Facts About Spring

Celebrate the Spring season with your kids and learn lots of Facts about Spring including weather, amount of sunlight, and holidays.

These Facts About Spring are full of all kinds of holiday season fun, and a whole lot of HAPPY. Learn with us all about Spring with these fun facts and we have some added crafts and printables that will make you love this season as much as we do!

Before we get into all of HAPPY Spring, don't forget to check out the last season, Winter Facts.

Spring Season

As the weather changes throughout the year, there are four different changes that occur. These four changes are called seasons. The four different seasons are Spring, Summer, Fall (or Autumn), and Winter!

There are two terms that are used when talking about seasons, equinoxes and solstices.

Equinox is when the sun's position is exactly over the Earth's equator which results when there are equal amount of daylight hours and darkness. There are two times a year this happens (Start of Spring and Start of Fall)
Solstices are a day within the year when there is the most amount of daylight and least amount of darkness. This too only happens two times in a year. (Start of Summer and Start of Winter)

Spring in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres is caused when the Earth’s axis in that hemisphere is tilted towards the sun. This not only means that number of daylight hours increase, but that with the added daylight from the longer days, the overall temperatures raises resulting in warmer weather.

When Does Spring Start?

Spring falls in the months of March, April, and May in the Northern Hemisphere (North of the Equator). In the Southern Hemisphere, it falls in September, October, and November.

The start of Spring season in the United States (Northern Hemisphere) starts on the Vernal Equinox, otherwise known as the Spring Equinox or March Equinox. The first day of fall is the same day in the Southern Hemisphere.

The vernal equinox is the day when the hours of daylight equals the hours of nighttime.

Spring Season Start Dates

Each season has two different start dates. There is an astronomical start and a meteorological start.

The astronomical start date is based on the Sun's position in relation to Earth. Spring's astronomical start date is typically on either March 20th or March 21st. It starts on September 22nd or September 23rd in the Southern Hemisphere.
The meteorological start date is based on the calendar as well as the annual temperature cycle. Spring's meteorological start date is always March 1st.

When Does Spring End?

The Spring season typically lasts about 3 months. Based on the meteorological spring ends on the last day of May on May31st.

Based on the astronomical season the end date is typically June 21st or June 22nd. This is dependent on the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year!

How Did Spring Get Its Name

The name "Spring" has revolved over the years. In Old English, it was named Lent. Then at some point by the 14th century, that time of year was called "springing time" in reference to the plants and flowers springing from the ground. By the 15th century, it was shortened to "spring-time" and then by the 16th century it was further shortened to Spring.

The first day of spring is also known as the vernal equinox. The word vernal is Latin for "Spring" and additionally equinox is Latin for "equal night"

Interesting Facts About Spring

The spring equinox marks the start of six months of uninterrupted daylight at the North Pole and correspondingly six months of darkness at the South Pole.
The spring and fall equinoxes are the only two times during the year when the sun rises directly due east and sets due west.
Scientist believe the term "Spring Fever" to be a real thing that happens to people in Spring. With longer daylight and warmer weather, people become more active increasing blood flow, creativity and ultimately are more HAPPY!
The phrase "April Showers bring May Flowers" comes from a poem from the 1500s by Thomas Tusser.

Tulips are one of the first flowers to bloom in Spring. They mean HAPPINESS! (our favorite)
The folklore around Groundhog Day (February 2nd) is when people look to the groundhog to predict based on whether he sees his shadow if there will be an early Spring or six more weeks of Winter.
Tornados are more common in Spring as are thunderstorms.
Children grow faster in Spring than any other time of year.
Spring birthdays stones are aquamarine, diamond, emerald and pearl.

Spring Animal Facts

For animals that hibernate, Spring marks the end of hibernation.
Honeybees swarm in Spring looking for a new place for a hive.
Another sign of Spring is the increase of butterflies hatching.
Ducks begin to hatch during Spring.
Baby chicks and baby birds are born with the ability to sing, but it isn't until they hear the other birds sings in Spring that they learn to sing.

Spring in Different Parts of the World

The start of spring is marked by the opening of the cherry blossoms, Japan's national flower.
In China they follow the lunar calendar, and the start of Spring is marked with the Chinese New Year.
Spring in southern hemisphere countries like Australia and New Zealand happens in September.

