Category: News for Kids

Egg Hunt, Haivky and Pysanky with Clever Hedgehog for kids

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Easter for kids with Clever Hedgehog

Happy Easter!

Orthodox Easter 2024 is coming quite late this year – on May 5th. Some people in Ukraine and many other countries have already celebrated Easter on March 31. Read our post about Easter traditions in Ukraine, USA, Australia and Guatemala here >>>

Clever Hedgehog wants to tell you about recent events and his favorite Ukrainian Easter traditions – haivky and pysanky.

Easter Egg Hunt and Haivky event for Ukrainian kids

This year for the first time, Clever Hedgehog led a fantastic Easter Egg Hunt and Haivky event for kids at the St. Nicholas Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Delaware! 

It was a day filled with laughter, fun, and community spirit, enjoyed by all: the children had fun running around the backyard of the church in search of eggs, after which parents joined them for singing and dancing special Ukrainian spring songs and dances – vesnianky and haivky.

 Take a look at adorable photos of the fantastic moments we captured from this event.

Easter Egg Hunt and Haivky event for Ukrainian kids
Easter Egg Hunt and Haivky event for Ukrainian kids
Easter Egg Hunt and Haivky event for Ukrainian kids
Easter Egg Hunt and Haivky event for Ukrainian kids
Easter Egg Hunt and Haivky event for Ukrainian kids

🌷What is Haivky?

You probably know what an Easter Egg Hunt is, but you may have not heard about Ukrainian Haivky.

For our ancestors, a new year used to begin with the awakening of Mother Nature from her winter sleep in the spring. Spring was greeted joyfully with songs, dances, and games.

Ukrainian haivky are traditional spring songs and dances, performed only during Easter. 

Let’s Read A Book “Ukrainian Easter” from Clever Hedgehog’s Library

Turn your mobile device to a Horizontal view for a better reading experience

Our Spring Scavenger Hunt is still in full swing on the website! Click the link to learn more about it >>>

Let’s Read A New Book “Ukrainian Pysanky” from Clever Hedgehog’s Library

Turn your mobile device to a Horizontal view for a better reading experience

Easter Printables and Coloring Pages

Free Easter activity coloring
Easter basket coloring Download
Free Easter activity coloring
pysanka egg coloring Download
Free Easter activity coloring
Easter activity pack Download

Easter Fun Activity Free Printable PDF

Easter activity packDownload

HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS?

Clever Hedgehog’s friends created the largest Pysanka in Ukraine

Pysanka is a special Ukrainian Easter egg 🥚 painted with different patterns and colors.

Now in Zhovkva (Ukraine), you can find the largest Pysanka in Ukraine.

The big Pysanka set a new record for Ukraine as the Biggest Pysanka made of smaller pysankas!

This Easter egg 🥚 is special: it’s more than 3 feet (1.5 meters) tall and it’s made up of 480 smaller Pysankas! Many local kids helped create this big Easter egg and embroidered each little egg themselves. It took three months to finish!

Galyna Prykuta, a talented artist, inspired kids and helped them create this beauty.

You can see this Pysanka in the central square of Zhovkva in Ukraine where it stands proudly, beautifully embroidered. This big Pysanka is not just a beautiful decoration, it is also a reminder of the festive days of Easter!

Ukrainian Spring song – Haivky song – Podolyanochka

Listen to this song here >>>

Download song lyrics
Learn a haivky song Podolyanocka and sing with Clever Hedgehog - Вивчи гаївку Подоляночка та заспівайте з Їжачком-Розумничком

Ukrainian haivky songs and dances

Game with pysanky

   Follow Clever Hedgehog and do not miss the next event we will announce soon! 

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#EasterEvent #CleverHedgehog #CommunitySpirit 

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tags: Orthodox Easter, Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter egg, the biggest pysanka in Ukraine, Explaining Easter to young children, Easter resources for parents and kids, Toddler-Friendly Easter coloring pages, haivky for Ukrainian kids, book about pysanky

Passover For Children

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Hedgehog spring

This week, Jewish people around the world are celebrating a special holiday – Passover, also known as Pesach. Passover is one of the most important holidays in Jewish culture, marked by various traditions and customs that bring families together. 

Passover is celebrated for seven days. This year the festival begins on sunset Monday, April 22, 2024, and ends in the evening of Tuesday, April 30, 2024.

Origin of the holiday

A long time ago, more than 3,000 years ago, there were people called the Israelites who were not free. They had to work very hard for people called the Egyptians with a king Pharaoh. But one day, a brave leader named Moses helped the Israelites escape from the Egyptians.

