Seasons on earth for kids: Kids science: Earth’s Seasons

What Causes the Seasons? | NASA Space Place – NASA Science for Kids

The Short Answer:

Earth’s tilted axis causes the seasons. Throughout the year, different parts of Earth receive the Sun’s most direct rays. So, when the North Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere. And when the South Pole tilts toward the Sun, it’s winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

It’s all about Earth’s tilt!

Many people believe that Earth is closer to the Sun in the summer and that is why it is hotter. And, likewise, they think Earth is farthest from the Sun in the winter.

Although this idea makes sense, it is incorrect.

It is true that Earth’s orbit is not a perfect circle. It is a bit lop-sided. During part of the year, Earth is closer to the Sun than at other times. However, in the Northern Hemisphere, we are having winter when Earth is closest to the Sun and summer when it is farthest away! Compared with how far away the Sun is, this change in Earth’s distance throughout the year does not make much difference to our weather.

There is a different reason for Earth’s seasons.

Earth’s axis is an imaginary pole going right through the center of Earth from “top” to “bottom.” Earth spins around this pole, making one complete turn each day. That is why we have day and night, and why every part of Earth’s surface gets some of each.

Earth has seasons because its axis doesn’t stand up straight.

But what caused Earth to tilt?

Long, long ago, when Earth was young, it is thought that something big hit Earth and knocked it off-kilter. So instead of rotating with its axis straight up and down, it leans over a bit.

By the way, that big thing that hit Earth is called Theia. It also blasted a big hole in the surface. That big hit sent a huge amount of dust and rubble into orbit. Most scientists think that that rubble, in time, became our Moon.

As Earth orbits the Sun, its tilted axis always points in the same direction. So, throughout the year, different parts of Earth get the Sun’s direct rays.

Sometimes it is the North Pole tilting toward the Sun (around June) and sometimes it is the South Pole tilting toward the Sun (around December).

It is summer in June in the Northern Hemisphere because the Sun’s rays hit that part of Earth more directly than at any other time of the year. It is winter in December in the Northern Hemisphere, because that is when it is the South Pole’s turn to be tilted toward the Sun.

Earth’s lopsided orbit

Earth’s perihelion (point closest to Sun) = 91,400,000 miles from Sun

Earth’s aphelion (point farthest from Sun) = 94,500,000 miles from Sun

While that is a difference of over 3 million miles, relative to the entire distance, it isn’t much.

And, believe it or not, aphelion (when Earth is farthest from the Sun) occurs in July, and perihelion (when we are closest) occurs in January. For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere where it’s summer in July and winter in January, that seems backwards, doesn’t it? That just goes to prove that Earth’s distance from the Sun is not the cause of the seasons.

Related Resources for Educators

Seasons (Educator Guide to go with Seasons Spotlite video)
Seasons (Nearpod Lesson to go with Seasons Spotlite video)
Our World: Sun’s Position
Sun’s Position (Educator Guide to go with Sun’s Position Spotlite video)
Sun’s Position (Nearpod Lesson to go with Sun’s Position Spotlite video)

If you liked this, you may like:

Bad (space) weather cancels pigeon races!

Lunar Eclipses and Solar Eclipses

What Is a Solar Eclipse?

Why Do We Have Seasons?

Louisville, KY

Weather Forecast Office

Why Do We have Seasons?

As the earth spins on its axis, producing night and day, it also moves about the sun in an elliptical (elongated circle) orbit that requires about 365 1/4 days to complete. The earth’s spin axis is tilted with respect to its orbital plane. This is what causes the seasons. When the earth’s axis points towards the sun, it is summer for that hemisphere. When the earth’s axis points away, winter can be expected. Since the tilt of the axis is 23 1/2 degrees, the North Pole never points directly at the Sun, but on the summer solstice it points as close as it can, and on the winter solstice as far as it can. Midway between these two times, in spring and autumn, the spin axis of the earth points 90 degrees away from the sun. This means that on this date, day and night have about the same length: 12 hours each, more or less.

