International Polar Bear Day - February 27th

Did you know that this Thursday is International Polar Bear Day?  Its one of those obscure little days, like "Talk Like A Pirate" Day.  I love those!  They lend a bit of fun to an ordinary day!  And they can also be educational!  So I thought I'd share with everyone some fun and easy resources that will help you celebrate International Polar Bear Day with your kids!



Photo courtesy of animalszooguru.blogspot.com

Polar Bear Crafts:
1.) Paper Plate Polar Bear Face
2.) Igloo Picture Craft
3.) Paper Plate Polar Bear Mask
4.) How Polar Bears Stay Warm Experiment
5.) Circle Polar Bear Craft


Polar Bear Facts:
1.) Polar Bears live in the Arctic.  There are five nations with polar bears: U.S. (Alaska), Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Norway.
2.) They are excellent swimmers.  They even have webbed paws that help them swim well.
3.) They can smell so well
4.) They are the largest kind of bear on the planet
5.) Their fur is oily so water won't stick to it.  It dries really fast.
6.) Their fur is not white.  Its translucent.  It looks white because of the reflection of the snow.  The skin underneath their fur is black - to take in heat from the sunlight.
7.) They have blubber (fat) underneath their skin to help keep them warm.
8.) The scientific name for polar bear is Ursus Maritimus - "sea bear."
Kingdom: Animalia, Phylum: Chordata, Class: Mammalia, Order: Carnivora, Family: Ursidae,
Genus: Ursus, Species: Ursus maritimus
9.) They eat seals.
10.) Polar bears have a VERY good sense of smell! They can smell a seal from 1km (0.6 mi) away!
11.) They have no eyelashes so they won't collect ice.  They also have extra eyelids to protect them from sunlight.
12.) A daddy polar bear is called a 'boar."  A mommy polar bear is a "sow."  A baby polar bear is a "cub."
13.)  A male polar bear can weigh up to 1200 lbs.  (The largest polar bear ever recorded weighed 2209 lbs!)  They can also be as tall as 10 ft!
14.) A polar bear can run at speeds up to 30 miles an hour!


Youtube Videos about Polar Bears:
1.) The Playful Polar Bears Cartoon
2.) Amazing Animal Babies - Polar Bears  (This is SUPER CUTE!!!)
3.) Polar Bear Swimming Video


Polar Bear Foods/Snacks:
1.) Oreo Polar Bear
2.) Marshmallow Polar Bear
3.) Polar Bear Ice Cream
4.) Paw Print Cupcakes
5.) Nutter Butter Polar Bear Cookies


So have fun, learn some things, and enjoy International Polar Bear Day!  :)