February Nature Calendar Freebie
Can you believe February is already here?! February is actually one of my favorite months. By February, I always feel like I’m fully recovered from the busy-ness that the winter holidays can bring (our family also has 3 birthdays at the end of the year – so it can just feel like a lot between that and Christmas) and like I’m ready for doing a little more.
By February, I’m usually leaning in to all the sensory bins, crafts, activity set ups and all things indoors. It’s really just about the last month that I will do these ‘extra’ things because once the weather fully turns over, we are outside 24/7.
This year, I’m trying to embrace the cold that February brings and get outside whenever we can too – in hopes that this will prevent that stir crazy feeling come spring. The February Nature Calendar strikes a good balance between staying indoors and reading good books while also getting outdoors.
I hope that you enjoy the activities and read-alouds that I’ve carefully curated for this special month.
One thing that I want you to keep in mind with each of my monthly calendars: they are designed more to be used as a menu. Take what you want from them and leave the rest.
The calendars are packed full of dozens and dozens of book ideas, activity ideas, etc. but it would be a LOT to do every single thing each month. By all means, if you are in a season of life where you can or want to – go for it! But most likely, you’ll pick and choose and even do things out of order… and that’s okay!!
I want these calendars to feel low-pressure for you. They are meant to be a source of inspiration for you to enjoy each season. I absolutely don’t want them to feel like ‘just another thing’ on your plate. Have fun with them! Use them as a menu and pick and choose what you like and what works for your family and the season you are in and leave behind anything that doesn’t fit.
You can find the link to the free calendar at the bottom of this post – you can navigate to it using the table of contents too.
Inside each of my free nature calendars, you will find:
- nature facts with sources to learn more
- plenty of read aloud suggestions that fit the season
- weekly poetry tea time ideas that fit the season
- at least one idea for giving back to the community
- simple activities that have purpose (such as making a natural bird feeder)
- ideas to extend time spent outside or on nature walks
- questions that spark curiosity about nature (this can lead to so much learning!)
- extension ideas for each day listed in the calendar
Each Day of the Month: Activity Links
Here is where I’ve broken it all down for you – you’ll find more information about the activities, nature facts and sources, and read aloud choices for each day of the month.
Disclaimer: The ABCs of Motherhood is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps me run my website. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
February 1st: During a groundhog’s hibernation, its heart slows down from 160 to 4 beats per minute. What is your heart beat? Count beats over 15 seconds and multiply by 4.
Practice counting and calculating your own heartbeats and you’ll be really wowed by the difference in the hibernating groundhog’s heartbeat. It’s honestly a miracle that they can even live with such a slow pulse.
Extension: Count your breaths (respirations) with the same formula and compare them to the hibernating groundhog’s respirations (1-2 breaths per minute). You can also compare your body temperature to the hibernating groundhog’s temperature (37 degrees F). (Source – including more fun groundhog facts)
February 2nd: It’s Groundhog Day. Will the groundhog see its shadow? Practice making predictions. Read Groundhog Day!
Write down everyone’s predictions and compare them to what happens!
Extension: Check out additional books about Groundhog Day too and enjoy a nice picture book stack together. (I have a bunch of additional titles linked in the Book List (see table of contents or scroll to near bottom of post).
February 3rd: Begin reading Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North.
This is the much anticipated sequel to our January read: The Very, Very Far North. I cannot wait to begin this one!
Extension: Check out some books about polar bears from the library to read throughout the month too.
February 4th: Make heart-shaped bird seed ornaments for your backyard trees.
Here’s a tutorial.
Extension: Make some bird food garland to go with them.
February 5th: Poetry Tea Time: Read “February” from A Year of Poetry and a big stack of Valentine’s picture books. Drink Shirley Temples.
You already know I’m a big fan of A Year of Poetry; the illustrations are so whimsical. Here is a link to a Shirley Temple recipe – if you don’t want to make these – you can swap for a homemade strawberry smoothie instead.
Extension: Make strawberry ‘tea time’ sandwiches to go with your drinks (you could even use a heart shaped cookie cutter to make heart shaped sandwiches).