Why should this tilt of the Earth’s axis matter to our weather? To understand this, take a piece of paper and a flashlight. Shine the light from the flashlight straight onto the paper, so you see an illuminated circle. All the light from the flashlight is in that circle. Now slowly tilt the paper, so the circle elongates into an ellipse. All the light is still in that ellipse, but the ellipse is spread out over more paper. The density of light drops. In other words, the amount of light per square centimeter drops (the number of square centimeters increases, while the total amount of light stays the same).

The same is true on the earth. When the sun is overhead, the light is falling straight on you, and so more light (and more heat) hit each square centimeter of the ground. When the sun is lower in the sky, the light gets more spread out over the surface of the earth, and less heat (per square centimeter) can be absorbed. Since the earth’s axis is tilted, the sun is higher when you are on the part of the earth where the axis points more towards the sun, and lower on the part of the Earth where the axis points away from the sun.

For the Northern Hemisphere, the axis points most toward the sun in June (specifically around June 21), and away from the sun around December 21. This corresponds to the Winter and Summer Solstice (solstice is Latin for “the sun stands”). For the Southern Hemisphere, this is reversed.

For both hemispheres, the earth is 90 degrees away from the sun around March 21 and then again around September 21. This corresponds to the Fall and Spring Equinox (equinox is Latin for “equal night”). Everyplace in the world has about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of night. 

So why are sunrise and sunset not exactly 12 hours apart on the Equinox?

Day and night are not exactly of equal length at the time of the March and September equinoxes. The dates on which day and night are each 12 hours occur a few days before and after the equinoxes. The specific dates for this occurrence are different for different latitudes.

On the day of the equinox, the geometric center of the Sun’s disk crosses the equator, and this point is above the horizon for 12 hours everywhere on the Earth. However, the Sun is not simply a geometric point. Sunrise is defined as the instant when the leading edge of the Sun’s disk becomes visible on the horizon, whereas sunset is the instant when the trailing edge of the disk disappears below the horizon. At these times, the center of the disk is already below the horizon. Furthermore, atmospheric refraction (or bending) of the Sun’s rays cause the Sun’s disk to appear higher in the sky than it would if the Earth had no atmosphere. Thus, in the morning, the upper edge of the disk is visible for several minutes before the geometric edge of the disk reachs the horizon. Similarly, in the evening, the upper edge of the disk disappears several minutes after the geometric disk has passed below the horizon.

For observers within a couple of degrees of the equator, the period from sunrise to sunset is always several minutes longer than the night. At higher latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere, the date of equal day and night occurs before the March equinox. Daytime continues to be longer than nighttime until after the September equinox. In the Southern Hemisphere, the dates of equal day and night occur before the September equinox and after the March equinox.

When are the times and dates of the next equinoxes and solstices?

The chart shown below shows the dates and times for the equinoxes and solstices through 2020. Times listed are in Eastern Time.  Subtract one hour for Central Time. (Source: U.S. Naval Observatory)

Is it true that you can stand an egg on end during the Spring Equinox?

The answer is YES. However, you can stand an egg on end, with a large amount of patience, on any day of the year. This idea seems to pop up every year around the equinox. The thought that an egg can only stand on end on the spring equinox due to gravitational forces of the sun being aligned with the earth sounds like science, but it isn’t. According to Chinese tradition, an egg can be made to stand on end at the precise moment winter ends and spring begins. But, the Chinese calendar had this transition occurring at a variable time each year, determined partly by the Chinese lunar month, usually in early February. More recently, this thought became fixed to the time of the spring equinox.

The underlying assumption relating to standing eggs on end is that there must exist some special gravitational balance. There are many forces acting on an egg when you try to stand it on end on a flat surface. Some people think that the gravitational pull of the Sun becomes balanced with that of the Earth to allow for this phenomenon to occur. However, the Moon exerts a much stronger gravitational effect on the Earth than the Sun, dominating the ebb and flow of the ocean tides. The Moon’s effects are different at each of the equinoxes however. The most dominant force of gravity on a standing egg is the one between the Earth and the egg itself. This is determined by the weight of the egg and the force pulling the egg to the counter top. 

