For families & teachers
Why do the seasons change?
Earth is tilted as it travels around the Sun. That tilt changes how directly sunlight reaches a place and how long its days last during the year.
Try the adventure
When the northern half of Earth leans toward the Sun, it gets more direct sunlight and longer days: it is summer there. At the same time, the southern half leans away and has winter. About half a year later, the roles reverse. Earth keeps its axis pointing in roughly the same direction as it goes around the Sun. It does not tip back and forth to choose a season. Different places experience seasonal changes differently; not every place has snowy winters or four sharply distinct seasons.
Explore together
- Open the seasons garden. Move through the year and notice the garden and sunlight changing together.
- Switch between the northern and southern hemispheres at the same point in the year. Compare their seasons.
- Try changing the tilt. Compare the normal tilted Earth with no tilt and describe what changes in the model.
One thing to remember
Earth’s seasons mainly come from its tilt, not from being closer to the Sun in summer. The two hemispheres share the same Earth–Sun distance on any given day but have opposite seasons. Use that clue when a child suggests that summer means Earth has moved nearer the Sun.
Science reference: NASA ↗
