Calling all science and math enthusiasts, it’s time to celebrate one of the most important and impactful calculations – pi. National Pi Day takes place annually on March 14th to call attention to not just the calculation itself, but its many applications and uses in real-life careers and industries. But what if you don’t have a science or math-based career, how can you celebrate National Pi Day?
Now, one obvious answer will be to have a pizza – and that’s a great idea (today, or any day really). However, for starters, lots of other people are probably going to have the same exact idea as you, so most pizza places will probably be more crowded than usual. Instead, we’re going to take a look at the deeper meaning of pie day, and consider how to celebrate the science behind the name.
Here are 10 cute and clever ways that anyone can enjoy celebrating National Pi Day this year.
Visit the NASA Website – Get In on the Fun
Pi is a calculation used in many different careers, but it is especially useful to those in space exploration. You can celebrate the day by checking out the official NASA website, which usually has some fun information posted in honor of the day.
This year NASA is holding the NASA Pi Day Challenge, which is all about using pi to explore Earth, the Earth’s solar system, and more. Pi is constantly used by space engineers and scientists, now you have a chance to see for yourself how useful this calculation is.
Turn the Day Into a Challenging Scavenger Hunt
This is the perfect suggestion for parents or teachers. There’s no better way to get kids interested in a math calculation than by turning it into something fun. A scavenger hunt is ideal because it keeps them entertained and engaged. To make the scavenger hunt true to National Pi Day you can pick items that are pie-related.
Just be sure to gear the scavenger hunt to the age group so the kid/s aren’t overwhelmed with the number of items and the difficulty level. If the weather allows, go ahead and take the hunt outdoors. If you don’t have many pi-themed objects, you can pick things that represent the number value of pi.
Check Your Town/City’s Calendar of Events
And speaking of events, it could be worth looking into what your town or city has planned. It may be that there are some cute celebrations you could take part in. The library or local science museum is typically a great place to start when searching for events.
Go for a 3.14 Mile Run
Because the weather is already improving in so many areas of the country, it could be a great day for a run! Rather than your usual route, map out one that is exactly 3.14 miles. You can take this suggestion one step further and run in a circular route. And for those who aren’t runners, you can always walk or speed walk the route.
There’s no reason this needs to be a solo activity either – running with friends acts as great motivation.
Show Your Love of Pi Day with a Fun T-Shirt
You can let everyone around you know just how hyped you are for National Pi Day by wearing a pi-themed pun t-shirt. Don’t be afraid to be ultra-creative with your pun. There are plenty of online sites that allow you to create personalized t-shirts, shops that can print them for you, or you can go down the DIY route and use fabric markers on a cotton tee.
Parents can also make t-shirts at home with the kids, letting them create any design they want that relates to the pi calculation.
Tap Into Your Inner Artist with Pi-Themed Creations
If you’ve got an inner artist who is always looking for an opportunity to shine, you can work on pi-themed artwork. It’s the kind of theme that takes away limits and parameters, allowing you total creative freedom. Whether you’re creating a piece made from circles, or visualizing what pi means to you, this can be a relaxing way to honor the day.
Educated Yourself on the Meaning and Origin of Pi
There’s no better day to brush up on your knowledge of the math calculation than National Pi Day. Just because you may have learned about pi back in your school days doesn’t mean it’s still fresh in your mind. Use this as an excuse to gain more knowledge and read about the meaning and origins of pi. For example, did you know that the concept behind pi has been around for more than 4,000 years?
Have a Slice of Pie in Honor of Pi Day
While it’s true that National Pi Day has nothing to do with edible pie, you can’t help but think of the tasty dessert when you hear the name. So why not celebrate the day with a slice of your favorite pie? As a fun take on the word, the Children’s Museum of Houston has been hosting a pie fight on National Pi Day for the past two decades. It seems like everyone has that kind of pie on their mind!
And if pie isn’t your cup of tea, you can always eat something pie-shaped like pizza. Remember, pi is used to figure out the area or circumference of a circle.
Create a Menu Starting with the Letters “Pi”
Also in the realm of food themes is creating a menu made entirely of items/ingredients that have the letters “pi” in them. It could make for the perfect lunch or dinner party, letting the whole household join in with the celebration.
Some tasty food items you can include on your menu are:
- Pineapple
- Pine nuts
- Piña coladas
- Pinto beans
- Pita bread
- Pistachios
- Pickles
Watch the Clock for the Ultimate Celebration
Don’t forget, 3.14 can also represent the time of day – so why not celebrate the clock turning to 3:14? What’s cuter than celebrating pi at “pi-o’clock”? Whether you’re at the office, home alone, or with your kids, the countdown to pi can be as simple as getting up and doing a little dance at 3:14.
Marking the Day with Some Unique Activities and Items
As you can see from this list, celebrating National Pi Day can be extremely fun. It’s all about taking the meaning of pi and using it as a play on words or as an opportunity to dig deeper into the science and math behind it.