Passover is all about remembering this story of freedom and being thankful for it. Families get together, sing songs, eat special foods, and tell stories about how their ancestors became free. It is a holiday of rejoicing when Jews around the world remember their history and reaffirm their commitment to freedom, justice, and faith.

Preparation for Passover

The preparations for Passover typically begin weeks in advance, with thorough cleaning of homes and removing any leftover crumbs or boxes of crackers hiding around your home. This process, known as “spring cleaning,” symbolizes the removal of impurities and the renewal of spiritual life.

You can do a “Chametz-hunt” with your family, using flashlights or candles to search for any leftover crumbs or errant boxes of crackers hiding around your home.

Passover Dinner

Passover is one of the major festivals in Jewish culture. Imagine having a big family dinner with special food, songs, and stories. Passover is like that but with a special meal held on the first two nights of the holiday, called Seder. 

People gather with family and friends to retell the story of the Jewish people leaving Ancient Egypt, read the Haggadah – a guidebook to the Passover evening meal (Seder), containing ancient texts dating back to old times, and eat symbolic foods in a particular order (the Hebrew word seder means “order”).

The Seder plate holds symbolic foods, including matzah (flat bread), maror (bitter herbs), charoset (a sweet paste), and a roasted shank bone, among others.

Families also gather for festive meals throughout the week-long holiday, enjoying traditional dishes such as brisket, gefilte fish, and tzimmes. In addition to the Seder, Passover is marked by additional religious observances, including special synagogue services.

Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog, Solar Eclipse 2024 Coloring page
Pre-Seder Checklist Download
Seder Plate coloring page
Seder Plate coloring page Download

Why eat matzah during Passover?

Matzah plays a central role in Passover observance, symbolizing the rush in which the Israelites fled Egypt after the Pharaoh finally agreed to let them go.

There was no time to get ready or to wait.  They had to leave in a hurry, so they didn’t have time for their bread to rise. That’s why during Passover, Jews eat flat crackers called matzah instead of regular bread. Throughout the holiday, Jews consume matzah in various forms, such as matzah ball soup, matzah pizza, and matzah brei.

The seder can’t end without finding the afikomen, a special piece of matzah that is hidden during the meal. Enjoy making an Easy Afikomen Bag with the little ones, who race to find the hidden matzah. 

Why eat matzah during Passover for children

The Four Questions for Children on Passover

The Four Questions are traditionally recited at the seder by the youngest child present. All four questions help answer one big question: Why is this night unlike all others?

  1. On this night, why do we eat only matzah?
  2. On all other nights we eat all kinds of herbs. On this night, why only bitter herbs?
  3. On all other nights, we do not dip our herbs even once. On this night why do we dip them twice?
  4. On all other nights we eat sometimes sitting and sometimes reclining. On this night, why do we all recline?

Find these question and their answers to practice with your children here 

Passover Fun for the Whole Family

Passover Crafts

Dayenu (Passover song)

Passover Song for Kids |

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tags: Explaining Passover to young children, Passover resources for parents and kids, The significance of ‘The Four Questions’, Toddler-Friendly Seder

Total Solar Eclipse of 2024

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Solar Eclipse 2024

Hey kids! On April 8, 2024, something super cool will happen in the sky. The Moon will completely cover the Sun for a while. It’s called a total solar eclipse.

Join Clever Hedgehog and count the days until nature’s greatest show!

THE NEXT TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE OVER THE USA AFTER APRIL 8, 2024 WILL HAPPEN ON AUGUST 23, 2044

ECLIPSE COUNTDOWN

Days

Hours

Minutes

WHAT IS A SOLAR ECLIPSE?

ECLIPSE SAFETY

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and it looks like the Moon is covering the Sun if you’re watching from Earth. 

what is solar eclipse

The 2024 eclipse will be first seen in Texas and go a long way up to Maine. This eclipse will pass above lots of big cities, and the Sun will be completely hidden for about 4 minutes!

Always remember to enjoy the eclipse with proper eye protection!

It’s super important to keep your eyes safe during a solar eclipse. Looking directly at the Sun can badly hurt your eyes! That’s why we always use special eclipse safety glasses. Regular sunglasses won’t protect you. And don’t try to use binoculars, telescopes, cameras without special filters — it is risky for your eyes too.

ECLIPSE SAFETY

The only time it’s safe to look at a solar eclipse without special glasses is during the short minutes of “totality,” when the Moon completely covers the Sun.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE ECLIPSE

FUN FACTS ABOUT THE ECLIPSE

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves between the Earth and the Sun, and it looks like the Moon is covering the Sun if you’re watching from Earth. 

