Groundhog Day Festivities

No matter your age, have a groundhog day party for some silly fun. If you would like to make predictions or watch coverage, this works well as a sleepover. Alter activities depending on the age of your group. 

Activities

Shadow Pictionary

Play this game at night with a flashlight and a blank wall. Divide into teams. Players alternate teams and take turns using their hands to make shapes or animals. Their teammates have to guess what they are making in thirty seconds. If they can't guess, the other team gets twenty seconds to try. Whoever gets it right gets a point; the team with the most points wins. 

Hooray, it's spring! Relay

Provide two coats, scarves, mittens, wooly socks and a hat for each team. Divide into two teams. One team member dresses in the gear. On the count of three, both team members undress as quickly as they can before passing the gear onto the next teammate, who must dress in all the clothes before then taking them off again and giving them to the next player. Coats must be buttoned/zippered, scarves must be tied (at the very least, looped over and under) and socks must fit (no "elf socks"). The winning team is the first to finish. 

The other players who aren't getting dressed should watch the other team member get dressed. If they are caught leaving something out or not putting something on all the way, the offending team incurs a 5-second penalty.  

Shadow Tag

Avoid making a shadow in this game! Turn out the lights (making sure the room isn't completely dark). Play some music, then have a dance party. Pick one person to use the flashlight. If it lands on you, you're out! 

Seasonal Silliness

Play games depending on what season you're hoping for. 

-Have a snowball fight with rolled up socks or cotton balls

-Have an Easter egg hunt, inside or out

Groundhog Day viewing

Older groups can watch the movie. Don't forget individual popcorn---whoever finds the groundhog burrowing at the bottom of their bucket gets a prize. 

Groundhog Day Dance

You'll be thinking it's definitely Groundhog Day with all the repeating you'll be doing. One person is the dancer and does a few moves. The next person imitates them. If they get it correct, the dancer adds another move. The first person to mess up, including the original dancer, is out. 

You can alter this game in several ways. For example, play verbally: "I'm going on a Groundhog Day picnic and bringing apples, bananas, and cupcakes" with the next player repeating and adding a word, etc. 

Phil's Predictions

COMING SOON Print out copies of this game and have guests make predictions. See who gets the most correct. 

Grounds/Hogs

COMING SOON Each answer has either the word "ground" or "hog" in it. Older groups might have fun with it if you divide the team into two, bring one person from each team up at a time, and have them race to be the first to say the answer. 

Raffle

In Pennsylvania, Gus is the second most famous groundhog, and is also the spokesperson for the lottery. When each guest arrives, they predict whether the groundhog will see his shadow or not (if this is a day party, ask guests to give you their answers beforehand). Guests who guess correctly are entered into a raffle. Set out a basket of scratch-off lottery tickets (if lots of those are too expensive, also add gold coins and a stuffed groundhog).  

Food

Phil's Hole Pflapjacks 
Make groundhog-size silver dollar pancakes and serve with pools of syrup. Or, use one larger pancake and two tiny ones to make a groundhog's head. Use chocolate chips and whipped cream for his cheeks and eyes.

Groundhog Cupcakes 
With frosting, place two candy eyes on one end of a Nutter Butter cookie. Use shoestring licorice for his mouth and decorator icing for two teeth. Nibble off the bottom of the cookie and place inside a cupcake---white frosted for snow and green frosted for spring.

Spring or Snow Sundaes

Allow guests to make their own.

Spring: chocolate ice cream topped with coconut colored green and Cadbury M&Ms to symbolize an early spring!

Winter: vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, white chocolate chips and/or crystal sprinkles