February
| Published: 31st January 2008 20:50 |
Still cold but with a few more sunny days now. Don't be put off by the weather; get out there! Pancake Day is always a winner with kids, if your kids are still too young to flip the pancakes then let them help with the mixing, or make play dough pancakes that they can flip in toy frying pans.
Things to do out and about in February
1. Either visit a local pancake race or hold your own! See our simple pancake recipe below and get flipping.
2. 13th - 17th February sees York's annual Viking celebration, first held in 1986 this is the best way to get a hands-on experience of what it would have been like to be a Viking. More than 10,000 visitors turn up to watch Norse warriors fight to the death with their enemies, the Saxons. If you can't get to York there are lots of Viking and Saxon sites of interest around Britain to visit.
3. Go snowdrop spotting, these pretty little white flowers have a lovely story behind them. When Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden it was winter, Eve was about to give up hope that the cold barren days of winter would end, when an Angel appeared and turned some of the snowflakes in to snowdrops, showing Eve that the winter would end.
4. 2nd of February sees the start of the Six Nations Rugby competition, so either go to a local rugby match and experience it first hand or have a game of tag rugby yourselves.
5. Get out there and feel one of nature's forces in action, the wind. You can use the Beaufort scale to rate the force of the wind, this is really easy and great for kids to do.
Events around the world in February
Candlemas 2nd February
The traditional pre-Christian feast of lights, where candles were lit to encourage the lightening of the days. Later taken over by the Christian feast celebrating Jesus' presentation in the temple to god. Also the day when the Church's supply of candles for the year was blessed.
Shrove Tuesday 5th February
Or to kids and grown ups alike Pancake Day! Being the last day before Ash Wednesday, which is the beginning of Lent, it is traditional on Shrove Tuesday to use up all of the goodies in your cupboards before the 40 days of abstinence. In The South and Latin America Shrove Tuesday is known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) and is celebrated with a carnival.
Queen's Accession 6th February
Queen Elizabeth came to the throne (aged 25) on 6 February 1952, the date when her father King George VI died. Commemorated by cannon fire at the tower of London, Hyde park and Windsor castle.
Chinese New Year 7th February
This day is a new moon day, it is the first day of the first Chinese lunar month in the Chinese Lunar Calendar system. 2008 is a brown Earth (soil) Rat year. In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve.
"Did you Know"?
There is an old Chinese story for children explaining why the rat comes first in the sequence of years. Once the God of Heaven wanted to choose 12 animal names as the sequence of the calendar. He announced to hold an animal racing to determine the order. When the racing date is closing, Cat forgot the time and asked Rat the schedule. Alert Rat gave Cat the wrong time on purpose. Smart Rat stayed on the horn of Ox while crossing the river, then jumped over the bank to reach the final line to win the champion. Cat missed the race and swore to kill Rat for generations. That's why Cats will always chase Rats forever. The sequence for the years is Rat, Cow, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Chicken, Dog and Pig.
St. Valentine's Day 14th February
Traditionally thought to be the day on which birds chose their mates, secret admirers would send anonymous cards to the object of their affections, but it is now customary to exchange greetings cards openly.
Leap Year 29th February
As our artifical Gregorian calender has 365 days in an ordinary year and the the vernal equinox year is currently about 365.242375 days long they need to be syncronised. This means every 4 years we have a leap year wich means an extra day in February. Historically on this day women could ask men to marry them.
Also..........
2nd February is Groundhog Day.
Phil (a groundhog) comes out of his burrow on Gobbler's Knob, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania in the USA in front of thousands of followers from all over the world, to predict the weather for the rest of winter. According to legend, if Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.
"Did you know?"
A groundhog can whistle when it is alarmed. Groundhogs also whistle in the spring when they begin courting.
Ashbourne Shrovetide Football
This ancient form of football dates back hundreds of years. The most famous of these matches takes place in Ashbourne, Derbyshire on Shrove Tuesday. It's not a game for kids though, it's a brutal game where a huge number of people take part on the pitch, which is the whole town. One team is made up of people who live to the North of the river Henmore and the other team with people who live to the South of it. The idea is to belt the football against a post in the middle of the river.