The Moon starts covering the Sun slowly. It’s like the Sun is playing peek-a-boo with the Moon!

When only a bit of the Sun is left, daylight starts to fade, and you might see cool shadows on the ground. 

Then, comes the best part — totality, when the Moon completely covers the Sun. You’ll see the solar corona, a beautiful halo around the Moon.

The sky becomes like twilight, not quite day and not quite night! And when totality ends, the Sun starts peeking out again, and the world goes back to normal.

1. A solar eclipse 🌓 happens somewhere on Earth at least twice, and as many as five times, per year.

2. When you’re getting ready to watch an eclipse 🌓, one big thing to remember is the weather. Even a few clouds ☁️ can make it hard to see the eclipse! 

3. During a solar eclipse, animals 🐕 may exhibit unusual behavior; nocturnal animals may become active as they mistake the eclipse for nighttime.

Read More Fun Facts About Solar Eclipse

SOLAR ECLIPSE 2024 MAP

The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, will travel over 13 states of the United States, starting from Texas and ending in Maine.

If you want to see the total eclipse, you need to be in the special path shown on the map.

If you’re outside that path, you’ll only see a partial eclipse, which is still cool!

Can you find the area where you live on the map? How far are you from the Moon’s shadow path?

SOLAR ECLIPSE 2024 MAP

New Book “Hey Moon, You’re Blocking My Sun!”

Book Reading Instructions

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English Book Collection Ukrainian Book Collection Fairy Tales Collection
Back to the Library

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Solar Eclipse Coloring Page and Fun Activities

Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog, Solar Eclipse 2024 Coloring page
Solar Eclipse 2024 Coloring page Download

SOLAR ECLIPSE | Paper Plate Craft

Make an Eclipse Viewer | Science Project for Kids

Easter Traditions in Different Countries

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
clever hedgehog easter

Happy Easter!

Easter is the most important holiday after Christmas for many people around the world.

Easter is considered both a religious and non-religious holiday. For those who follow religious tradition, Easter is special because it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. For non-religious people, it celebrates new beginnings, longer days, and time spent with friends and family.

Whether you’re celebrating Easter in the USA, Ukraine or elsewhere in the world, Clever Hedgehog wishes you and your family a very happy Easter.

Clever Hedgehog asked his friends about how they celebrate Easter in their countries. Let’s see what they say:

Easter celebration in the USA

Timmy, the USA – “If you ask me what I like the most about the Easter celebration in the USA, it is friends, fun, and tons of chocolate eggs! 

The Easter egg 🥚 is a huge symbol of Easter. Easter eggs represent new beginnings and new life. We dye eggs at home to make them look nice and colorful on the Easter table. 

I like Easter egg hunts. Easter egg hunts are events where adults hide colorful plastic Easter eggs, filled with candy, treats, coins, or toys for children. Some people do Easter egg hunts with their family in their backyard, but larger Easter egg hunts are organized in parks, fields, and churches.

Those people for whom Easter is a religious holiday go to church. There are different types of church services offered around Easter time.

Chicks 🐣 are icons of Easter, as well as the Easter Bunny 🐰. When children fall asleep on the night before Easter, the Easter Bunny visits your house and leaves an Easter basket filled with candy, toys, and treats. Then on Easter morning when the children wake up, they open their Easter baskets to find surprises. I remember getting so excited to find out what was in my Easter basket! Once, we ate so many chocolates that our faces and clothes were covered in chocolate!

Easter egg hunt kids

flickr.com/photos/mdgovpics/7038792759

Here you can see me looking for Easter eggs. I remember getting so excited when I finally found one!

Easter celebration in Ukraine

Julia, Ukraine – In many regions of Ukraine, Easter is celebrated as one of the most important religious holidays, as well as in the city, of Kolomyia, where I am from.

Preparation and festivities begin three days before Easter. The most important preparation begins with baking a special Easter bread, called paska. My mom uses an old recipe passed down through generations in our family.

But my favorite Easter tradition is coloring eggs. All my family will dye Easter eggs, krashanky, in different colors to make them look nice. 

Ukrainians also make special Easter eggs – pysanky 🥚. You need to be very creative to do that. Pysanky come in various colors, unique patterns, and ornaments, where every dot has its meaning. You can paint symbols of the sun, moon and stars, water and fire, earth, leaves, etc. Each pysanka is a real piece of art.

