First Day of Summer
Summer solstice is today. Today is the longest amount of light and the shortest amount of darkness in the northern hemisphere. Today is also the shortest amount of light and the longest amount of darkness (start of winter) in the southern hemisphere. Children can learn more at: Summer Solstice.
Can’t Wait for Summer Beach Days
Today is the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere and the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. The word solstice means “the sun stands still.” The amount of daylight is shortest and the amount of darkness is the most for the whole year today in the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the amount of daylight is the longest, and the amount of darkness is the shortest. Different cultures mark the day in different ways. Children could read about some of those celebrations in The Return of the Light: Twelve Tales from Around the World for the Winter Solstice by Caroline McVicker Edwards. They could also visit a very interesting website at: Winter Solstice.