Earth is an amazing planet, full of fascinating facts and wonders that can captivate the minds of children of all ages. Let’s prepare and recap the most important and fun facts about our planet Earth, especially on its day, on the 22nd of April.
In this article, we’ll provide an overview of some of the most interesting and important Earth facts for kids, grouped by age level, to help your child discover the wonders of our planet in a way that is engaging, informative, and fun.
Interesting Facts about Earth for Kids: Ages 3-5 (Preschoolers)
Introducing the Earth to preschoolers is important as it helps them develop an understanding and curiosity about the natural world. This can lead to a lifelong interest in science and environmental issues.
To introduce it, you can use fun and interactive activities such as reading books, using maps and globes, going on nature walks, using art projects, and technology. Keep the activities age-appropriate and enjoyable. We have Earth Day activities available for different age groups, so be sure to check them out!
Earth facts for kids can help preschoolers develop a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world around them, and encourage them to become more interested in science and the environment as they grow up.
I prepared some Earth Fact and Earth Day worksheets for preschoolers and elementary school kids. You can find Earth fact posters, nature walks scavenger hunts, sorting and writing activities, and coloring pages…
Here are a few facts about how to introduce Earth to preschoolers:
Planet Earth from the Space
Earth is a big, round ball floating in space. It’s the third planet that goes around a star called the Sun. The planet Earth is very special because it’s the only planet we know of that has life on it!
Earth is always spinning around like a top. This spinning motion is called rotation and it takes 24 hours for the Earth to make one complete rotation. This causes day and night – when your part of the Earth is facing the Sun, it’s daytime, and when it’s facing away from the Sun, it’s nighttime.
The planet Earth is also moving around the Sun in a big circle. This movement is called revolution and it takes 365 days for the Earth to make one complete revolution. This is what causes the seasons – when your part of the Earth is tilted towards the Sun, it’s summer, and when it’s tilted away from the Sun, it’s winter.
We also have a moon that orbits around Earth, and sometimes we can see it in the sky during the day and at night.
Basic Facts about the Earth’s Size and Shape
We live on a planet called Earth and this is what we all call home.
It’s so big that it’s hard to imagine just how big it is! It’s like a giant playground for all of us to play on. Earth is much bigger than anything else we see in the sky, like the moon and the stars.
We call Earth a sphere. Even though it looks flat when we walk on it, it’s actually round like a ball! So when you walk, you’re actually walking on a big round surface.
Why is Earth Important
Earth is very important to us because it gives us everything we need to live like air to breathe, water to drink, and land to play on. Earth is also full of many different creatures, like animals and plants, that we get to see and learn about.
Introduction to the Concept of Land and Water
Land and water are two very important things on planet Earth. The land is the ground that we walk, run, and play on. It’s where we build our homes, playgrounds, and schools. There are many different types of land on Earth, like mountains, hills, and valleys.
Water is something we drink, swim in, and use to wash things. We also see water in the form of rain, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
Most of Earth is covered in water. But we still have lots of land to play on! Land and water are very different, but they work together to make our planet special and full of life.
Fun Facts about Earth for Preschoolers:
- The Earth is about 4.5 billion years old – that’s really, really old!
- Earth is the only planet in our solar system that has water in all three forms: solid (ice), liquid (oceans), and gas (water vapor in the air).
- The Earth has four layers – the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core. It’s like a big onion with different layers!
- The tallest mountain on Earth is Mount Everest, which is over 8 kilometers high! That’s almost as tall as 1600 giraffes standing on top of each other!
- The deepest part of the ocean is called the Mariana Trench. It is actually over 10,900 meters (35,800 feet) deep, which is equivalent to about 2,180 giraffes stacked on top of each other!
- Earth has a lot of different kinds of rocks and minerals, and some of them are shiny and pretty like gems.
- The Earth is home to some amazing natural wonders, like the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and the Great Barrier Reef.
- The Earth has a lot of different climates and environments, from hot deserts to icy tundras.
- Earth is home to over 7 billion people; of many different cultures and languages.
- It’s important that we take care of the Earth by not littering and taking care of our environment. We want to keep our planet healthy and beautiful for many generations to come!
Please have a look at some of our favorite books about our planet Earth:
Facts about Earth for Kids: Ages 6-11 (Elementary School Kids)
Learning about Earth helps elementary school kids understand the world around them and develop a sense of curiosity and wonder about the natural world. By learning about the Earth’s landforms, oceans, weather patterns, and ecosystems, children can gain a deeper appreciation for the environment and the importance of preserving it for future generations.
