This sweet little Groundhog’s Day craft lets children make a groundhog that pops up and “checks” its shadow—perfect for talking about the holiday!
Materials
- Empty toilet paper roll 🧻
- Brown paint or brown marker 🟤
- Scrap cardboard (from a cereal box)
- Glue (school glue works best) 🧴
- Scissors ✂️
- Googly eyes or a black marker 👀
- Small scrap of white paper (for teeth)
- Optional: cotton ball (for a cloudy “shadow” day) ☁️
Directions (Grandma-Friendly Steps)
- Paint the groundhog body 🎨
Let your grandchild paint or color the toilet paper roll brown.
Grandma tip: Put paper underneath and have wipes ready—this part can get enthusiastic! 😄 - Cut a little window ✂️
Once dry, carefully cut a half-oval opening near the bottom front of the roll.
Grandma does this step—little hands can help hold the roll steady 🤲. - Make the groundhog 🐿️
From cardboard, cut a simple groundhog shape (like a rounded “blob” with ears).
Color it brown, then glue on googly eyes, a tiny nose, and two small white teeth 😁. - Attach the groundhog inside 🧴
Glue the bottom of the groundhog shape inside the roll so it “pops out” of the window.
Let it dry fully before moving on ⏳. - Add the shadow fun 🌤️
- Draw a dark oval on the cardboard behind the groundhog for a “shadow.”
- OR glue on a cotton ball for a “cloudy day” version ☁️
Talk about what it means if the groundhog sees its shadow!
Helpful Grandma Notes
- 👶 Younger children may enjoy decorating while you handle cutting and gluing.
- 🧼 This is a low-mess craft, but paint time is best done before snack time.
- 📖 It pairs nicely with a simple Groundhog’s Day story or song while things dry.
