We finally find ourselves in that time of year that kids everywhere dread – the return of the school year. Throughout this Summer Learning series, we’ve aimed to incorporate continued education into your child care. Learning is such a vital part of early development, and we hope you’ve found these topics interesting and fun to teach children about!
To round out the series, we’re covering seasons around the world to explore the geography and cultural significance of seasons on our diverse planet. Enjoy!
Winter in Alaska
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Winter is difficult to imagine for Washingtonians. Though our winter season does share similarities with Alaskans, such as the length of the season and weather consistency, it differs from our own in many ways. Beginning in October and lasting through May (sound a little familiar?) the Alaska’s winter is frigid and dark. Throughout the bulk of that time, Alaska averages just seven hours of daylight due to its position far north on Earth. Despite being dark and cold, many Alaskans revel in their winter season enjoying serene blankets of white, powdery snow, icy traditions like the Iditarod dog sled race, and even the occasional appearance of the Aurora Borealis.
Source: Aurora borealis—or Northern Lights—over Alaska, Keith Ramos/USFWS, Public Domain, https://www.fws.gov/media/aurora-borealis-or-northern-lights-over-alaska
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL?
Alaskans are known for making the most of their climate in winter. In addition to the Aurora Borealis, popular activities in Alaska during winter include ice fishing, snowmobiling, skiing, and dog sledding. In the Pacific Northwest, we tend to look for indoor activities during our winter unless we’re looking to go skiing or snowboarding ourselves. Alaska is a popular winter getaway destination, and some people even go on cruises to Alaska in the winter to experience glaciers and arctic wildlife. Alaska is also home to the Iditarod dog sled race, the World Ice Championships featuring incredible, dazzling ice sculptures, and the largest fishing tournament on the West Coast, the Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament.
Fun Facts to Share
- The coldest temperature ever recorded in Alaska was in 1971 when temperatures hit 80 degrees below zero. That’s -80° F or -62° C.
- Valdez, Alaska averages 300 inches of snow each year. That’s 23 inches more than the average of 277 inches across all of Washington State.
- Sled dog racing is Alaska’s state sport.
- In 2011, a geographic survey found that Alaska was home to around 27,000 glaciers.
- The Aurora Borealis appears in Alaska skies an average of over 240 nights or 66% of the year.
Spring in Japan
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
Not unlike spring in Washington State, as February gives way to March, mountain snow begins to melt, and the temperatures begin to rise. Though winter sports like skiing and snowboarding typically stay open throughout March and into April, at lower elevations, spring in Japan is known for the flowers that bloom throughout the country. Plum blossoms tend to signal the beginning of spring, blooming on trees around February and March, while people wisteria comes into season later around the end of April. Most notable, however, is the cherry blossoms, or sakura, that color prominent cities like Kyoto, a beautiful and vibrant shade of pink. At the end of every April, Japan celebrates “Golden Week” where citizens throughout the country go on vacation, escaping the hustle and bustle of everyday life and relaxing before the summer takes full effect.
Source: Jake Weirick via unpslash.com
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL?
If you’ve ever been to the University of Washington in spring, you know how exciting cherry blossoms are. Cherry blossoms are hard to predict and only bloom for a short while, so experiencing them in person can be a rare sight. In Japan, sakura is a significant part of Japanese history. From ancient emperors practicing the art of Hanami, or beholding the fleeting beauty of cherry blossoms, to their original use of diving harvest, sakura feature prominently throughout Japan’s culture. People travel from all over the world to experience Japan’s sakura season in full bloom. The cherry blossoms breathe life throughout the cities and towns of Japan with festivals conducted across the country and sakura-flavored items everywhere like teas, coffees, and even Kit-Kat bars!
Fun Facts to Share
- You can follow the cherry blossom forecast in Japan online.
- The sherry blossom is the unofficial national flower of Japan and appears on the 100 Yen coin.
- May 5th is Children’s Day in Japan when Japanese families fly banners in the shape of fish for each child in their household.
- Strawberries are featured in many desserts and sweet treats in spring as Japan has a high output of strawberries throughout the season.
- In 1912, Japan gifted 3,000 sakura trees to the United States in honor of the friendship between the two nations.
Summer in Australia
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
The most interesting thing about summer in Australia is when it takes place. Here in the United States, we think of our summer season as June through August. In Australia, however, due to its location in the Southern Hemisphere, summer falls between December and February. It’s marked by warm days at the beach, arid and hot days in the outback, and summer rains in the tropical. North. Australian natives and tourists alike can be found snorkeling, diving, surfing, hiking, kayaking, and more. Similar to Washingtonians in the summer, Australians love their outdoor activities!
Source: Adrian Rem via unpslash.com
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL?
You may have been able to tell based on the variety of weather in the summer, but Australia isn’t just one big sunny location in the summer like Los Angeles or Seattle might tend to be. Due to its size and tropical locale, Australian summers can be humid, dry, rainy, or warm depending on where you are. Additionally, the wildlife in Australia adapts to the Australian summer each year. Koalas sit still in the shade of trees to avoid the summer sun. Kangaroos lick themselves to keep cool since they don’t sweat. Snakes are active in the summer because the cold-blooded bodies use the heat to warm up.
Fun Facts to Share
- The days are longer in the summer in Australia because the Earth is tilted on its axis and the South Pole faces the sun much of the Australian summer.
- Many of the trees in Australia produce fruit in the summer like apricots, peaches, and cherries.
- Similar to trees in the winter here in Washington, many plants in Australia stop growing in the summer as they’re in a resting state to preserve energy.
- While most Australians refer to the same seasons as us (summer, fall, winter, and spring) some communities in Australia consider the year to have five or six seasons.
Fall in Demark
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
The Danish consider their fall to begin when the children begin returning to school in mid-August. By late August, the air is crisp and chilly, leaves begin changing in September, and many are bare by the end of October in preparation for winter. Many people in Denmark try to make the most of the transition from summer to fall taking extra long walks, going on hikes, having picnics, and generally trying to enjoy the sunlight they have before the days become long and dark in the winter. Most notably, Denmark comes to live with autumnal colors in fall as the leaves begin to change with the country highly populated by deciduous (or not evergreen) trees.
Source: Daniel Rasmussen – Copenhagen Media Center via visitdenmark.com
WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL?
Fall is the season of “hygge” in Denmark. Hygge is an elusive concept that can be best described as escaping the outside world, enjoying time with ones you love or even spending some time relaxing alone, and just generally slowing down and leaning into the simpler pleasures of life. We can all probably relate the concept of coziness in the fall and Danish culture embraces it in full force as they prepare to hunker down for a cold winter. People enjoy hearty, comforting food with family and old friends, celebrate the Golden Days Festival in Copenhagen, and even get a little spooky taking part in Halloween festivities.
Fun Facts to Share
- A little less than half of the forests in Denmark are made up of trees that will change colors in the fall.
- Denmark receives most of its rain in September and October due to the high amount of snow in their winter.
- Denmark is one of the happiest countries in the world which likely contributes to their ability to celebrate hygge together!
- Tourists travel from all over the world to experience fall in Denmark and its many, beautifully colored changing leaves.