The Great Spitalfields Pancake Race once again finds madcap teams of pancake-flippers running up and down Dray Walk in the Old Truman Brewery, in the East End of London toughing it out for kudos, prestige and a beautifully engraved frying pan.
Ivera Orange Festival
Dating back to the 12th Century, this festival takes place in Northern Italy. 10,000 people on foot throw oranges at people in chariots, and then they throw the oranges back again. It's a very messy contest, where there is no real winner, but it's all good fun. The oranges are all extra ones from the local harvest, so there is no waste.
International water tasting contest.
No this is not a joke, it really is a competition to find the tastiest water held in West Virginia USA. There are different groups for tap water, still bottled water and fizzy water, as well as an award for the best bottle.
Favourite Websites:
If you can get to York for the Viking festival have a look at the Jorvik Viking centre website.
http://www.vikingjorvik.com
Have a look at the Ashbourne Football website for more information on the traditional Shrovetide match.
http://www.ashbourne-town.com/events/football.html
Find out more at about Groundhogs and Groundhog Day at http://www.groundhog.org/ - check out the teacher's corner section for games, puzzles and colouring in activities.
Fun things to make in February
Pancakes
Makes: 8 pancakes
Preparation Time: 15 minutes, plus standing
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
120g Plain flour
2 Eggs
300ml Milk
vegetable oil, for frying
Sugar, lemon and orange wedges to serve.
Method
1. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and beat with a whisk or fork. Gradually beat in the milk, drawing in the flour from around the edge, until you have a smooth batter.
2. Cover and leave to stand in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat a little oil in a non stick frying pan, tilting the pan to spread the oil evenly. Pour out the oil into a dish, be careful this will be very hot.
4. Pour in just enough batter to thinly coat the base of the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes until golden on the under side. Flip over, and cook the other side until golden.
5. Transfer to a plate and keep warm, while you cook the others.
6. Oil the pan again and repeat with the remaining batter to make eight pancakes.
7. Serve with a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of orange or lemon.
Valentine's heart basket
Stash your valentine's goodies in a cute little hand woven basket, not as difficult as it sounds and a bit better than making another card. Once you get going you'll see the pattern, just remember when weaving that the paper has to go through and around, rather than the under and over of normal weaving.
You will need
Two pieces of paper, each a different colour (I have based mine on red and pink.)
A pen or pencil
Scissors
Glue or a stapler.
Method
1. For each basket, you'll need 2 pieces of differently coloured paper. Fold each piece of paper in half. Cut the folded paper into two halves, into long rectangles. The exact dimensions of the paper rectangles don't matter as long as the two pieces that make a basket are the same size.
2. Place the 2 folded rectangles on top of each other at right angles. Draw a thin pencil line along the edge of one side onto the other rectangle.
3. Place the rectangles exactly on top of each other making sure the folded edges are placed on top of each other.
4. Using the pencil draw an arc across the non-folded side, and mark a pencil line using the ruler about 2/3rds of the way up from the folded edge. Mark out strips running from the folded edge to the ruled pencil line approximately 2cm wide.
5. Carefully keeping the two pieces of paper together cut the marked slits and the arc shape.
6. Start the weaving by weaving the pink strip nearest the arc through the red slit, around the next strip, through slit etc., until the row is finished. Push this row to the back, where the slits end.
7. Continue the weaving with the next strip down. Weave it through the slit, around the strip, through slit, etc., until this row is finished. Continue until all the rows are done.
8. Cut a strip of paper, about 2 cm by 15 cm, for the basket's handle. Glue or staple it to the front and back of the basket.
Chinese lantern
You will need
Coloured paper
Scissors
Glue
Glitter
Colouring Crayons
A Ruler
A Pen or Pencil
Method
1. Fold a rectangular piece of paper in half, making a long, thin rectangle. Using the pencil and ruler draw a line roughly half way up from the folded edge.
2. Make a series of cuts along the fold line up to the pencil line.
3. Unfold the paper. Decorate with the crayons and glitter, use Chinese inspired characters or dragons.
4. Roll the lantern into a cylinder and then glue or staple the edges of the paper together. Press down lightly making the cuts bulge open along the fold line.
5. Cut a strip of paper 15cm long and 2cm wide. Glue or staple this strip of paper across one end of the lantern, this will be the handle of the lantern.
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