8 Ideas to Get Your Students Leaping Into Leap Year

Every four years, a bonus day is quietly added to the month of February. Scientifically speaking, the extra day keeps the calendar in alignment with the solar calendar. For teachers, the extra 24 hours is an opportunity to fit in a few fun activities to bring excitement — and education — to the classroom. Get inspired to teach your students about leap year with these ideas for lesson plans, activities, and more.

1. Did you know babies born on leap day are called “leaplings?” Share this and other quirky facts with your students for leap year fun.  
2. Sure, you’ve heard of a time capsule, but what about a leap year capsule? Instead of asking your students to add keepsakes to rediscover later, ask them to add words of encouragement or a fun fact about the current leap year for your future students to open on the next leap day. 
3. This leap year, don’t miss the opportunity to share some frog (leap) lessons. Adding frog-themed lesson plans, like this lily pad math lesson focused on subtraction, is a great way to leap into leap year, too. 
4. At the basic level, leap year is all about managing time. Use leap year as an opportunity to teach your students about the significance of time or teach them to build their own water clocks.
5. Encourage your class to write letters to their future selves. Students can even schedule the letter to be delivered by email on the next leap day. 
6. Leap day is also an opportunity to reflect on the past. What changes and developments have your students made over the last four years? Here’s a how-to on writing reflective essays. 
7. Use the bonus day to facilitate a variety of different reinforcement activities, like encouraging extra reading so students can earn this certificate.
8. What about a leap year party? Check out this slideshow with plenty of possible themes.