Get ready for longer evenings and family BBQs because daylight savings is just around the 
corner!
Daylight saving, also called ‘summer time’ in some countries, is when we change the clocks by an hour in order to shorten or lengthen the amount of sunlight in the evenings. With summer approaching, we will be turning clocks forward so that we have an extra hour of light before the sun sets at night. Sometimes we refer to this as “springing forward” because we are currently in the Spring season. In Autumn, we “fall back” and turn the clocks back an hour so that it is dark earlier in the evenings over Winter.
The idea of daylight savings was thought up in 1895 by a New Zealander called George Hudson, although many ancient people were flexible in changing the times of their days to suit the sun and seasons.
Hudson studied entomology (insects) and astronomy (space), and wanted more leisure time in the evenings to collect insects. He presented a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society after lots of people became interested in his idea, and the Summer-Time Act was passed in 1927 (nearly 100 years ago).
Daylight savings is practiced in lots of countries all around the world. Many people find that longer evenings allow more time for activities like sports and socialising, however it can be troublesome for some professions such as farming in which workers start their days early. Another benefit of daylight savings is that we can save on energy, as we don’t need to turn our lights on as early in the evening.
In New Zealand, daylight savings happens overnight on the last Sunday of September, which will be the 25th this year. How are you going to spend your extra time?
Check out the library catalogue for inspiration on fun outdoor activities and to learn more about seasons!