Weather vs Climate for Kids: Climates Around the World (Grade 3 Science)

Hi, I'm Luna from DoodleBeez. Is it sunny or rainy where you are today? That is the weather. But what is it usually like there, year after year? That is the climate. Let's learn the difference!

Weather is what the air is like right now, or this week. It can change quickly. Climate is the usual pattern of weather in a place, measured over many years, often thirty years or more.

Here is an easy way to remember. Weather is like your mood today, and climate is like your personality. One rainy day in a desert does not change its dry climate.

Near the North and South Poles, the climate is polar. It is very cold for most of the year, with lots of ice and snow. Polar bears live in the far north, and penguins live in the far south.

Near the equator, the climate is tropical. It is hot all year long, and many tropical places get lots of rain. That warm, wet weather helps thick rainforests grow, full of plants and animals.

Deserts have a dry climate, with very little rain each year. Many places, like much of southern Canada, have a temperate climate, with warm summers, cold winters and four clear seasons.

Now it's your turn. A place is hot all year round and gets lots of rain. Is its climate polar, desert or tropical? Pause and try. It is tropical! Rainforests grow in climates like this.

Great job! Remember, weather is what is happening now, and climate is the usual weather over many years. Polar is cold, tropical is hot and wet, and deserts are dry. Practice climates in the Science Lab at doodlebeez.com. See you next time!