How do I explain daylight savings time to a 4 year old?

Question

My daughter is confused. Tonight when we ate dinner there was still light outside but we ate at our regular time. my daughter said that we are supposed to eat when it is dark. It told her it was because of daylight savings time. Now she wants to know what that is. Please only answers that will tell her the truth but in a simple way that a 4 year old can grasp.

I told her that the government "the people who make the rules" wanted us to so that we will have more light in the evening and so we won't have to use out lights in the house. The will save money on the power bill. It is the truth but I still wanted to try to explain it better without the "made up fairytale stuff"

Answer 1

You answered her perfectly! Of course we should give them the truth. It is so respectful to do so. Like the other poster said, you could give her some history as it did have to do with farming initially, I believe.

Answer 2

"Spring Foward, Fall Back". It was a song and dance my daughter's kindergarten class did twice a year to get them to remind parents about changing the clocks. It's kind of like "The Time Warp" You jump forward and shake your hips singing "time to spring forward"...then you jump back and shake your hips singing" time fall back". Doens't matter what tune you sing to. If you really want to get into more detail tell her it is so that the farmers can get the cows out of the barns earlier in the Spring/summer so they can eat the sweeter grasses that grown in the spring and summer and give lots of healthy milk for the rest of the year.

Answer 3

I say, earlier while interior the circumstances of my grandparents they have been attempting to regulate the quantity of gasoline getting used for lighting fixtures so as that extra of it ought to pass to the conflict attempt as a replace. hence, we nevertheless comply, although do no longer question me why! they might desire to alter it throughout the week day, and we ought to all pass domicile one hour early as a replace of dropping an hour on Sunday hmm?

Answer 4

sounds like you have a bright little girl and nothing gets past her. you might try telling her that it all began long time ago way before mommy and daddy and grandma and grandpa was little like you. a man name Ben Franklin thought it would be a good idea to change the time so the farmers could work outside longer......you'll be surprised how smart your daughter really is when she repeats what you told her.
......Ps...good job mom!

Answer 5

Tell her that the sun decided that he wanted to stay out and play for a little longer because summertime in coming. and when winter time comes he will go to bed early.

Answer 6

Tell her that we change the clock in the springtime so there is more time to play at the end of the day in the sunlight.

Answer 7

Tell her that in the summertime, we like it to be light out at night so we can play longer, so we change our clocks. Then let her watch you change a clock.

Answer 8

Tell her it's when the world has to jump ahead an hour to get ready for spring. I dont know if this will help but its the only thing I can think of.

Answer 9

DEAR

SAY EVERY SPRING WHEN IT IS LIGHT OUT SIDE THE EASTER BUNNY COMES

AND WHEN IT IS DARK OUT SIDE THE THANKS GIVING
TURKEY COMES

AND THEN SANTA CLAUSE OK

TAKE CARE PS SHOW HER A CA LANDER AND THE THREE MONTHS OK

Answer 10

she probably already forgot but in case she hasn't, you might tell her that the sun wants to go wake up a little earlier so we set our clocks an hour ahead so we don't forget to wake him.