If you want to prove this to yourself, take a fresh, uncooked egg and hold it with the larger end resting on a table or counter top. Wait for the fluid content of the egg to settle, then carefully test the balance. Be patient as you find the point where you can ever so gently let it go to remain standing on end.

What Is the Difference Between Astronomical Seasons and Climatological Seasons?

The change of the seasons, why it happens, what it depends on

Every hour, day after day, irreversible changes occur on planet Earth. Time goes forward, summer gives way to autumn, then winter comes, spring and again everything is in a circle. Adults consider this to be commonplace, but to children, on the contrary, it all seems like magic.

Contents:

• Day and night
• Why the seasons change
• Differences in seasons
• Videos

Day and night

Ever since school, each of us remembers that the planet Earth, of course, rotates around its axis. And this circle takes 24 hours, exactly as long as our day lasts. This is easy enough to understand. Yes, and it’s easy to explain to a child: “Now the sun is shining on our city, and in the evening it will shine from the other side of the planet, another year.” In summer, daylight hours are longer than nights, and vice versa in winter.

This is due to the fact that the axis of the earth has a slight slope. But there are two days in the year when the day lasts as many minutes as the night. Such days are called “the day of the spring and autumn equinoxes” or simply – the day of the solstice. These days fall on the 20th of March and September. At this time, both poles of the planet Earth are equally far from the planet Sun. nine0003

Why the seasons change

In addition to its own axis, the earth also rotates around the Sun. This circle needs much more time – one year. It is important to know that the planet Earth rotates not at a right angle, but at an angle. The axis always looks in one direction, it faces the polar star. As a result, the South and North Poles of the earth alternately tilt towards the Sun.

Why do the seasons change? In that part of the earth where the sun’s rays fall directly – summer, since the surface of the earth warms up very well from direct sunlight and receives much more light than the opposite. On the other side of the planet, it is winter, because there is not enough solar heat. At a time when both poles are at the same distance from the sun, spring or autumn comes on earth. nine0003

If it is summer in Asia, Africa, Oceania and South America, then it will be winter in Europe and North America. On some continents, winter and summer literally coexist. For example, Africa is 2/3 located in the Northern Hemisphere. Oceania and Asia are also divided into 2 hemispheres.

Perpendicular to the Earth’s axis, you can draw another line, right in the center. It’s called the equator. It is she who divides the globe into two hemispheres. Here both day and night last the same, and the differences between the seasons are almost imperceptible. This is because the Sun evenly heats this line, regardless of the position of the Earth. nine0003

So, it becomes clear that the planet Earth simultaneously moves in two planes:

1. Around its axis, which leads to a change of day and night.
2. Around the Sun – this affects the change of seasons.

Let’s recap. The change of seasons occurs because the North Pole faces the Sun, and the South is in the shade. If it is summer at the North Pole, then it is winter at the South Pole.

Differences of seasons

We know four seasons – summer, winter, autumn, spring. How are they different? nine0003

1. Spring. Three spring months – March, April, May . At this time of the year, everything wakes up after hibernation. The sun begins to shine brighter and warmer. The snow is slowly melting and you can see the first green grass, the first flowers – snowdrops. Animals come out of their burrows and lairs. Buds swell on the branches of trees, then the first leaves appear. Birds build nests and hatch chicks, all animals breed their offspring. In bad weather, it no longer snows, and precipitation looks like rain, thunder is heard, a rainbow may appear. nine0008
2. Summer . This time of the year is loved by all the inhabitants of the planet. June, July and August is the time for outdoor recreation and water. In some regions, the air temperature can rise to 30 degrees Celsius, sometimes even higher. People wear light clothes and refresh themselves by the ponds. All plants bear fruit. This is the time to stock up for the winter.
3. Autumn. For three months – September, October, November – all nature has time to prepare for climate change. The leaves on the trees take on yellow-red hues. Autumn is often called golden. All fruits ripen by this time and are ready to be eaten. Animals prepare their shelters, insulate them and hide food supplies. By the end of autumn, the trees shed their leaves. The air temperature drops, it becomes cool, rains become more frequent. In some cities and countries, in November it may already be snowing. nine0008
4. Winter . If it snows in your region in winter, then you do not have to be bored. Children are happy with the first snow as a new toy. In winter, they build snow slides and play snowballs. Pour skating rinks, run skiing. They build castles and various figures out of snow. Nature rests in winter. You will not find any leaves, flowers, or grass in the winter season.