Then my family fills a special Easter basket for church with paska, krashanky, pysanky, sweets, and candles. We bring Easter baskets to be blessed in church. 

On Easter day, people exchange special greetings, saying, “Christ is Risen,” to which the response is “Indeed, He is Risen.” 

Later, families gather around the festive table, where the main dish is paska, symbolizing the resurrection of Christ, accompanied by pysanky, symbolizing new life. 

Some people gather to sing and dance haivky, traditional spring songs and dances, performed only during Easter. 

My sister and I help decorate paska.

This pysanka I made this year.

If you visit me in Kolomyia, we can visit the Pysanka Museum. The museum has the shape of a pysanka. It possesses a collection of over 10,000 pysanky.

If you travel to the town of Vegreville in Canada, you can see a giant sculpture of a pysanka, a Ukrainian-style Easter egg – the largest pysanka in the world.

Vegreville_pysanka

Myke2020, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Easter celebration in Australia

Sam, Australia – You can see Easter bunnies 🐇 around, but here in Australia we also celebrate the bilby (or macrotis) as the Easter icon.

Bilbies have been hopping around Australia for millions of years, but are now sadly a threatened species. Look out for chocolate Easter bilbies to buy to help support bilbies in Australia. 

Another popular Easter activity in Australia is enjoying sweet hot cross buns filled with dried fruit.

Easter celebration in Guatemala

Carlos, Guatemala – The week leading up to Easter is a very special time in Antigua, Guatemala. During this time, people work together to decorate streets with Alfombras De Semana Santa, the Easter sawdust carpets that decorate roads that lead to churches.

People make colorful patterns and pictures, sprinkling them with flower petals, pine needles, fruits, vegetables, and brightly dyed sawdust. They work for hours to make their alfombras unique and perfect. With this tradition, people show faith in the Supreme Creator. 

On Easter day, the Statues of Jesus and Mary are carried out of churches on people’s shoulders. They walk through parks and neighborhoods on the cushion of the alfombras. 

The Alfombras are made of natural materials that are not meant to last. The carpet falls apart as people walk through the streets.

Clever Hedgehog would love to hear from you what Easter traditions you have in your family.

Send Clever Hedgehog an email at ebooks4ukrkids@udel.edu!

Fun Facts about Easter

Did you know that the date of Easter changes every year? In different countries, people use different calendars and ways to count days. This year, Easter 2024 will be celebrated on March 31st in many countries around the world, except for some countries, like Ukraine, that will celebrate Easter on May 5th.

Did you know that ornamented stone and clay eggs have been discovered from ancient times throughout Ukraine? The oldest eggshell pysanka was excavated in Lviv in 2013 and was found in a rainwater collection system that dates to the 15th or 16th century. The pysanka was painted on a goose egg with a wave pattern design.

Did you know that the Hutsuls — ethnic Ukrainians who live in the Carpathian Mountains highlands in western Ukraine — believe that the fate of the world depends upon the pysanka? As long as the egg-decorating custom continues, the world will exist. If, for any reason, this custom is abandoned, evil will overrun the world.

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Easter Coloring Pages

Free Easter activity coloring
Easter basket coloring Download
Free Easter activity coloring
pysanka egg coloring Download
Free Easter activity coloring
Easter activity pack Download

Easter Fun Activity Free Printable PDF

Easter activity packDownload

Easter Songs and Interactive Play

Going on a Bunny Hunt – Interactive Easter Play

Easter Song for Kids

Rock to Get Ready For Easter Song 

Easter Arts and Crafts ideas

How to Draw a Bunny

How to Draw an Easter Egg

How to Draw an Easter Basket

How To Draw An Easter Chick 🐣

How to make a basket from paper | papercraft

How to make a basket from paper

Easter Basket Folding Surprise

An Easter Egg Stack Folding Surprise

Send us your photos or video to our email storieswithcleverhedgheog@gmail.com or tag us on Instagram and Facebook with  #CleverHedgehogCrafts

Free Coloring Pages For Kids – Free PDF Printables

Read Books with Clever Hedgehog
Learn Fun Facts about animals, space, and much more
Learn Ukrainian Songs
Watch, Play, and Learn with Sesame Street Friends
Discover Fun News for kids
Get Creative with Coloring Pages
Find Resources for Parents
play games with friends and family
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Spring is here!

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Hedgehog spring

Let’s Welcome Spring !

Spring is a really fun and exciting time of the year. It is a time for new beginnings and fresh starts.

