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It is the 29th February today which means … Happy Leap Day everyone! This day only comes once every four years, so we hope you enjoy it!
A Leap Year is needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the Sun. It takes the Earth approximately 365.242199 days to orbit once around the Sun. If we didn't add an extra day every 4 years, we would lose almost six hours every year!
A Leap Day means that there are 366 days in the calendar year of 2012, and this day is filled with many different traditions and folklore. An example is the popular Leap Day custom of women being able to propose to their boyfriends. This is said to have come from an old Irish legend of St Bridget striking a deal with St Patrick. This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how Leap Day balances the calendar. 
As a Leap Day is a date that occurs in most years which are divisible by 4, such as 2012, 2016 and 2020, we have decided to make today’s activity of the day all about division!
Featured Activity of the Day
Today’s featured activity is Puppy in the Window. Pupils must work out the missing digit from short division. This is one of EducationCity.com’s most challenging Maths activities! There is a Learn Screen, Worksheet and Teacher Zone accompanying this activity.
It is available in the following years and regions:
- England: Year 6
- Scotland: Second *
- Wales: Year 6
- Northern Ireland: P6
Do any pupils in your classroom have a birthday today? EducationCity.com’s sales support, Chloe, is a ’leapling’ and is celebrating what is technically her 6th birthday today! Born on February 29th 1988, Chloe has found that there are many advantages of having a leap day as her birthday …
“My birthday is always the same year as the Olympics which is great especially this year as they are being held in England. I also get two birthdays this year, as usually I celebrate on the 28th on non-leap years. I have the excuse that I'm acting my age when I get into trouble … a 6 year old can only be so good. I love being a leapling!’”