February 6th: Complete any last minute snowy bucket list activities on your list.
What have you been hoping to do while it’s still snowy outside? Ice skate? Build a snowman? Go sledding? Make ice ornaments? Now’s the time!
Extension: Ask your family what is left on their winter bucket list. Create a bucket list using art supplies, illustrating their responses and make a plan to check off each item before spring.
February 7th: The northern part of the United States will gain roughly 3 minutes of daylight per day throughout all of February leading up to spring.
Probably the best fact you’ll hear all day! How exciting! (Source)
Extension: Write down the time the sun sets each day (you can find this exact time in your weather app usually) and create a graph showing the change.
February 8th: Create personal care packages for the homeless and drop them off at a local shelter.
Head to the dollar store or Target and snag some travel sized toiletries. Create individual care packages with mini shampoo, conditioner, soap, feminine hygiene products, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. and drop them off at a local homeless shelter.
Another option is to call around for shelters specifically set up to help children and ask them which items they are in need of. With Christmas just ending recently (and many donations happening around that time), they may be full of certain items, and lacking in others.
This is a great way for children to learn the importance of helping others and expecting nothing in return.
Extension: Reach out to your community – neighborhood, friends, family, etc. and ask if anyone wants to join you or donate funds to create even more packages.
February 9th: Wednesday the 12th is the full Snow Moon. Read “The Moon Waxes and Wanes” from Slow Down. Create different moon phases with Oreos and enjoy with milk.
Here is a freebie from mombrite.com showing each moon phase and how to do this easy Oreo activity.
Here is an interesting read as to why the February full moon is called a Snow Moon.
Extension: Recreate the moon phases (based on your Oreo display) with watercolor or colored pencils. Place it in your nature notebook.
February 10th: Read a stack of picture books about maple sugaring. Enjoy pancakes with maple syrup for dinner.
This is a great time of year to enjoy a picture book stack about maple sugaring. Make some homemade pancakes to go along with your reading.
Extension: Begin a unit study on maple sugaring or plan a field trip to a maple sugaring farm. You could also make some maple sugared bacon to go along with your dinner.
February 11th: Using pressed flowers, create a Valentine card for someone you love.
I am currently obsessed with the idea of crafts using pressed flowers. I think these would make such sweet and fun Valentine’s cards. Here’s an example. If you don’t have pressed flowers from your garden on hand, you can buy some online with this link. There are endless craft options for pressed flowers.
Extension: Add extra details to your cards, using paper lace doilies, glitter, glitter glue pens, gems, or even watercolor. For older children, they can write a love day message inside their cards and address them for the mail.
February 12th: Poetry Tea Time: Read poems from A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers. Make Valentine’s Trail Mix to enjoy together.
This Mister Rogers poetry book is a staple in our poetry tea time routine – we read it often. I love the illustrations in it.
Here’s an easy Valentine’s Trail Mix we make each year:
- chocolate-strawberry Cheerios
- strawberry flavored yogurt melts
- Utz X & O pretzels
- freeze dried strawberries
Pour a bit of each item into a big bowl and mix up until incorporated evenly. That’s it! Enjoy!
Extension: Listen to some of Fred Rogers songs later on.
February 13th: Invite friends on a nature scavenger hunt. Bring Valentine’s treats to share afterward.
Bring a favorite Valentine’s snack (or some leftover Valentine’s Trail Mix from poetry tea time yesterday) and get outside with some friends. Use this awesome freebie for your winter nature scavenger hunt from jollyfestive.com
Extension: Work together to create your own scavenger hunt paper using art supplies, illustrating what to search for.
February 14th: Valentine’s Day. Go out of your way to be extra kind today.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Show some extra kindness today and love on your people.
Extension: Have your children share about a time when someone showed kindness to them and how they felt about it.
February 15th: Make a three-course meal with the whole family. Use the good plates. Eat by candlelight. Take turns sharing what you love.
I know that kids are often pretty picky and that dinner can sometimes feel chaotic – but this will be worth the effort. Include the kids when you can, use the good plates, light some candles – make it special.
