Mai Lesson
How NORAD Tracks Santa
Math · 30 min · Any age · You and your child together
Discover the surprising start of NORAD's Santa tracking. Children trace Santa's journey across a world map, learn how time zones bring midnight to each place at a different moment and predict when Santa reaches different places, including home.
What your child gets out of it
- Recount the historical origin of NORAD's Santa tracking.
- Identify and sequence Santa's route across global time zones.
- Work out the time at home when it is midnight in faraway places.
What you need
- Printable World Map with Time Zones — A map showing longitude lines and time zones is ideal. If you can't print one, you can draw a simple one on paper.
- Pencils
- Markers or Crayons — Different colors can help mark Santa's path clearly.
- Clock or Watch — Useful for understanding 'our time' reference.
How it runs
- Introduction · 5 min
- Explore & Plan · 8 min
- Discussion · 6 min
- Activity · 9 min
- Summary · 2 min
Why it matters
Time zones matter for travel, for meetings across the world and for calling family far away. On December 24, open noradsanta.org to follow Santa live.
Mai is a tutor your child talks to out loud. Open this lesson in the app and she'll run it with them.
Open in Mai SchoolAlready have the app? Tap the link again from your phone and it opens right there.