Such an ordinary and, at first glance, simple phenomenon, combines such complex sciences as astronomy and physics. But all the changes in nature can be clearly and simply shown to the child. It is worth taking a ball or ball, pierce it with a knitting needle, bring it to a table lamp and slowly rotate it. The light from the lamp will slowly move around the ball. Thus, it will become clear how the seasons change on planet Earth. nine0003

Video

This video can be watched with children to explain to them why the seasons change.

For children about the seasons

From the moment of its birth, a child learns the world. At first, his attention is focused on the simplest things: rattles, colorful pictures, bright toys. As children grow older, their priorities become wider. The kid is already interested not only in the surrounding objects, but also in abstract concepts and phenomena. Parents, grandparents, nannies daily answer the questions of little why-do-it-yourselfers: why does the wind blow? Where does rain come from? Where does the sun hide in the evenings? Why is it cold in winter and hot in summer? nine0003

And how many of us today will remember how we ourselves once learned about all this? Hardly. Indeed, in the view of adults, this knowledge has always been with us. Although this is not true at all. For example, their parents told the current moms and dads about the seasons. And the way winter is replaced by spring was probably discussed more than once in kindergarten. And now it’s the turn to explain it to our little crumbs.

But how to make acquaintance with the seasons interesting? Just talking about all the seasons and their signs is not enough. It is important that the information is remembered by the crumbs for life. So, you need to use exciting teaching methods. Let’s talk in more detail about the games and exercises that are recommended to use during classes. nine0003

Learning the seasons: at what age should we start dating?

All child psychologists and preschool teachers believe that the most optimal age for learning is 4-4.5 years. The child is already old enough to memorize a large amount of information. Moreover, at this age he remembers consciously, that is, he can already understand the real difference between winter and summer, autumn and spring.

But it would be wrong not to introduce the baby to the seasons until the age of four. On the contrary, there are a lot of games and entertaining exercises for children 1.5-2 years old, thanks to which he will be able to learn the basic concepts. This is the best time to form ideas about the world around you. Every time you go out, comment on the weather. For example, it is raining or snowing, the sun is shining or clouds have appeared, cold or warm. Use associations: in autumn the leaves are yellow, and in spring they only bloom, in summer berries grow, and in winter there are only white snowdrifts around. This information will be stored in the memory of the child. nine0003

At the age of 2.5-3 years, children look at pictures with pleasure. Take any children’s book with colorful illustrations, show the child a picture and try to explain to him in simple terms what is shown there. Maybe he can do it himself. But if you see that the baby does not show interest in the book and pictures at all, it is better not to force him, but to wait for the right moment.

At 3.5-4 years old, the baby should already understand the difference between winter and summer, autumn and spring. If you regularly tell him about natural phenomena, then he will be able to describe the weather outside the window: for example, it is hot or cold outside, the wind is blowing or it is raining, it is sunny or the sky is covered with clouds. He can literally touch many of these phenomena with his hands. No need to forbid him to walk through a puddle or remove an icicle from the roof. Let him build a snowman, catch butterflies or pick flowers in a clearing – this way he will better remember the signs of each of the four seasons. nine0003

Probably by this age, the baby has already formed its own associations associated with fun and games: winter is sleds and snowballs, summer is a pool and a bicycle. In autumn, you can collect a bouquet of beautiful leaves, and in spring you can launch a boat along the stream. If before the age of 3-4 you have not yet begun to study the seasons, do not waste precious time and start getting acquainted with the seasons as soon as possible. By the age of 5, the child should already be well versed in natural phenomena so that they can focus on a more informative immersion in the topic. nine0003

Learning the right way

Of course, there is no universal methodology for teaching preschool children, because each of the kids is individual and develops in his own rhythm. But there are proven pedagogical practices, thanks to which the learning process will be interesting and effective.

