Why do we have day and night?

It looks like the Sun moves across the sky, but it is really us that are moving. Our planet Earth is spinning, like a very slow top.

The Sun is a giant ball of glowing gas, and it shines in every direction. The half of Earth that faces the Sun has daytime.

The other half faces away from the Sun, so it is in the dark. That half has nighttime.

Earth turns all the way around about once every 24 hours. That is exactly one day! As your part of the world spins into the light, the Sun seems to rise. As it spins away, the Sun seems to set.

While you sleep, children on the other side of the world are having their lunch.