National Popcorn Day

National Popcorn Day is celebrated at the end of January, although its exact date is a matter of debate. Various sources report it as January 19; others claim it takes place on whatever day the “big game” falls on. The Popcorn Board is often asked about the origins of this day; unfortunately, we do not know how or when this celebration began. Some other individual or organization (with obvious good taste) began this tradition.

If you know of the origins of National Popcorn Day, please email us at: edu@popcorn.org.

10 Popcorn Day Activities

Thank you to Leslie F, a teacher from Concord, Illinois, who sent the following suggestions for Popcorn Day Activities:



1. Stringing Popcorn: These can be hung outside for birds to eat

Need: sewing needles, string, popcorn



2. Guess the Amount Filll container with kernels and have students guess)

Need: popcorn kernels, container



3. Popcorn Air Hockey: Can you “volley” the kernel back and forth 20 times without letting it fall?

Need: flat surface (table), straw (to blow), coffee stirrers (as paddles) or hands (as paddles)



4. Popcorn Relay Race

Need: popcorn, spoons



5. Popcorn Basketball: Can you flick a piece of popcorn into the basket?

Need: popcorn, baskets (i.e. muffin tins, small cups), backboards (wall, cardboard)



6. Popcorn word search (puzzle maker)

Use these words: popcorn, pop, kernel, explode, heat, moisture, grain, snack, crunchy, butter, oil, salt, fiber, bag, hull



7. Write a Popcorn Haiku (5, 7, 5 syllable pattern poem): Like this!

Oil, kernels, heat, time

Many loud explosions heard

Pop, crunch, snack time. Yum!



8. How many words can you make from this phrase?

"Fresh hot popcorn”, “Popcorn tastes good”, “I like popcorn”, “Hot buttered popcorn”



9. Popcorn coloring pages



10. Read facts about popcorn and write about the history of popcorn