As part of group classes (kindergarten or early childhood development centres), a review conversation should first be held, during which the teacher will be able to understand the real level of children’s knowledge about the seasons and natural phenomena. And then you can develop a plan to get acquainted with the seasons for the next classes. nine0003

Classes should not be too long, and the learning process itself is better to build in a playful way. Today you can find a lot of visual aids, books and colorful materials on the theme of nature and seasons. They are both for sale and online. Use them to keep toddlers interested and make every discussion fun.

Seasons and associations

No need to study the seasons in order. Start with contrasting seasons and associations with them:

Winter – cold, frost, snow, snowdrifts, New Year and Santa Claus, Christmas tree, gifts, warm jacket, hat and mittens. nine0003

Summer – heat, bright sun, flowers, butterflies, cycling, relaxing by the river, walking in the park.

The next stage is a conversation about the two remaining seasons:

Spring is the awakening of nature, streams, drops, the first green leaves, the return of birds.

Autumn – colorful decoration of trees, leaf fall, scarlet clusters of mountain ash, harvesting, rain and slush.

Use painterly imagery for every pore. Gradually, the child himself will begin to compose short stories about winter, spring, summer and autumn based on the plots of children’s books and pictures. nine0003

Draw, glue, sculpt

Among the huge range of visual aids, you can find many books and kits for creativity on the theme of “Seasons”. These can be coloring books, appliqué kits, “window” books. Use them to develop attention, imaginative thinking, fine motor skills of hands. And in parallel, discuss changes in nature.

Older children will find it useful to work with plasticine and natural materials. Blind together with the child a hedgehog carrying an apple on its back, and explain to him that this is how animals prepare for winter. Or use colored paper, glue and scissors to make an appliqué with butterflies and flowers or a snowman and tree. nine0003

Sticker books are available. Kids of any age like them, because with their help they can create colorful pictures with their own hands. The plots in these books can be absolutely anything. The main thing is that during the lesson the child learns to reason. Any ideas for creativity will be useful, and learning will be fun.

We play educational games

Puzzles, lotto, thematic cards – all this can be easily found on sale. Moreover, if you are focusing on the early and comprehensive education of the child, you should have as many different educational games as possible at your fingertips. Just do not forget that sets for educational games must be selected according to the age of the crumbs. Even if the picture shows a favorite story about forest animals, it is unlikely that a three-year-old kid will be able to assemble a puzzle with a lot of details. nine0003

And definitely a lotto with the simplest pictures will not be interesting for a child of 5-6 years old. At this age, preschoolers feel truly adults, so they are already ready to take it seriously. They have already observed the change of seasons more than once, which means they can tell a lot about the phenomena, nature, and behavior of animals at different times of the year. It’s time to expand your knowledge base. Why not study the weather on different continents?

Just don’t get too deep into this question. It is enough to tell the child that in some countries summer lasts almost all year round. The inhabitants of these places do not know what snow looks like. But penguins and polar bears live surrounded by ice and snowdrifts all the time. Surely it will not be so easy for a child to understand the cause of these phenomena, so you will have to briefly and in an accessible form explain that this is due to the difference in climatic zones. Use a map to explain, or better yet, a globe. There are atlases for preschoolers and models of the solar system on sale that will be useful for telling stories about how the seasons change. Show clearly that at some points on our planet the sun shines all year round, but somewhere its rays almost do not fall. This knowledge will definitely come in handy in school. nine0003

We sing and read poetry

Each season brings new colors, smells, sensations, phenomena. Find age-appropriate rhymes and songs, and your child will enjoy learning little quatrains about winter fun or summer fun. To make the game and learning interesting, songs can be sung along with him. And there are no less interesting riddles, proverbs and sayings.

