1. Leaping course
Set up a course outside using the sports equipment available at your school. Choose from bunny hops, long jumps, leapfrogs, hurdles and space hopper races. Alternatively, use the PE mats in the hall and ask pupils to leap up and down as many times as possible in a set time.
Send a letter home explaining your chosen activity and include a sponsor form or link to your online fundraising platform. On the day, give pupils a set amount of time to complete as many obstacles or jumps as they can. Make extra profits by inviting parents to watch the children and laying on refreshment stalls for them. Award frog-shaped medals for the best jumpers or give them to everyone who participates.
2. Class activities
- Ask teachers to host a class challenge with prizes donated by the PTA.
- F is for February: Make a list of different items beginning with ‘F’ (for February).
- Hold a leap-year-themed Countdown challenge where pupils must get closest to the target number of 29 (or 366) using five given numbers and addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Adjust the difficulty according to age and ability.
- Hold a four times table speed challenge. Record the times and award prizes for the fastest and most enthusiastic.
3. Leap day festivities
Anthony, Texas claims to be the ‘leap year capital of the world’ and holds a four-day festival to celebrate the event. Celebrations are varied and, in the past, have involved a golf tournament, nature hike, 5K run, barbecue, wine tasting and parade. Pick one of these events and celebrate along with them. The festival runs from 28 February to 1 March, so any of those days will work for your event.
4. Frog fair
The frog is the symbol of 29 February, so put the leap into leap year with a frog fair. Hold leapfrog competitions and activities such as frog-puppet making and frog origami. Serve amphibian-themed foods, such as green cupcakes!
5. Time capsule
Invite children to write letters to their future selves and pay 50p to have them put in a time capsule – a box to be kept somewhere safe until the following leap year when everyone can open and read their letters. Remember, not every year group will still be at the school in four years.
6. Ask the parents
Appeal to parents by asking them to volunteer for the PTA for just two hours of their extra day. Host an open DIY day, where parents can come and contribute their two hours by painting, mending and brightening up the school.
