Author: Lisa Mungovan

Do you know someone that’s always kind of grumpy? Do something nice for them, because it’s Do A Grouch A Favor Day. Maybe it’ll make them less grouchy! It’s also Tim Tam Day. The biscuits covered in chocolate are a favorite in Australia, but the rest of us might have to buy them online.

In the United States, today is Presidents Day. It honors the first president, George Washington, and the 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. They were both born in February, so their birthdays are celebrated right between the 2. Is your birthday in February? If you become president, we’ll celebrate you on Presidents Day also.

Have you been watching the Winter Olympics? More than 3,500 athletes from 95 countries are competing for 195 medals, in events like skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, hockey, curling, bobsleighing, and luging. Which sports are your favorites? Every athlete has trained for years to reach the top, so cheer them all on!

Eagles all over North America are busy fixing their nests, and starting to lay eggs. Eagle pairs add to the same nest year after year, building them up to 8 feet deep and 9 feet wide! Online sites like outdoorchannel.com, have eaglecams so you can watch eggs hatch, and parents feed their growing eaglets.

Hippo Happy Day. I mean, Happy Hippo Day! Did you know, hippopotamuses give pink milk? Another crazy fact is, they can’t swim! They just walk underwater. They might look slow and harmless, but be careful; they kill around 3000 people a year. Also, they fling poop with their tails, to mark their territory!

Happy World Whale Day! Whales are mammals that live in the ocean. They range in size from the 8-foot dwarf sperm whale, to the 98-foot blue whale, the largest creature that ever lived! Whales are endangered, after some species were nearly hunted to extinction. Whale songs can travel thousands of miles through the water!

Do you know who Spongebob Squarepants is? Then you’ll know what to do, on Annoy Squidward Day. Squidward’s grumpy, but Spongebob doesn’t let that stop their friendship. It’s also Gumdrop Day! Percy Truesdell was the Gumdrop King, perfecting the candy in 1915. The sugar-coated gelatin drops are often flavored with allspice, clove, mint, or licorice.

Today is World Bonobo Day. They aren’t as well-known as gorillas, chimps, and orangutans, but they are also great apes. They are matriarchal, meaning females are in charge of the troop. Bonobos are extremely smart, playful, and generous. They self-medicate by finding healing plants, laugh when tickled, and share their food, even with strangers!

The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition featured an exciting new ride, invented by George Washington Gale Ferris Jr. He created the first Ferris Wheel! Jake “Paco” Navarro holds a world record, for riding one for 53 hours straight. The tallest Ferris wheel ever, is in Dubai. It’s 820 feet high! Happy Ferris Wheel Day!

Today is Frederick Douglass Day. Douglass was an African-American abolitionist, orator, writer, newspaper publisher, and statesman. He escaped from slavery in 18 38, and began giving lectures and writing autobiographies, becoming the most photographed person of the century. He fought for the abolition of slavery, and the right to vote after the Civil War.