If you anticipate dinner hour being a struggle, but still want to give this a go – plan easy courses – you could even do breakfast for dinner – with a fruit salad “appetizer”, pancakes and bacon for the main course, and a yogurt and granola parfait for dessert. It doesn’t have to be fancy food to be fancy and fun.
Another option is to lay it all out “family style” where everyone serves themselves or on a big charcuterie board (where everyone also can serve themselves but with less dishes to clean up later).
Extension: For older children that are capable, have them plan the whole meal. I’m sure they’ll have fun coming up with a plan, looking for recipes, and helping out in the kitchen.
February 16th: What baby animal are you most looking forward to seeing come spring?
Have a nice discussion about which animals will emerge with babies come spring in your area.
Extension: Take it a step further and illustrate your answer in your nature notebook.
February 17th: Begin reading Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall.
I am very eager to start this one! It’s been sitting on my shelf for ages and I’ve heard nothing but good things. I’m a sucker for any book depicting sweet woodland animal illustrations.
Extension: Read the sequels after you finish this one.
February 18th: Take out some gardening books from the library and copy illustrations of flowers you’d like to plant when spring arrives.
I’m all for living in the ‘now’ and not wishing away our days… but I’m also very eager for the beautiful flowers to come back. Really though, now’s the time to start making some spring garden plans – because spring is coming fast!
Extension: Take it a step further and use this time to talk about the difference between annuals and perennials – looking up some pictures of each. You could also sketch out garden plans using colored pencils – you can use the sketch to briefly touch on directional terms as well: “North of the swing set, etc.”
February 19th: Poetry Tea Time: Read Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch. Make Strawberry Heart Hand Pies.
Hand pies are one of my go-to favorite little treats to make the kids – especially for poetry tea time. You can make just about any shape you want using cookie cutters you have on hand. I’m using the same recipe I used back at Christmas time – but using a heart shaped cutter instead.
Extension: Make some extra to drop off at your loved ones homes.
February 20th: Go on a nature hike today, and see if you notice more birds singing yet. Capture their song in a bird ID app and choose one to learn more about at home.
I love using the Merlin Bird ID app (free version) and saving the information we discover to read more about when we get home later on.
Extension: Illustrate which birds you heard using watercolor or colored pencils in your nature notebook.
February 21st: When do you think migratory animals will return home? Read picture books about migration.
Inspire your children to think about migratory animals and their timeline for returning home.
I’m sure these picture books were already read during autumn – but this time around focus more on the return trip home while reading – because it’s coming soon!
Extension: Look up answers to this question for some of your favorite animals where you live. You could even mark the general timeframe on your daily calendar.
February 22nd: Invite friends on a hike and enjoy hot cocoa by a fire afterward. Take turns saying what your favorite wintertime memory was this year.
This is probably the last hot cocoa hike until next autumn, enjoy it and share favorite memories together.
Extension: Stay and play outside after your hike, savoring the last few bits of the winter season.
February 23rd: Keep an eye out this week for any migratory birds (or ducks) returning to your area.
Circle back to your discussion about migratory animals from a few days ago and keep your eye out for some returning feathered friends!
Extension: Look up specifically which birds/ducks may be returning to your area.
February 24th: Read Winter Days in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
I love this picture book series based on the chapter book series.
Extension: Check out more of the Laura Ingalls Wilder picture book series from your local library or dive into the chapter book series.
February 25th: Create a spring bucket list and color it. What are you most looking forward to this spring?
It’s almost here!
I love doing this alongside my children, because then I can rest assured knowing we are doing the things that make them happy – I don’t have to curate our plans all by myself and I know they’ll feel excited about our plans, too.
Extension: Chat about which field trips they’d like to do during springtime too. Fill out your homeschool planner later on with all of your plans.
February 26th: Poetry Tea Time: Read “Sneezles” from Now We Are Six and “Picture-Books In Winter” from A Child’s Garden of Verses. Make heart-shaped individual veggie pizzas.
These two are both staples in our poetry tea time routine. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to create individual veggie pizzas!