Flowers start to bloom in spring, and the world becomes colorful again. Animals and bugs come out of hibernation, and birds come back from warm places.

Let’s learn about signs of Spring together with Clever Hedgehog!


Collect all the flowers to win a surprise gift. Click on the flower to read the contest rules

Signs of Spring

Spring is like magic for the world! It’s when everything wakes up from a long nap. The weather gets warmer, just like a cozy hug from the sun. 

It’s when everything wakes up from a long nap. The weather gets warmer, just like a cozy hug from the sun. Flowers start to pop up from the ground like colorful candies. 

Trees that were bare in winter grow new leaves. They start out tiny and green, but they get bigger and bigger as the days get longer.

Birds that were away in warm countries all winter are coming back, too.

spring bird
Image by Jill Wellington from Pixabay

What we can do in Spring?

Spring is a great time for planting seeds and growing gardens.

Spring is a time to play outside! The days get longer, which means you get to play outside for longer too! You can skip in the sunshine, have a picnic under a tree, or go on a bug hunt. It’s a season full of fun and new discoveries! Clever Hedgehog has a lot of ideas for outdoor games!

Spring is also when we celebrate Easter, which is a special holiday when we paint eggs and have egg hunts. It’s a time for families to come together and have fun.

Did you know?

In spring, swallows return to their homes and immediately begin to repair and make their nests cozy for future chicks.

Swallows’ nests are built from lumps of wet dirt or clay, which they collect from puddles. Between mud lumps they lay grass and plant roots for more strength. The bottom of a swallow’s nest is lined with down and feathers.

Swallows that live in cities and swallows that live in the countryside make nests in different ways. City swallows build nests on the walls of large buildings close to each other. Countryside swallows build nests inside barns and stables.

Swallows spend most of their lives in the air. They eat and drink while flying. These birds help nature by eating harmful insects.

Valentine's Day Cards

Poems about Spring

It’s Time for Spring

My sweater’s tight and itchy
My snow pants are too small
Last week I lost a mitten
I can’t find my scarf at all.

My woolen socks have lost their toes.
My boots have lost their tread.
And I have lost the love I had
For words like “skies” and “sleds”.

But … my fishing rod still fits
And … my baseball bat still kits
I have a kite that wants to fly
So … Winter, call it quits!

By Bobby Katz 

One Spring Day

One sunny day,
When I went outside to play,
I saw something starting to grow.

When I went closer to look,
I saw something out of a book,
That sprouts were all in a row.

So I looked all around me,
It was a fresh sight to see
That flowers had begun to grow!

Tulips

In the garden tulips grow.
Straight and golden in a row.
Each one holds its empty cup,
Drinking rain and sunshine up.

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Spring Day crafts ideas

Valentine's Day Card, Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog
Happy Spring Download
Valentine's Day Card, Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog
A gift to my mom Download
Valentine's Day Card, Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog
Spring coloring page Download

Springtime song for children

Spring Freeze Dance

Send us your photos or video to our email ebooks4ukrkids@udel.edu or tag us on Instagram and Facebook with  #CleverHedgehogContest

How To Draw A Bird And Feeder

How To Draw Spring Blossoms

How To Draw Spring Tulips

Free Coloring Pages For Kids – Free PDF Printables

Read Books with Clever Hedgehog
Learn Fun Facts about animals, space, and much more
Learn Ukrainian Songs
Watch, Play, and Learn with Sesame Street Friends
Discover Fun News for kids
Get Creative with Coloring Pages
Find Resources for Parents
play games with friends and family
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Valentine’s Day

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Valentine's Day for kids

Do you know that there is a special day when you can show your love and care to others? 

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that people celebrate on February 14, greeting loved ones, close friends, family members, and classmates. 

On Valentine’s Day, people greet loved ones, close friends, family members, and classmates by sending them special cards called valentines. People also give candy, flowers, and other gifts to loved ones.

But gifts can come in other ways besides candy, and love can be shown through acts of kindness and kind words.

Let’s learn about Valentine’s Day celebrations together with Clever Hedgehog!

flowers

Clever Hedgehog loves Valentine’s Day and always finds a way to show his love and care to others.

As Valentine’s Day approached, Clever Hedgehog couldn’t wait to do something special, something that would bring joy and laughter to everyone in the forest. And so, he set out on a mission to create special presents for each of his friends.

Valentine's Day Cards

Valentine’s Day cards

Clever Hedgehog began with making Valentine’s Day cards for his friends and family.

It was so much fun because he used some funny Valentine’s Day jokes and silly poems to decorate cards.

Clever Hedgehog made one for you!