Exercises and games for memorizing the seasons

If you study the seasons with children aged 3-4, be sure to use all possible methods: visual aids, outdoor games, associative series. So it will be easier for kids to perceive complex and not always clear information. nine0003

Observing and learning

This method is suitable for both home teaching and kindergarten. It is necessary to choose some object near the house or on the playground. It can be a tree, shrub, flower bed. Watch at least once a week to see how his appearance changes. And be sure to discuss with the children:

• In spring, the tree comes to life, small leaves appear.
• In summer there are a lot of leaves, and the tree seems to be wearing a green dress. If the wind blows, the leaves move, but do not fly around. nine0008
• In autumn, the leaves gradually begin to turn yellow and dry. The tree has changed from a green dress to an orange-red one and stands incredibly beautiful. And then the leaves begin to fall. Gather a beautiful bouquet and decorate the room.
• In winter, the tree stands completely without leaves. But he is not cold, because until spring he sleeps, covered with a blanket from a thick layer of snow.

By the way, the changes that occur with the object of observation can be captured on a camera.

Associations

Find colorful pictures of all the seasons and post them on the board. Also, pre-select images of different items of clothing – sunglasses, hats, panamas, jackets, T-shirts, boots, etc. The child should choose patterns for the appropriate season.

The association game can be expanded using other “seasonal” images: Christmas decorations, a net, a flower, vegetables and fruits, yellow leaves, snowflakes, a bicycle, an umbrella, a birdhouse.

The next exercise can also be called an association, but in reverse. The child needs to find an extra word or picture in the associative series. For example:

Summer – heat, butterflies, snow, flowers, berries.

Autumn – slush, New Year, yellow leaves.

For reverse associations, you can use both pictures with images and large printed words. Choose a game option according to the age of the children.

Active games

There are hardly any children who are able to sit still for at least ten minutes. Use children’s activity not only for playing, but also for learning.

The essence of the game is as follows: a child or an adult “shows” the season, and the other participants try to guess it. In this case, you can use any movements and actions that are associated with some season:

Spring – wave your arms imitating the arrival of birds, or bend over for the first flowers.

Summer – to make movements reminiscent of swimming in a river, or to show that it is very hot outside.

Autumn – to show that it is raining outside and you need to open an umbrella.

Winter – to show that it is cold outside, or to make movements resembling a game of snowballs.

A similar associative array can be used in another way. To do this, you need to choose an animal (for example, a small badger) and show its actions in different seasons. nine0003

Spring – the badger wakes up, stretches and leaves the hole.

Summer – having fun, playing, running around.

Autumn – it’s time to prepare for winter. The badger digs a mink and prepares supplies.

Winter – our badger goes to bed in a soft bed of leaves.

Learning the months

Once your baby has learned the difference between the seasons, you can start learning the months. After all, just knowing that it is cold in winter and warm in summer is not enough. It is important to understand that changes in nature occur gradually, from month to month. nine0003

First, explain to the child that there are three months in each season.

Winter – December, January, February.

Spring – March, April, May.

Summer – June, July, August.

Autumn – September, October, November.

And then you can start to get acquainted with each of the months.

Winter months

Perhaps we should start with the coldest season – winter. Moreover, this time is associated not only with frost and cold, but also with happy holidays and entertainment. nine0003

December

This is the most “tricky” month: it ends the year, but begins the winter. Discuss with the children everything related to December. Firstly, real colds are coming, so you need to dress warmer. Secondly, snow falls, which means that you can sculpt a snowman and go sledding. And of course, the New Year is the favorite holiday of the kids. In December, everyone decorates the Christmas tree, gives gifts and dances.

January

The middle of winter and the beginning of the calendar year. There is already a lot of snow outside the window, so it is difficult for the birds to find food for themselves. We need to make feeders for them. The sun also shines in January. But only it almost does not heat, so it is still impossible to walk without a hat and jacket. nine0003

February

In February, the first icicles appear. This is because the sun is very bright during the day. But it’s still cold at night. And a blizzard can start at any moment.

