As the earth revolves around the sun, the amount of daylight or darkness we see changes, and so do the seasons. December 21st is the first official day of winter, and is marked by the Winter Solstice here in the Northern Hemisphere — better know as the shortest day of the year! This is when we get the least daylight hours of any other date on the calendar.
As wintertime kicks off, we can all get excited for what it brings. Snow forts, snow ball fights, and snowmen! And, of course, cuddling up with loved ones to enjoy a hot cider and seasonal stories read aloud on the coldest of days.
Celebrate the change of season with crafts, activities for indoors and out, and great educational resources for the whole family below. We’ll learn all about the Winter Solstice, explore what causes the seasons, and plan fun projects for the months ahead.
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Learn About Seasonal Science
Dinosaurs in the Snow
Grades PreK-K
In this episode of Dinosaur Train, the Pteranodon family visits the North Pole. They learn how snow is formed, that the North Pole is dark during the winter because the Earth is tilting away from the sun, and that creatures living there adapted to the climate with features such as feathers.
Daylight Hours and the Sun’s Apparent Path
Grades 3-5
Explore the duration of daylight and the Sun’s apparent path in the sky in a northern hemisphere location during the solstices with this adapted WorldWide Telescope video. This resource gives students an opportunity to observe differences in the Sun’s apparent path across the sky and make evidence-based claims about the changing duration of daylight in summer and winter.
Weird Winter Phenomena | Spot on Science
Grades 3-8
A very cold winter brings wondrous icy objects! Did you know everyday bubbles can become hard ice bubbles? And, that Lake Michigan’s waves can roll ice balls? If that isn’t cool enough, learn how rivers and smaller lakes can produce spiraling ice circles when warm weather brings a thaw.
What Color is the Moon? | It’s Okay to Be Smart
Grades 6-12
Check out this mind bending video from It’s Okay to Be Smart all about how the color of the moon might not be what we think it is. After learning about how our brains process color and brightness, look up at the moon on the longest night of the year. We bet you won’t see it in the same light!
Why Seasons Make No Sense | It’s Okay to Be Smart
Grades 9-12
Day by day, country by country, we tend to measure seasons differently. This video explains why we divide the years into seasons here in the Northern Hemisphere, how it lines up with the weather, and where the practice has its roots.
Crafts, Activities & More
Elinor Wonders Why Science Notebook
Grades PreK-K
Encourage you child to be like a scientist and keep track of her winter season learning in this science notebook. Use the charts and tables to organize thinking, document findings, and record data from scientific investigations.
Make an Ice Sculpture
Grades PreK-3
Observe how temperature affects water as you create a frozen ice sculpture.
8 Children’s Books to Celebrate Winter
Grades PreK-5
Whether it’s snowing outside or simply a chill in the air, winter is coming. Grab your cozy blankets and fill your mugs with hot chocolate as you say goodbye to fall with these eight winter-themed picture books.
Stargazing and Other Astronomy Activities
Grades PreK-5
Space is a fascinating and sometimes confusing topic for kids. With the shortest day of the year comes a great opportunity to do some stargazing and start exploring the cosmos! Take your child’s curiosity further with a few simple ways to learn about the wonders of astronomy together.
Why Do We Have Seasons?
Grades 3-12
Explore what causes seasons on Earth in this interactive adapted from NASA materials that features four cities at different latitudes. Use this resource to view how Earth’s axial tilt causes seasons from different perspectives and to develop and use models of sunlight received at Earth’s surface.