Why Does It Stay Dark for Half a Year at the Poles? Explaining Polar Night to 7-Year-Olds

Hi there! Have you ever noticed that during the night it gets dark, and during the day it is light? Well, at the North Pole and South Pole, something very special happens – sometimes the sun doesn't wake up at all for many days! This is called polar night.

Here's why that happens:

• The Earth is like a big ball that spins around. As it spins, the sun shines on different parts, making day and night.
• But the Earth is also tilted a little bit. That means one of the poles (top or bottom of Earth) can point away from the sun for a long time.
• When the pole points away, the sun stays under the horizon and doesn't come up – so it's dark for many days or even months!
• This is why at the poles, there can be a long night called polar night where the sun doesn’t rise for half a year.

So even though most places get daytime every day, at the poles, the Earth’s tilt makes it so the sun hides for a very long time. Isn't that amazing?