This week we explored with the little ones how day and night come about.
We uncovered the mysteries of the Earth's rotation — the very thing nobody feels and everybody lives through. It is one of the first scientific ideas where a child has to disbelieve what they see: the sun appears to move across the sky and the ground appears to stand still, yet it is precisely the other way round. That moment counts for more than the fact itself, because it is the first time a child learns that direct observation is not always enough.
We worked with concrete objects, because a movement is best understood by watching it. When the light source stays put and the globe turns, you can see clearly why the lit side becomes the dark side and why night does not fall everywhere at once. From this comes one of the best questions children ask on this topic: if it is night here, where is it day right now?
It was an activity that left behind memories full of enthusiasm and curiosity — and the curiosity outlasted the lesson.