Download the Valentine’s Day Card coloring page >>>

Download
Valentine's Day Cards

Funny Valentine’s Day jokes and silly poems to decorate cards:

– Knock, knock
– Who’s there?
– Luke
– Luke who?
– Luke who got a Valentine!

I love you more than applesauce,
Than peaches and a plum,
Than chocolate hearts,
And cherry tarts,
And a berry bubble gum.

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
Sugar is sweet,
And so are you!

– What kind of flowers should you NOT give on Valentine’s Day?
– Cauliflowers!

– What did one volcano say to the other?
– I lava you!

Roses are red,
Daisies are white,
Valentine!
You make every day a delight.

– Knock, knock
– Who’s there?
– Olive
– Olive who?
– Olive you!

– What did the stamp say to the envelope on Valentine’s Day?
– I’m stuck on you!

You are a special
Friend of mine,
You are a special
Friend of mine,
Be my Valentine!

Bake and decorate Valentine’s Day treats

Next, Clever Hedgehog baked a big box of Valentine’s Day cookies because he knew his friends had a sweet tooth. Using flour, sugar and butter, he made a lot of delicious treats for everyone.

You can bake some cookies too.

Here is how you can make the most delicious but simple sugar cookies! Follow the video instructions and make these easy cookies for you and your loved ones for Valentine’s Day!

Friends and family dance party

Finally, on the morning of Valentine’s Day, Clever Hedgehog presented Valentine’s gifts to his friends, one by one. The forest was filled with laughter and joy as they unwrapped their presents. Clever Hedgehog knew that on this Valentine’s Day they all shared the gift of friendship, laughter, and love.

So it was the time to put on some favorite music and have a dance party. 

Remember that the most important thing on Valentine’s Day is to have fun and spend fun time with your loved ones.

Happy Valentine’s Day to you and your special Valentine!

Valentine’s Day crafts ideas

Valentine's Day Card, Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog
Valentine’s Day Card Download
Valentine's Day Card, Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog
Valentine’s Day Cards Download
Valentine's Day Card, Coloring page for kids, Stories with Clever Hedgehog
Valentine’s Day Coloring Page Download

Did you know?

No one knows for sure how and when the tradition of celebrating Valentine’s Day started.

Valentine’s Day gifts often come packed in a red, heart-shaped box.

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Let’s Make A Valentine’s Day Card

Love Bug Valentine’s Day Card

Send us your photos or video to our email ebooks4ukrkids@udel.edu or tag us on Instagram and Facebook with  #CleverHedgehogContest

Free Coloring Pages For Kids – Free PDF Printables

Read Books with Clever Hedgehog
Learn Fun Facts about animals, space, and much more
Learn Ukrainian Songs
Watch, Play, and Learn with Sesame Street Friends
Discover Fun News for kids
Get Creative with Coloring Pages
Find Resources for Parents
play games with friends and family
Learn to Draw
Download Free Printable Packages

Groundhog Day 

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Festive Hedgehog

Do you believe a groundhog can predict when spring will arrive?  

Groundhog Day is a fun holiday that takes place every year in the USA and Canada on February 2nd, and in some other countries on a different date.

Let’s learn about Groundhog’s Day celebrations together with Clever Hedgehog!

Figuring out when warm weather was coming was once very important for farmers to know when it was safe to plant new crops. Nowadays, we rely on meteorologists and weather forecasts. But in some countries, people still like to ask a groundhog what the weather is going to be like!

Groundhog Day is a fun holiday that takes place every year on February 2nd in the USA and Canada.

Legend says that when a groundhog wakes up from hibernation (winter sleep) and peeks out of its burrow if it sees its shadow, it gets scared and hides back underground. That means 6 more weeks of winter! But if he doesn’t see his shadow, it means that spring will start early. 

Meet the Most Famous Groundhogs

Let’s see if all these famous groundhogs were right with their forecasts! 

Punxsutawney Phil

Punxsutawney Phil

The most famous groundhog in the world lives in his burrow near Punxsutawney (Pennsylvania, USA). His name is Punxsutawney Phil. Every February 2nd, thousands of people come to see how Phil makes his prediction about the coming of spring.

This year, an early spring was predicted. This has only happened 20 times in the celebration’s recorded history.

Shubenacadie Sam

Shubenacadie Sam is a Canadian groundhog who lives in the town of Shubenacadie (Nova Scotia, Canada).  Every year, Shubenacadie Sam makes the earliest prediction in North America. While Sam’s predictions have never been wrong, sometimes, the weather is wrong.

