How Does Daylight Saving Time 101 | National Geographic Work?

Daylight Saving Time is like moving your clock forward so you can have more daylight in the evening.

Imagine it’s like having an extra hour of playtime after school, that’s what happens when we spring forward on Sunday, March 10th. Your clocks go from 2:00 a. m. to 3:00 a. m., as if time jumped ahead.

What Happens When We Move the Clock

  • Spring Forward: On the first Sunday in March, we lose an hour, like skipping your favorite snack break.
  • Fall Back: In November, we gain an hour, like getting an extra minute to finish your homework.

It’s a bit like having a friend who helps you adjust your schedule so there's more time for fun during the day. Some people feel tired when we change the clocks because their bodies are used to a different rhythm. But others love it because they get that extra hour of sunlight in the evening, just like getting an added bonus at the end of the day.

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Examples

  1. A child wakes up one hour later because the clocks moved forward on Sunday morning.
  2. A teacher starts class an hour earlier in the spring, but an hour later in the fall.
  3. Families enjoy more evening light during summer because of the time change.

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