Groundhog Day Science!

We did this fun Groundhog Day science activity a few years ago, and it was such a great learning activity! With tomorrow being the big day—Groundhog Day, that is—I thought I would share it with you one more time so you can try it out! I shared the setup of the activity in this blog post, but you can check out the results below.

Just before we get into it, I also wanted to share this Free Rainbow Puzzle Pack with you! I’m not sure about you, but as we make our way through a long winter, we have been soaking up all of the sun, color, and happiness that we can get. And this freebie is perfect to brighten up your little one’s day—and yours! Get your copy right here:

Groundhog Day Science Activity with Shadows

Happy Groundhog Day! Ridiculous thing to say. And yet, I mean it. Because we are celebrating our way through gloomy February!

Which also means that very soon you will be inundated with love, heart, and pink posts for Valentine’s Day. Better than February hate mail posts, though…

Yesterday, I shared our post on a Groundhog Day activity I was planning for my little ones. Well, today, we actually did the shadow tracing, and it turned out pretty cool, so I thought I would share our results.

We ended up with a bright and sunny (though frigidly cold) day today. A great day for a groundhog to see his shadow… which, you may recall, predicts another six weeks of winter. But don’t worry! As it turns out, Phil, the ‘head’ groundhog, only has a 39% accuracy rate. So, I am betting he is wrong.

Well, hoping he is wrong. Really, really hoping.

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Regardless, the bright sunshine today made for some wonderful shadow tracing and learning, too. My Sam loved this activity so much, we will be doing it again soon. No need to wait until next Groundhog Day!

I think we might trace Sam on some cardboard and trace that shadow each hour. He would definitely get a kick out of that.

This science activity was nice and simple. (Well, it would have been without the 2-year-old ‘helping.’)

I laid out some paper where our cardboard groundhog’s shadow fell. (And then Ben crumpled it all up. We talked a bit, then I re-laid the paper. Then he crumpled it all up again. Then I waited until naptime.)

At Ben’s naptime, I laid the paper in front of the window where our patient little groundhog’s shadow was still falling.

Sam traced the shadow using a marker, and then I wrote the time of the tracing.

We repeated this twice more, spacing the tracing by about 45 minutes. The shadow moved very quickly. It was quite cool to track!

And then Benjamin awoke… and with an apple in hand and a sly little smile…

Our science was done for the day… Boy, he is quick! And sneaky! Lots of learning to be had for Benjamin today as well!

A lesson on science, and then a lesson on patience and forgiveness for Mr. Sam today.

I have spirited, busy little ones who certainly keep me on my toes. And they add so many more elements to each and every activity I suggest!

This would be a fun activity to do in the summer outside with chalk as well. Oh, why do I do that to myself… summer… so, so far away…

If you would like simple crafts and activities planned for you day-by-day that are effortless to set up and engage your natural curiosity… check out The Everything Toddler Bundle! This bundle has everything you need to turn ordinary days into extraordinary adventures with your little one.