Understanding the basics of geology, geography, and ecology can also help children develop critical thinking skills, problem-solving abilities, and a better understanding of how humans interact with the natural world.
Earth’s Size and Shape:
- Earth is the third planet from the sun and is the fifth largest planet in our solar system.
- Its diameter is about 12,742 kilometers (7,918 miles). That means if you could drive a car all the way around the Earth’s equator, it would take you about 40,075 kilometers (24,901 miles).
- The Planet Earth is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. That’s because of something called centrifugal force, which is created by the Earth’s rotation. So if you look at a picture of Earth from space, it looks like a big ball slightly squished at the top and bottom.
Composition:
- The outermost layer of the Earth is called the crust, and that’s the layer we live on! It’s made up of solid rock (terrestrial planet) and is pretty thin compared to the other layers.
- The crust is made up of big pieces called tectonic plates, which move really slowly over time. When these plates collide, they can create earthquakes or make new mountains and islands!
- Beneath the crust is the mantle, which is made up of hot, dense rock that moves around kind of like a very thick liquid.
- Even deeper than the mantle is the outer core, which is a layer of liquid iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core.
- And finally, at the very center of the Earth, there’s the inner core, which is a solid ball of iron and nickel.
Atmosphere:
- Most of the atmosphere is made up of two gases called nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the atmosphere, and oxygen makes up about 21%.
- There are also some other gases in the atmosphere, but they’re only in very small amounts. These include gases like carbon dioxide, argon, and neon.
- The atmosphere is really important for us because it helps protect us from things like the sun’s harmful rays and meteors from space.
- The Earth’s atmosphere is like a blanket that helps to keep the planet warm. Without it, the average temperature on Earth would be around -18°C (-0.4°F).
Other Earth Facts for Kids Ages 6-11:
- Earth is divided into seven continents, which are large landmasses surrounded by oceans. These continents are North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Antarctica. Each continent has its own unique geography, climate, and culture.
- Earth’s oceans cover more than 70% of its surface. There are five oceans: the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean. The oceans are home to a wide variety of plants and animals, and they play an important role in regulating Earth’s climate.
- Planet Earth has many different types of landforms, which are features that make up its surface. Some common landforms include mountains, hills, plateaus, valleys, canyons, and plains. Landforms are created by natural processes like erosion, weathering, and tectonic activity.
- This is the only planet in our solar system that has liquid water on Earth’s surface, which makes it unique and special.
- The Earth has a magnetic field, which helps to protect us from harmful solar radiation. This is why the Northern Lights (or Aurora Borealis) can be seen in places like Alaska and Canada.
- The Earth rotates on its axis, which causes day and night, and it takes 365.25 days for the Earth to orbit around the sun, which is what causes the seasons.
- The Earth’s climate is changing due to human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and pollution, which is causing problems like rising sea levels, more frequent and intense natural disasters, and habitat loss for plants and animals.
Fun Facts about Earth for Elementary School Kids:
- The tallest mountain on Earth is actually underwater! Mauna Kea in Hawaii is measured from its base on the ocean floor, making it taller than Mount Everest.
- Earth is the only planet in our solar system that has a day and night cycle that lasts 24 hours.
- The longest river in the world, the Nile River, is over 4,000 miles long and flows through several countries in Africa.
- Earth has a lot of water, it’s an ocean planet, but only about 3% of it is fresh water that we can drink. The rest is salt in the oceans, or frozen in ice caps and glaciers.
- The Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia, is the world’s largest coral reef system. It’s so big that it can be seen from space.
- Earth is the only known planet in the universe that has life, making it a very special and unique place.
- The Earth’s rotation is slowing down very gradually, but it will still take millions of years for a day to become an hour longer.
- Earth’s core is believed to be as hot as the surface of the sun, reaching temperatures of up to 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The world’s largest desert is actually the Antarctic Desert! It’s much colder than other deserts, but it’s still a desert because it gets very little precipitation.
- Earth’s oceans contain almost 20 million tons of gold! It’s not enough to mine, but it’s still pretty cool to think about.
- Earth’s moon is the fifth largest moon in our solar system. Even though it’s not the biggest, it’s still pretty special because it’s the only moon that orbits around Earth!
Please have a look at some of our favorite books about Earth for grade school kids:
