Why do days get shorter in Winters? Science Explained for Kids

When your part of Earth leans away from the Sun, it gets less sunlight. (Image: Canva)

Did you know that Earth is not straight up? It is tilted at an angle of about 23.5 degrees. This tilt is the main reason we have seasons. When one part of Earth leans away from the Sun, it gets less sunlight. This happens during winter, making the days shorter and nights longer.

Sun’s Path Across the Sky

In winter, the Sun doesn’t rise very high in the sky. It travels a shorter path from sunrise to sunset. Because of this, daylight lasts fewer hours than in summer. Even though the Sun still rises and sets, it looks lower and weaker.

Why Nights Are Longer?

When the Sun spends less time in the sky, nighttime naturally gets longer. Longer nights mean colder temperatures because the Sun’s warmth has less time to reach the ground. This the reason why winter feels chilly and nights feel extra-long compared to summer.

Shortest Day of the year

Did you know the shortest day of the year is called the Winter Solstice? It usually happens around December 21 or 22 in the northern hemisphere. On this day, daylight lasts the least number of hours all year. After the solstice, the days slowly start getting longer again!

When you notice early sunsets in winter, just remember this happens because Earth is tilted and the Sun travels low. Short days and long nights are just part of how Earth moves in space.