Why Do We Have Leap Years?

Imagine Earth is like a dancer spinning around the Sun. It takes almost 365 days to complete one full turn, but not quite! Every four years, we add an extra day, February 29, so our calendar keeps up with Earth’s real rhythm.

A regular year has 365 days. Earth takes about 365 and a quarter days to go around the Sun. That means every four years, we’ve gained an extra day, and that's why we have leap years!

People born on February 29 are called leaplings, and they only get to celebrate their birthday once every four years!