Hello, little explorers! 👋
The cold is going away, and the snow is turning into puddles! Spring is here 🌷!
Soon, trees will get green leaves back, and pretty flowers will pop up everywhere! And all the sleepy animals, like bears and hedgehogs, will wake up from their long winter naps!
Why Do Seasons Change?
In places like where we live, spring comes in March 🌸, but in other parts of the world, like Australia, spring starts in September! It’s like they have their party at a different time! 🥳 🌞 But why do the seasons change?
Well, our planet Earth 🌏 moves around the Sun ☀️! But because the Earth is a bit tilted when it spins, different parts of the world get more sunshine at different times of the year. That’s why we have seasons:
🔹 When one side of Earth leans toward the Sun, it is summer.
🔹 When it leans away, it is winter.
🔹 The time between them, when the days start getting warmer or cooler, is spring and autumn!
Countries With Different Seasons
Some places, like where we might live, get to have four seasons: spring with flowers 🌸, summer with sunshine ☀️, fall (autumn) with colorful leaves 🍂, and winter with snow ❄️!
But other places, near the middle of the Earth (the equator) or way up north or down south (near the poles), have only two seasons: a rainy season 🌧️ with lots of splashing, and a dry season ☀️ with lots of sunshine!
Some lucky places, like Hawaii and the Philippines, are warm all year round! 🌴 It’s like they’re always having a summer vacation!
Fun Facts About Things Happening In Spring! 🌷
1️⃣ The days get longer in spring, which means more time to play outside!
2️⃣ The first flowers, like tulips and daffodils, reappear and start blooming. 🌺
3️⃣ Animals wake up from hibernation, like bears and hedgehogs! 🐻🦔
4️⃣ Many birds come back from warm countries. 🐦
5️⃣ Farmers plant new crops to grow food. 🌾
6️⃣ Spring Cleaning Time! Many people clean their houses in the spring to get rid of winter dust. 🧹
7️⃣Many cultures celebrate spring as a time of new beginnings and hope with Spring Festivals. 🎉
Easter, the most important holiday for many people around the world, is happening in Spring. Read about Eater Traditions in different countries.
In Japan, people have a festival called Hanami, when they enjoy cherry blossoms on a family picnic in parks 🌸.
In India, Holi is celebrated as the Festival of Colours, Love, and Spring. People playfully throw colored powder and water at each other, signifying a time of joy and renewal.
Birds Return From Warm Countries In Spring! 🕊️
One of the biggest signs of spring is the return of birds from warm countries.
Many birds fly south for the winter. However, some common winter birds stay in the same place year-round. Let’s meet some of them!
Birds of the USA
Birds That Stay for Winter
These birds stay all winter: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, House Finch, House Sparrow, Blue Jay, Great Horned Owl 🦉, Northern Cardinal, 🦅 Bald Eagle (National bird of the USA)
Migratory Birds in the USA
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are known for their extraordinary flight capabilities. They can “freeze” in air, fly forwards and backward, and even upside down.
Canada Goose – the largest goose and maybe most common bird across the country, nesting on park lakes and reservoirs.
Sandhill Crane is among the most iconic migratory waterbirds in North America.
Rare birds that can be found in the USA
California Condor isn’t just the largest bird in North America, it’s also the rarest. California Condors are also long-lived birds, surviving up to 60 years in the wild.
Whooping Crane is an incredible bird and the tallest bird in North America. Currently, there are only about 600 whooping cranes.
Birds of Ukraine
Birds That Stay for Winter
These birds stay all winter: Western barn owl, Domestic pigeon, Eurasian blue tit, House sparrow, Common Woodpecker, Crow, Jackdaw, Peregrine falcon, Bullfinch, and Magpie.
Migratory Birds in Ukraine
The first to return are the rooks, wild geese, starlings, nightingales, larks, and:
Swallows are remarkable long-distance flyers.
Wild Duck (mallard) can be found in all flyways and almost any freshwater habitat.
Common Crane – Every two years, before migration, an adult Common Crane loses old feathers and gets a brand-new outfit! It takes about six weeks for all the new feathers to grow. Then, whoosh! It can fly again on its amazing journey!
Special birds in Ukraine🐦
White Stork – the national symbol of Ukraine. A new tradition to celebrate “Stork Day” on March 23 has spread in Ukraine.
Common Nightingale – the national bird of Ukraine, which symbolizes happiness. It is said it comes to cheer up the people.
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has destroyed the habitats of many bird species.
Did you know?
In Japan, a crane (or Tsuru in Japanese) is a symbol of honor, good fortune, loyalty, and longevity. The Japanese believed that anyone with the patience and commitment to fold 1,000 origami cranes would be given good fortune and granted a wish.
Learn how to make an origami crane from the video:
READ A BOOK
PLAY WITH CLEVER HEDGEHOG
Solve the code to read the secret message. Each bird has a hint.
Type your secret message in the box:
Welcome Spring
How to Draw Spring Blossoms
Send us your photos or videos to our email storieswithcleverhedgehog@gmail.com or tag us on Instagram and Facebook with #CleverHedgehogCrafts
tags: about spring for kids, why seasons change, countries with four seasons, countries with two seasons, spring festivals, books about spring for kids, birds in the USA, birds in Ukraine, coloring pages about spring, about birds for kids
