Groundhog Pop-Up Puppet

[15 Minutes]

Enchant your child with this pop-up puppet to welcome spring or to celebrate 6 more weeks of winter. The Groundhog Day tradition began in a small Pennsylvania town. People still gather every February 2nd and watch the groundhog come out of his burrow. If he sees his shadow, people believe it means we will have six more weeks of winter. A cloudy day gives us hope for an early spring.

You'll need:

• paper • child safety scissors • markers or crayons • tape • craft stick or straw • paper cup or cardboard toilet roll

What to do:

1. Retell the legend of the groundhog to your child.
2. Look for pictures of real groundhogs and talk about where they live, what they eat and how they look.
3. Invite your child to draw and color a picture of a groundhog on a piece of paper that will fit inside a cup or cardboard tube.
4. Help him cut out the picture and tape it to the craft stick or straw.
5. Cut a slit in the bottom of the cup so that the stick comes through the bottom, or place the stick in the cardboard tube.
6. Invite your child to decorate the cup or tube to look like a burrow.
7. Demonstrate how the groundhog puppet can pop up.

How to use:

Help your child retell the legend using the puppet.

Let's Talk: Ideas to Explore Together.

• What would you like to know about real groundhogs?
• Do you think a groundhog would make a good pet?
• Do you think the groundhog can really tell us if it will be an early spring or more winter?

Useful information:

While you are having fun together, this activity helps your child develop an understanding of science concepts and language skills.