Sunlight for Kids: How the Sun Warms Things Up (Kindergarten and Grade 1 Science)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Have you ever touched a slide on a sunny day? It felt warm, right? Today we will find out how sunlight warms up the things all around us.

The Sun is a giant ball of hot, glowing gas, very far away. It sends out light and heat. When sunlight reaches Earth, it warms the land, the water, the air, and even you!

Let's test it. Put one rock in the sunshine and one rock in the shade. Wait an hour, then touch them both. The rock in the sun feels warmer, because the sunlight warmed it.

Sunlight warms water too. A puddle in the sun gets warmer than a puddle in the shade. Sand at the beach can get very hot in the afternoon sun, so we wear sandals!

Some things warm up more than others. Dark colors soak up more sunlight than light colors. A black shirt in the sun feels hotter than a white shirt. That is why light colors help on hot days.

Shade blocks sunlight, so it keeps things cooler. Trees, umbrellas and hats all make shade. On a hot day, rest in the shade, drink water, and wear a sun hat to stay cool and safe.

Now it's your turn. One chocolate bar sits on a sunny windowsill, and another sits in a shady cupboard. Which one will melt? Pause and try. The one in the sun melts, because sunlight warms it up!

Great job! Remember, the Sun sends light and heat to Earth. Things in sunlight get warmer than things in the shade, and dark colors warm up faster. Practice sunlight and warming in the Science Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!