How to Celebrate February 29th!
How will you be celebrating?
Every 4 years or so, February has 29 days instead of 28 so that our calendar year stays in sync with the solar year — that is, the amount of time it takes Earth to make a trip around the sun. When this happens, it’s called a leap year, and it can be fun to think about what to do with all that found time at the end of February.
“It’s Leap Day! Real life is for March!” — 30 Rock
Write a letter to your future self! Here are some fun ways to celebrate!
1. Surf the internet for information on leap year
Fun facts: People born on leap day are called leaplings and about 4 million people worldwide are leaplings. The chance of being a leapling is 1 in 1,461.
2. Make leapfrog goodies
Bake cupcakes. Top with green icing. Use brown candy-covered chocolate pieces for frog eyes. Add red icing frog lips and green icing bumps around the frog’s head in random locations.
3. Practice counting
Have kids calculate when leap year will fall five leap years from now.
4. Forecast the future
Imagine your lives 4 years from now. How old will you be? How tall? How much will you weigh? What will everyone be doing? Record your predictions, save them, and check them out in 2026. Brace yourself for some amusing comparisons.
5. Leap!
Leap out of bed in the morning. Leap back into bed at night. During the day, leapfrog around the house for exercise. (Help little ones crouch and leap safely.)
6. Explore the number 29
Drive 29 miles in any direction. At home, have kids count off 29 steps and see where it takes them. Outside, walk a continuous series of 29 steps until you reach your destination.
7. Purge your closets
Ask kids to rustle up 29 things they no longer need and can easily part with. Include clothes and toys. Donate the items.
8. Start a tradition
Dress in green for the day, or wear leapfrog costumes. Repeat four years from now.
9. Make a countdown calendar leading up to leap day
Hang a calendar in a central location and cross off the days leading up to leap day.
10. Seize the day
Do something that you keep postponing. Pick a day (Feb. 29 is a great option!), mark your calendar and just do it.
