Darn Questions Kids Ask: where exactly does the sun sets?

I have learned that it is very important to keep not only a child's imagination, but an adult's as well, firing on all cylinders. What a wonderful question he asked and I don't think it hurts to play along, but even a simple demonstration with a basketball and a baseball would keep his imagination busy.

i have no children, so i didnot come across this kind of problems.but the important thing is i think we should protect kid's imagination and not dismiss it. maybe when i become a Dad, i will encounter these problems, thanks,i learned a lot.

ouch that could be pretty blocking ... but since he asked he'll be pretty amazed by the answer i think ... a good example is with a flashlight and a ball or something and say that it goes to bring light and warmth to the other parts of the world and then it comes back so that it takes care of the whole world equally ... be creative! :P

I would show him. I would get a 2 balls. One is earth and one is the sun. Tell them that the earth goes around the sun in a circle. Make the motion one ball around the other. Tell them the sun never touches the earth. When we see the sun its day time and night time on the other side. When the sun sets it goes to the other side to wake those people up and we have night time. My boys are always asking things like this. They are 3 and 5 but have to know everything they can.

I have always answered this one by saying the sun sets on the horizon. Then, I get out crayons and paper and ask the child to draw a horizontal line right across the middle to the paper, explaining that this is a horizontal line. "Can you say horizontal?" I would ask and wait for the answer. Then we would have fun drawing until the next question came up. Kids love to draw and since the horizon line is an important concept in perspective drawing, no harm in having an inquisitive child learn it early! Does it set in the water? Let's draw some water and see...no, it appears to set on the other side of the water. How do we know that? What a GREAT lead-in for an art lesson. This works with children of any age. I love the sleep underwater question! I would say "The sun doesn't like to get its feet wet, why don't we draw a picture of a sleepy moon wearing a nightcap?" Here are some mommy-helpers for that last one: http://www.webweaver.nu/clipart/moons.shtml

I think I am lucky that my daughter has not yet started asking such deep questions yet. As to what to say? At this point, I have no idea!