We are enrolling! Join us in nurturing young minds, fostering creativity, and creating a brighter future. We're excited to introduce your child to a world of possibilities! Contact us today for details.
Groundhog Day is celebrated every year on February 2nd. It started in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, in 1887, and the tradition has been kept every year since. So what is Groundhog Day? It’s when Punxsutawney Phil makes his prediction about whether or not we will get an early spring. If he sees his shadow when he comes out of his burrow, that means six more weeks of winter! Here are five interesting facts about Groundhog Day that you might not know:
- When the tradition started, it wasn’t a groundhog that made the prediction, it was a badger! It wasn’t until recent years that the tradition changed, and the groundhog was used in its place.
- Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow ninety-seven times, and has not seen it fifteen times. Interesting odds, but it’s more interesting to note that Phil has only been right about 39% of the time! He doesn’t make a very trustworthy weatherman.
- Although groundhogs typically live anywhere from six to eight years, tradition says that Phil drinks a magic elixir every summer so that he can continue to make these weather predictions. He’s predicted 129 years and going strong!
- Groundhogs can grow to be anywhere from eight to ten pounds, and they dig burrows for homes that can be anywhere from eight to sixty-six feet long. It’s in their burrows that they hibernate until February 2nd arrives.
- Groundhogs are known as “true hibernators” and they can reduce their heartbeat to as little as five beats per minute as they hibernate through the winter months. They can drop their body temperature down to 41° Fahrenheit , and sleep right through those long, cold nights.
If you want to watch Phil make his prediction this year, you can watch it live online at www.visitpa.com/groundhog-day-live-stream/. Will we get an early spring in 2020? Let’s see what Phil decides!
If you enjoyed this blog and want to read more, click below for our blog from last month!
Want to learn more about Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy of Charlotte located in Charlotte, North Carolina? Our mission is to provide secure, nurturing, and educational environments for children ages 6 weeks – 12 years. We help children to bloom into responsible, considerate, and contributing members of society. For more information, give us a call or stop by for a tour! We’d love to get to know you and your family.