Chichen Itza, a famous pyramid in Mexico, has thousands of visitors at the beginning of spring to see a snake-shaped shadow on one of its walls.
The Egyptian build the Great Sphinx so that it points directly at the sun on the Spring Equinox.

Daylight Saving Time Facts

The idea of daylight saving time, also called daylight savings time, is to set your clocks forward one hour so that there is more daylight in the evenings and less in the morning.

There are two dates where the clock is moved for Daylight Saving Time. The first is the Spring to move the clocks forward one hour, and the second is in the Fall or Autumn to move the clock back one hour.
The Spring Daylight Savings move happens on the second Sunday in March. Equally the Fall Daylight Savings move happens on the first Sunday in November.
It last 34 weeks in the United States.
Benjamin Franklin first proposed daylight savings time in 1784. It was implemented till after the end World War II.
Arizona and Hawaii are the only two states that do not observe Daylight Saving Time. They have enough sunlight and heat.
Germany was the first country to implement daylight saving time.

Easter Facts

Easter is the Christian holiday celebrating the day Jesus Christ rose from the dead.
Easter Falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the spring equinox
The idea of the Easter bunny was brought to the U.S. by Dutch settlers in the 1700s.
The largest Easter egg ever made was over 25 feet high.
Over 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies are made each year.

Earth Day Facts

Earth day is a day to honor the achievement of the modern environmental movement and raise awareness of protecting Earth through conservation and sustainability.
Earth Day is also known as International Mother Earth Day
Earth Day is on April 22nd every year.
The first Earth Day was in 1970 in the United States.
Earth Day was taken internationally in 1990 and is now recognized by over 141 countries.

Cinco De Mayo Facts

Cinco de Mayo is Spanish for the "Fifth of May", and is celebrated on May 5th every year.
It is a national holiday in Mexico
On May 5, 1862, the Mexican troops defeated the French in a battle at Puebla, Mexico.
It is NOT Mexico's Independence Day.
Mole is a celebratory food eaten on Cinco De Mayo. It is a sauce made up of chili peppers, chocolate and lots of other ingredients served over chicken.
The largest Cinco de Mayo celebration in the world is held in downtown Los Angeles.

Memorial Day Facts

Memorial Day is an United States federal holiday honoring and remember the soldiers that died in a nation's war.
It was originally called Decoration Day
Memorial Day was first intended for the fallen soldiers of the Civil War. It was after World War I, that it was expanded to any American war.
Memorial Day is celebrated every year on the last Monday in May.
There is a special way to hang a flag on Memorial Day. The proper way is to raise the flag to the top quickly and then slowly lower it to half-mast until noon. Then raise it to the top of the flag pole for the rest of the day.

Mother's Day Fun Facts

Mother's Day is day to honor mothers.
Mother's Day occurs on the second Sunday in May every year.
The traditional flower of Mother's day is a carnation.
There are over 122 million calls are made on Mother's Day which is are more calls than any other day of the year.
Mother's Day is one of the busiest days of the year for restaurants.

Spring Holidays

There are quite a few holidays that fall in the Spring season. Especially based on the meteorological season March 20 or 21 through June 21 or 22.

March Holidays

Daylight Saving Time
St. Patrick's Day
Easter
Passover

April Holidays

April Fool's Day
Easter
Passover
Earth Day
Arbor Day

May Holidays

June Holidays

Flag Day
Father's Day
Juneteenth Day

*If you're going off the meteorological start of Spring - March 1st, all March holidays are part of Spring, consequently if we're going off the astronomical end date of Spring, most of June is part of Spring.

Other Fun Spring Activities

In addition to these Fun Spring Facts for kids, Spring comes with blooming flowers and lots of fun holidays and activities. Have fun getting outside in nature as well as celebrating the holidays can be all kinds of fun for kids of all ages. We have lots of different Spring crafts, printables, and coloring pages too!

Spring Crafts

If you are looking for some fun Spring Crafts, then you won't want to miss our additional crafts.

Spring Printables

Spring printables are not only loaded with lots of fun printable crafts, but also games and puzzles. Our Spring specifics include Spring Bingo, Spring Word Search, Spring Word Scramble, in addition to Spring Bucket List. Other Spring Printables include

Spring Coloring Pages

Download Free Printable Facts About Spring Infographic

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Facts About Spring

Spring Season