Every year on Feb. 2, the United States and Canada watch eagerly to see if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow to determine if we’re in for an early spring or six more weeks of winter.
Whether or not the groundhog has any insight about the weather is debatable — he’s only been right 39 percent of the time since 1887, so his track record isn’t great — but it’s still a fun tradition for families to enjoy together.
Here, we offer some fun and unique ways that you can celebrate Groundhog Day at home in 2023 and beyond including fun crafts and recipes.
Craft ideas
While the accuracy of his prediction is a bit of a toss-up, kids will still get a kick out of some groundhog-inspired, Instagram-worthy crafts.
The blog Easy Peasy and Fun put together a list of some really fun ideas to celebrate the day like a Groundhog Day agamograph, which actually makes it look like the groundhog is peaking it’s head up from the grass, a paper bag groundhog puppet and more.
On Pinterest, we found these other cool ideas too:
- Paper Plate Groundhog Face Craft from Artsy Momma
- A groundhog pop-up via Tips From a Typical Mom Blog
- And the Interactive Groundhog Day Hat Craft from Sight and Sound Reading
Recipe ideas
Groundhog Day isn’t the kind of holiday that calls for extravagant meals or family get-togethers, but it is the perfect excuse to have a little fun with food, like baking and decorating cookies to look like a groundhog.
Here are some other recipe ideas that we absolutely love:
- Groundhog Day Pudding from The Best Ideas for Kids
- Groundhog in a blanket via Project Denneler
- Groundhog Day Pancakes from The Joy of Boys
You can also celebrate the day with some warm comfort food since, you know, we may be in for more winter.
Activity ideas
Many nature centers and museums in metro Detroit and Ann Arbor are packed with Groundhog Day events.
For those that want to celebrate at home, here are some of our favorite at-home Groundhog Day activities ideas found on Pinterest and beyond:
- Read a Groundhog Day Book — Written Reality has a whole list of great options for kids.
- Play I Spy — the groundhog is looking for his shadow, why not look for some of the items in this printable from Simple Fun for Kids.
- Do a STEAM activity — this one from Steam Powered Family will let kids “grow” their own groundhog with a balloon and the power of science
- Try a weather experiment — teach your kids about weather with these fun experiments from Weather Wiz Kids. Their Cloud In A Bottle experiment is a perfect fit when talking shadows.
And of course, don’t forget to tune into your local news source to find out whether or not Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow!
Happy Groundhog Day!
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