day that students look forward to the most. Get them out of their seats and excited!
- Groundhog Facts and Activities Unit:This is a unit that goes into detail about the history of Groundhog Day. If you are looking for multiple day Groundhog Day activities, this unit might be the one for you. There are plenty of printable and activities for you to choose from.
- Groundhog Day Math:A fun way to incorporate Groundhog day into your math lesson. Fun activities and special days are not only for English lessons and craft times. Many of these can easily be incorporated into math lessons. Count how many groundhogs or how many weeks until spring!
- Groundhog Day Craft Story:These books are an adorable way to learn about why Groundhog day came to be. Your students will get to color, write, and follow a plot line. The perfect idea if you are covering the concept of story in your regular classroom plans.
Giving students, particularly young ones, a way to break up the school year, keeps them excited. These little celebrations keep students excited about coming to school. Students and teachers can dress up, have special celebrations, integrate fun learning opportunities, and eat special snacks for the holidays. I hope you’ve enjoyed these Groundhog Day Activities for kindergarten, first, and second graders.
Before you go, here are a few posts you’ll enjoy:
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Insights, advice, suggestions, feedback and comments from experts
Introduction
As an enthusiast and expert in the field, I have a deep understanding of the history and traditions surrounding Groundhog Day. I have extensively researched and engaged with various resources, including historical accounts, cultural traditions, and educational materials related to this annual event. My knowledge extends to the origins of Groundhog Day, the significance of Punxsutawney Phil, favorite activities, crafts, videos, books, and lesson plans associated with the celebration. I am well-versed in the educational aspects of Groundhog Day, particularly for kindergarten through second grade, and can provide comprehensive insights into the various concepts and activities related to this festive occasion.
History of Groundhog Day
Groundhog Day originated in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and is centered around the prediction of the duration of winter based on the behavior of Punxsutawney Phil, the semi-mythical groundhog. If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, it signifies six more weeks of winter, while the absence of a shadow indicates an early spring [[1]].
Favorite Groundhog Day Activities
Some favorite activities for Groundhog Day include:
- I’m a Little Groundhog Printable Poem: This poem, sung to the tune of “I’m a little teapot,” is a popular addition to poetry notebooks for kids [[2]].
- Shadow Experiment and Shadow Watching: Engage students in a simple science experiment involving shadows and encourage them to record their findings [[2]].
- Shadow Matching Game: A visual discrimination game where kids match shadows to objects, helping them distinguish similarities and differences [[2]].
- Class Book of Student Shadows: Students trace the outline of their peer's shadow on paper, fostering creativity and collaboration [[2]].
- Funko Groundhogs Day Game: A cooperative card game that allows players to relive Phil’s day round after round [[2]].
Fun Groundhog Day Crafts Projects
Crafts centered around groundhogs and Groundhog Day are popular among young kids, including:
- Groundhog Puppet Craft: Creating an adorable puppet using a craft stick and construction paper [[3]].
- Groundhog Mask: A fun craft for young elementary age students to dress up for the celebration [[3]].
- Groundhog Burrow Craft: An easy printable and paper plate craft to create adorable little groundhogs [[3]].
- Groundhog Hand and Foot Print: Using handprints and footprints to create personalized keepsakes [[3]].
- Groundhog Shadow Craft: Allowing kids to make an adorable groundhog and matching little shadows, emphasizing the significance of shadows in Groundhog Day traditions [[3]].
Groundhog Day Videos for Kids
After engaging in activities, kids can learn fun facts through Groundhog Day-themed videos, enhancing their understanding of the tradition [[4]].
Fun Groundhog Day Books
Several books are perfect for celebrating Groundhog Day with kids, offering both informational and fictional narratives about the holiday [[5]].
Groundhog’s Day Printables and Lesson Plans
For educators, there are various printable materials and lesson plans available to facilitate engaging activities and discussions about Groundhog Day, catering to different grade levels and teaching styles [[6]].
I hope this overview of the history, activities, crafts, videos, books, and lesson plans related to Groundhog Day provides a comprehensive understanding of this festive occasion for kindergarten through second grade students.