Shubenacadie Sam also predicted an early spring this year.

Tymko

This year, the people of Kharkiv region gathered to celebrate the 20th Groundhog Day with Tymko, the most famous groundhog in Ukraine. Tymko predicted an early spring in Ukraine this year.

Ukraine also has groundhogs that predict spring coming. However, this tradition is not very old. 

This year, the people of Kharkiv region gathered to celebrate the 20th Groundhog Day with Tymko, the most famous groundhog in Ukraine.

Tymko predicted an early spring in Ukraine this year.

Did you know?

Although groundhogs are often called woodchucks, they didn’t get their name from chucking wood. It comes from a Native American name “wuchak“. Young groundhogs may be called chucklings.

Although groundhogs are often called woodchucks, they didn’t get their name from chucking wood. It comes from a Native American name “wuchak“. Young groundhogs may be called chucklings.

This led to a funny tongue-twister:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

As much wood as a woodchuck could chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

Let’s have a contest!

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Christmas in Ukraine

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Saint Nicholas Day (Sviatyi Mykolai Day)

Clever Hedgehog loves Christmas! And what about you?

Christmas is celebrated all over the world, but Christmas in Ukraine is celebrated in a very special way. 

Let’s learn about Ukrainian Christmas traditions together with Clever Hedgehog!

Christmas in Ukraine

Christmas is one of the most important family holidays in Ukraine. Even though presents are not exchanged on Christmas, kids get presents on Saint Nicholas Day and New Year’s Day.

Ukrainian Christmas traditions are very old and very meaningful to all Ukrainians.

Christmas Eve on December 24 is called Sviatyi Vechir (Святий вечір) in Ukrainian (“Holy Evening”), and has many customs and rituals. These include decorating a house with a special object (didukh), crafting a Christmas Star, singing carols (koliadky), and so on. One important tradition of the night is a special supper, called Sviata Vecheria (“Holy Supper”). 

Christmas Symbols in Ukraine

These magical Christmas traditions help us continue the spirit of the winter holidays and bring joy to all.  

A Christmas Star

Ukrainian CHRISTMAS STAR

The Christmas Star in Ukraine is a symbol of light, sun, and God. It also represents the Bethlehem star, which announced the birth of Jesus. The Star has 8 or more edges and is an important attribute in caroling performances (vertep).

See Christmas Stars Parade in Ukraine

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Didukh

Didukh is a symbol of good fortune, riches, and the spiritual life of Ukrainians. “Didukh” means “grandfather spirit” and it symbolizes the family’s ancestors. It is made from the first or the last stalks of wheat collected during the year and is decorated with colorful threads and ribbons. Family put didukh in a special place in their homes and keep it for the rest of winter months.

Koliadky

On Christmas day, Ukrainians go to church, visit relatives and sing Christmas carols (Koliada). The ancient Ukrainian tradition of caroling is called kolyaduvannya (Ukrainian колядування). It is carried on by church members and groups of young children who walk house to house greeting and wishing people the best for the next year, and receiving sweets and money in return. 

The different type of Ukrainian traditional caroling is vinshuvanya (Ukrainian віншування). With these songs, carolers congratulate the hosts on Christmas.

Ukrainian caroling traditions are preserved the best in the Western part of Ukraine.

Vertep

The tradition of live performances for Christmas came to Ukraine from Europe a long time ago and was called vertep. This tradition is still popular today. Vertep is a traditional folk performance that shows the story of the birth of Jesus with the cheerful spirit of the holiday. 

Let’s sing

Did you know that the famous “Carol of the Bells” is based on the Ukrainian carol Shchedryk?

Shchedryk – Carol of the Bells

Jingle Bells

Let It Snow 

Walking in the Winter Wonderland 

Winter songs for kids – Songbook DOWNLOAD

12 Traditional Dishes for Ukrainian Christmas Dinner

According to the Ukrainian tradition, the whole family gathers at one table during the Christmas Eve dinner – the Sviat Vechir dinner (“Holy Supper”). For hundreds of years, Ukrainians have followed the rule to serve 12 special meat-dairy-egg-free dishes during Christmas Eve dinner, because Jesus wasn’t born into a rich family, and his first birthday his family celebrated in a simple barn. 

While some of these 12 dishes vary in different parts of Ukraine, the mandatory dishes are kutia, varenyky, ceremonial bread (kalach) and uzvar. 

1. Kutia, a dish made of grain, honey, and poppy seeds, is served first at the meal. Grains symbolize eternal life, and honey – heavenly bliss.

