📅 Why Do We Have Leap Years?
3rd Grade 🔬 Science
A leap year has an extra day, February 29, because Earth takes about 365¼ days to go around the Sun.
The extra quarter day
Our calendar has 365 days, but a real trip around the Sun takes about 365 days and 6 hours. Every four years, those extra hours add up to almost a whole day, so we add February 29.
The rule
A year is a leap year if it divides evenly by 4 — like 2024 and 2028. But years ending in 00 are leap years only if they divide by 400. So 2000 was a leap year, but 1900 was not.
Leap-day birthdays
People born on February 29 are called "leaplings." They only get their real birthday every four years!
Quick quiz
Which date is added in a leap year?
Which year is a leap year?
How long does Earth take to circle the Sun?