Fun Ways to Celebrate Leap Year
Published:
February 24, 2020
Contributor:
Jeannette Tuionetoa
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It’s pretty tough to explain the Leap Year to kids. Many adults don’t understand it themselves. All that many of us know is there is an extra day in February, and maybe we know it happens every four years. Well, this year is Leap Year folks! That means we can’t not talk about it in our homeschool. Better yet, explore these fun ways to celebrate Leap Year with your kids and make the most of this special day.
I am just going to say it. I know I am not the only one who thinks about the poor people whose birthday falls on February 29th. That is horrific. Imagine only having a birthday every four years? That would be tragic for my kids and me.
Well, on behalf of all the world to all the February 29thers, we are sorry and “borrow” February 28th if you want to.
Now, as for teaching our kids about Leap Year, we may need to rewind our clock a few thousand years. It’s history can be dated back to the Egyptians who wanted to create a calendar after the Solar Calendar. The calendar would make it possible to keep their seasons on track.
Following the Egyptians, Julius Caesar (ruler of the Roman Empire) became what’s called the Father of the Leap Year. Julius created the 12 month/365-day calendar from the calendar the Egyptians formulated. It was all good and fun until people realized that Earth actually had 365.24 days a year and not 365.
That is why Caesar invented the Leap Year to take place once every four years. It made sure the man-made calendars and the solar calendars matched up correctly. In other words, we need an extra day every 4 years to make up for the extra time it takes for the Earth to orbit the sun.
I tried to summarize that as simple as possible. I hope it’s easy enough to tell your kids. It worked with mine, so fingers crossed. My kids also like to learn unusual facts about our lesson topics, so I wanted to share some with you all about Leap Year.
Now for the fun stuff about Leap Year:
- 4 million people in the world were born on Leap Day.
- People born on Leap Day are called leapers or leaplings.
- Every year that can be divided by 4 is a leap year— unless the year is divisible 100. (However, if it is divisible by 400, then it’s considered a leap year.) Mind blown!
- There is going to be eight years in between the leap years 2096 and 2104.
- For some reason, it’s been a tradition that women propose to men on Leap Day.
- In Hong Kong, a person born on a Leap Year celebrates their legal birthday on March 1st.
- The Greek people consider getting married on a Leap Year bad luck the whole year.
- Rare Diseases Day falls on February 29th. A rare day, rare disease… makes sense.
- There is one type of people who celebrate February 30th every year: Hobbits.
If you are celebrating the 2020 Leap Year at home, then here are some ideas for you to celebrate it with lots of homeschool fun.
Play frog-themed games on Leap Day:
Ribbit, Ribbit, Jump (Like “Duck, Duck Goose!”)
Play pin the frog on the Lilly Pad
Turn a cardboard box into a frog bean bag toss! | Little Family Fun
Hopscotch Playmat | Kids Activities Blog
Throw a leap day party! | Grey Grey Designs!
Make yummy frog treats on Leap Day:
Frog cake balls | Bakerella
Leap Year Frog Cookies |The Celebration Shoppe
Frog Pond Cookie Cups | Finding Zest
Frog S’mores Pops…RIBBIT RIBBIT! | Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons
Enjoy some pond punch using 2 liters of ginger ale, 1 container of frozen lemonade, 1 large can of pineapple juice, and 1 quart of lime sherbet.
Create Leap Day crafts:
Make origami frogs! | Easy Peasy and Fun
Foam Cup Frog Craft | Crafts by Amanda
Tissue Paper Lily Pads | Kirtsy.com
Paper Plate Frog. Fun Craft Art | Fun Educational Art Projects
Make A Fly-Catching Frog Craft | ToucanBox.com
Have fun with Leap Day Activities:
Go to a bounce house!
Leap Day Time Capsule {Free Printable} | My Sister’s Suitcase
Tell some Leap Day jokes | Jokes4us.com
Sing the Five Little Speckled Frogs Song | CoCoMelon – Nursery Rhymes
Leap Day Obstacle Course | Let’s Explore
I’m a Big Wide-Mouthed Frog, and I Eat Flies! | Reading Confetti – This activity goes along with The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog by Ana Martin Larrañaga.
The Big Wide-Mouthed Frog Book and Audiocassette Tape Set (Paperback Book and Audio Cassette Tape)
Experiment with science on Leap Day:
Frogs ( A fun-filled Frog Science Packet!) | Elementary School Rocks
All About Ponds & Frogs Science for Little Learners (preschool, pre-k, & kinder) | Pocket of Preschool
Jumping Goop! An Awesome Static Electricity Demonstration with Cornstarch | Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls
Grab these FREE Leap Day printables:
Printable Leap Year Coloring Book – For Preschool to 5th Grade! | Mama’s Learning Corner
Leap Year Facts Part 1 and Leap Year Facts Part 2 and Trace the Leap Frog and more | WooJr.com
FREE Leap Day and Leap Year Printable Activities | Just Reed
Leap Day Community Service Flyer (Promote Serving Others) | PTO Today
Free Frog Printables and Montessori-Inspired Frog Math Activities | Living Montessori Now
FREE Leap Year Maze and Printable Leap Year Book | Twisty Noodle
Why is there a Leap Year? | Education.com
Free Leap Year 2020 Activities – No Prep Math Games | Games 4 Learning
Simple and Fun Frog Leap Activity for Kids {FREE PRINTABLE} | Christina Chitwood
Go to the library and check out books on Leap Day and frogs – because frogs LEAP!
Read The Frog and Toad Collection by Arnold Lobel
Read The Leap Year Book by Barbara Sutton-Smith
Leap Year Book by Barbara Sutton-Smith (2000-01-10)
Grab some more great reads for your kids on Leap Year:
Leap Day Activity Book February 29: Fun Leap Year Activity Book for Ages 6-10 featuring Coloring Pages, Mazes, Sudoku, Hangman, Leap Tac Toe and More!Leap Year Jokes for Kids: A Leap Day Joke Book (Seasonal Joke Books)Forever Young Leap Year Birthday Guestbook: Party Guest Book Celebration Log for Signing and Leaving Special MessagesLeap!
February is a time when wrapping up the cold weather can be a little gloomy. Leap Day gives us all a reason to have some fun in our homeschool. Use these fun ways to celebrate Leap Year with printables, activities, games, science, crafts, and more.