2. Ukrainian Christmas bread – kalach – is a slightly sweet bread that is braided in three round braids stacked one on top of the other. It is an essential part of the Christmas Eve supper.

3. For Christmas Eve, Ukrainians cook special dumplings – varenyky – stuffed with potatoes, cabbage, mushrooms or fruits. 

4. Uzvar is a drink you can try only in Ukraine, made with smoked dried fruits and berries. 

Saint Nicholas Day (Sviatyi Mykolai Day)

Alongside these old traditions, Ukrainians share ones with the rest of the world, too! Ukrainians love watching ‘Home Alone’ for the 10th Christmas in a row, shopping for gifts at Christmas markets, decorating the Christmas tree, and eating countless tangerines. 

Clever Hedgehog wishes you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

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Let’s get ready for Christmas and New Year

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Saint Nicholas Day – The Day Kids Anticipate The Most

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Saint Nicholas Day (Sviatyi Mykolai Day)

Most families in Ukraine observe the Eastern Orthodox religion.

Christmas is celebrated a bit differently among Ukrainians! Instead of Santa Claus, kids expect Saint Nicholas, or Sviatyi Mykolai as he is called in Ukraine.

Happy Saint Nicholas Day! Happy Sviatyi Mykolai Day!

What is Saint Nicholas Day?

Saint Nicholas (our Santa) is a kind man, known for his good deeds and acts of charity. He helps families most in need and is the patron saint of children. 

On the night of 5th December, it is said that Saint Nicholas will fill good children’s shoes with toys and gifts and they will find them on the morning of the 6th of December!

In Ukraine, Saint Nicholas, who is called Sviatyi Mykolai, visits all children during the night. Children wait for Sviatyi Mykolai to come and put a present under their pillows. 

Only the kind, nice children receive a treat from Saint Nicholas. The naughty children who do not listen to their parents and teachers may end up only getting a twig or a piece of coal under their pillows. 

This tradition is upheld in many countries to this day.

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Did you know:

The American Santa Claus 🎅, as well as the British Father Christmas, derive from Saint Nicholas.

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Show Clever Hedgehog and Saint Nicholas how good you were this year. Draw a picture of the good things you did this year!

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What is Thanksgiving and why it is celebrated?

Posted on | by Olga Zhestkova
Thanksgiving clever hedgehog

There is a special day in November when people in the United States come together to give thanks for everything good in their lives. It is a day of Thanksgiving. 

Even though it’s not celebrated in Ukraine, we still have so many things to be thankful for.

Maybe one day soon, Ukrainians will celebrate the Ukrainian Thanksgiving Day too!

Things To Be Thankful For On Thanksgiving Day

This year Clever Hedgehog is thankful for:

  • Family
  • Close friends
  • Good books  
  • Teachers
  • Music
  • Giving and receiving gifts
  • Learning new facts and traditions
  • Fuzzy socks
  • A good meal
  • A nice cup of hot chocolate
  • Rain boots and puddles to jump in
  • Nap time
  • Blowing bubbles

What things are you thankful for?

Use this printable worksheet to make a list of things you are grateful for

What is Thanksgiving and why it is celebrated?

Thanksgiving Day is an annual national holiday in the United States, which is often the busiest of the year, as families and friends gather together to express gratitude for the good things that have happened over the past year.

The story behind this festival tells us that the early settlers of the Plymouth colony planned a special meal to honor a good harvest 🍱 they had in 1621. They invited the Wampanoag tribe, who lived in the same area, to enjoy the meal together. The first Thanksgiving festival 🍽 lasted for 3 days!

Nowadays, as many people live in cities (not on farms) and family members live farther apart, Thanksgiving has become a time for families 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 to come together and give thanks for good things in their lives.

Thanksgiving for Kids:

Thanksgiving is a great time for children to learn about gratitude and giving thanks 🥰, to reflect on the things they are thankful for, and to express their gratitude to others; time to learn some family history and traditions, spend time with loved ones, and enjoy a delicious meal. 

Thanksgiving Day is a great time for children to experience the warmth and love of family and friends ❤️, and to create lasting memories.

Are you looking forward to helping with the Thanksgiving meal preparation? 

A pumpkin and a pumpkin pie 🥧 are symbols of harvest time, and pumpkin pie is usually prepared for Thanksgiving, so you can bake a pumpkin pie with your mom.

🧑🏼‍🍳 This is Clever Hedgehog’s favorite recipe for pumpkin pie. 

Follow the cooking instructions in this video:

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