Extension: Make a heart-shaped veggie pizza using the colors of the rainbow (red peppers, orange carrots, yellow peppers, green broccoli, purple onion, etc.)
February 27th: Go on a hike and search for any signs of early spring. Take pictures of your findings to recreate in watercolor later.
I bet there are signs peeking through if you just pause to notice!
Extension: Compare to memories/pictures of hikes from previous seasons. How are things different? How are they the same? You can use this time to discuss coniferous trees vs deciduous trees. You could also check out picture books from the library about these trees.
February 28th: Frogs often emerge from hibernation around now and mate immediately. Go search for frog spawn on the next thaw.
I always loved doing this as a child! (Source)
Extension: Take it a step further and check out a picture book stack about tadpoles/frogs.
February Nature Calendar Booklist
Here is the booklist associated with this month’s calendar. Most (if not all) titles should be able to be found in your local library. I provided links if you’d like to buy your own copy of any of the titles, which I greatly appreciate you using, as it helps with the costs associated with maintaining my website. Thank you!
Disclaimer: The ABCs of Motherhood is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, which helps me run my website. Read more about these links in my disclosure policy.
Here are the books in order of how they are presented in the calendar:
Some Additional Groundhog Day Book Ideas:
Groundhog’s Runaway Shadow – David Biedrzycki
Groundhog’s Day Off – Robb Pearlman
Substitute Groundhog – Pat Miller
Groundhog Day – Michelle Aki Becker
Go to Sleep, Groundhog! – Judy Cox
Groundhog’s Dilemma – Kristen Remenar
Groundhog Weather School – Joan Holub
The Night Before Groundhog Day – Natasha Wing
Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North – Dan Bar-el
A Year of Poetry – Anne Grahame Johnstone for “February”
Valentine’s Day Picture Book Ideas:
Turkey’s Valentine Surprise – Wendi Silvano
Arthur’s Valentine – Marc Brown
Franklin’s Valentines – Paulette Bourgeois
Tiny T. Rex and the Perfect Valentine – Jonathan Stutzman
Roses Are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink – Diane deGroat
I Love You All Ways – Marianne Richmond
Cranberry Valentine – Wende and Harry Devlin
Ruby Valentine Saves the Day – Laurie Friedman
Queen of Hearts – Mary Engelbreit
If You’ll Be My Valentine – Cynthia Rylant
The Invisible String – Patrice Karst
The Night Before Valentine’s Day – Natasha Wing
Happy Valentine’s Day Little Critter – Mercer Mayer
There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Rose – Lucille Colandro
Little Blue Truck’s Valentine – Alice Schertle
I Love You Like Yellow – Andrea Beaty
Little Bear’s Valentine – Else Holmelund (no link found – check library)
Slow Down: 50 Mindful Moments in Nature – Rachel Williams for “The Moon Waxes and Wanes”
Maple Sugaring Picture Book Ideas:
Bear Goes Sugaring – Maxwell Eaton
Curious George Makes Maple Syrup – H.A. Rey
From Maple Tree to Syrup – Melanie Mitchell
How to Tap a Maple! – Stephanie Mulligan
Maple Syrup from the Sugarhouse – Laurie Lazzaro
M Is For Maple Syrup – Cynthia Furlong Reynolds
Sugarbush Spring – Marsha Wilson Chall
Sugar Snow – Laura Ingalls Wilder
The Sweetest Season – Elissa Kerr
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: The Poetry of Mister Rogers – Fred Rogers
Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall – Emily Bearn
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch – Eileen Spinelli
Migration Picture Book Ideas:
Home at Last – April Pulley Sayre
We Travel So Far – Laura Knowles
Winter Days in the Big Woods – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Now We Are Six – A.A. Milne for “Sneezles”
A Child’s Garden of Verses – Robert Louis Stevenson for “Picture-Books in Winter”
Enjoy Your February Nature Calendar
Grab your FREE copy of the February Nature Calendar by clicking here.
You can print your own copy. I suggest printing in color, laminating, and hanging it up on your fridge within eyesight!
Happy February!
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