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 known 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. Fun filled afternoons of sledding, building 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, videos, and activities for indoors and out that the whole family will enjoy. Learn all about the Winter Solstice, explore what causes the seasons, and plan fun projects for the months ahead with the great resources below.
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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.
Wintertime Creature Powers | Wild Kratts
Grades K-2
Join the Kratt brothers to learn about wintertime creature adaptations. Forest creatures like otters, showshoe hares, lynx, and even porcupines are active during the winter. Some birds, like blue jays and chickadees, don’t travel south for the winter. They stick around, forage for food, and use their layered feathers to keep warm.
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.
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
Winter Wonderland Terrarium
All Ages
Celebrate the Winter Solstice by making your very own winter wonderland terrarium! What kinds of things would belong in a winter wonderland terrarium? Hunt for objects outside or around the house that would fit this season. With just a few simple crafting supplies and some creativity, you can get started!
Make an Ice Sculpture
Grades PreK-3
Observe how temperature affects water as you create a frozen ice sculpture.
12 Children’s Books About Our Magnificent Moon
Grades PreK-5
Throughout history, the moon has inspired myths and legends, cultural and family traditions, movies, art, architecture, books, and poetry. Check out this list of books for a fascinating look at the magnificence of the Earth’s moon!
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.