Spring months

Spring is the time of awakening.

March

Spring came, streams rang, birds sang in the morning. Nature gradually comes to life and awakens from sleep. The first thaws appear. Rooks arrive and walk through the fields with an important look.

April

In April, there is no trace of snow left, the earth thaws, green grass appears and the first yellow flowers appear – coltsfoot. All birds return together from warm countries and are engaged in the arrangement of nests. It’s getting warm outside, which means you can walk without a warm hat and jacket.

May

All the trees dressed up in green coats. Apple and cherry trees are covered with white flowers. In May, there are often rains and thunderstorms, but then the warm sun always shines. A little more, and summer will come. nine0003

Summer months

Summer is the warmest season and favorite time for children.

June

It’s getting quite warm outside, so you can walk around in a T-shirt and shorts. And the sun is starting to get hotter and hotter, which means it’s time to sunbathe. In the evenings crickets sing, grasshoppers jump in the grass.

July

This is the hottest month of the year and the best place to relax is the beach. Birds have offspring, juicy berries and fruits ripen.

August

August is not so hot, but you can still sunbathe and swim. Apples and pears are beginning to ripen in the orchards, but autumn is already approaching. Birds prepare their offspring for a long flight, forest animals stock up on food for the winter.

Autumn months

Autumn is the time to prepare for winter.

September

This is the month of bright colors. Well, when else can you see trees in such colorful decoration? The mountain ash in the yards is literally strewn with scarlet berries. Just don’t tear them up, they’re bird food during the long, cold winter. nine0003

October

The rainy season is starting. In the morning it is foggy and slushy outside the window. The sky is increasingly covered with clouds, although the sun often peeps through them. But it almost does not warm, so the birds are drawn to warmer climes.

November

It rains almost every day in November. Mornings are cold and gloomy. All the leaves from the trees flew around.

How to explain to a 5-6 year old child the reason for the change of seasons?

It is not so easy to explain to a little baby the reason for the change of seasons, because he still knows very little about our planet. Therefore, it is better to postpone the big bang theory until high school, and now limit ourselves to general information. Tell the kid that the Earth revolves around a huge and hot star – the Sun. It also rotates around its own axis. Therefore, the sun’s rays illuminate the surface of our planet in different ways, which is why it is warm in some countries and cold in others. nine0003

When the rays shine directly on our continent, spring and summer begin. Then the Earth gradually unfolds, the sun moves away, there are fewer warm rays. So autumn comes, and then winter. After the planet completes a full cycle of rotation, spring comes again.

For a preschooler, this knowledge will be enough to understand natural processes. To consolidate the information, make up a story with your child about the seasons and the phenomena that occur in spring, summer, autumn and winter. For example:

1. In spring, the sun begins to shine brighter and longer, which means that the day lengthens and becomes warmer. The snow is gradually melting, birds are returning from distant lands. The first green leaves, grass, flowers appear.
2. In summer, the Earth is bathed in sunshine, which is why it is warm outside not only during the day, but also at night. There are many bright flowers in the meadows, berries ripen in the forest, and fruits in the garden. Butterflies flutter around and bees buzz. Even the water in the river warms up, so you can swim and freeze. nine0008
3. In autumn the sun is no longer so bright and warm, so nature begins to prepare for sleep. The leaves turn yellow and fall, it often rains, the birds fly south. It’s harvest time.
4. In winter, the sun’s rays only slightly touch the Earth. It gets very cold, it often snows.

If the child shows interest in this topic, then you can tell him about other phenomena. For example, about the fact that the same time of year is not everywhere on the planet now. If we have summer, then it is winter on another continent. Of course, you should not dive too deeply into the topic and tell the crumbs about the tilt of the earth’s axis. At this stage, general information is enough. nine0003

Summing up

All children without exception are inquisitive. Regardless of age, they are interested in everything that happens around them. Adults should be prepared for the fact that as soon as the baby learns to speak, he will begin to ask questions about everything in the world. Try not to leave these questions unanswered. Moreover, today there are a lot of available methods and manuals for training.