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41 summer trivia questions

Summer questions for camp, a road trip or a backyard party: the solstice and Midsummer, fireflies and thunder, ice cream, s'mores, flying discs and sandcastles. Each answer links to its source. Play them on the screen, or print a player sheet and the answer key.

41 questions · Summer trivia questions · answers included

Updated

Summer trivia questions

Choose a score button to add a point. Scores last for this page visit.

Space shows the answer, then the next card. Arrow keys move. With scores on, keys 1 to 6 add a team point. F fills the screen. Escape closes play.

Questions 1–20

  1. 1

    Which three months are meteorological summer in the Northern Hemisphere?

    easy

    Answer

    June, July and August.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer?oldid=1377819122

  2. 2

    Which three months are summer in the Southern Hemisphere?

    medium

    Answer

    December, January and February.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer?oldid=1377819122

  3. 3

    In the United States, when do public schools usually end for the summer?

    medium

    Answer

    Late May, around Memorial Day weekend.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer?oldid=1377819122

  4. 4

    On which dates does the June solstice fall in the Northern Hemisphere?

    medium

    Answer

    20 or 21 June, the longest day.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_solstice?oldid=1381307737

  5. 5

    Stonehenge is lined up with the sunrise on which day?

    medium

    Answer

    The summer solstice, and the sunset of the winter solstice.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonehenge?oldid=1377824638

  6. 6

    Which country's Midsummer is so important that people have proposed making it the national day?

    hard

    Answer

    Sweden, where the National Day is now 6 June.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer?oldid=1381166117

  7. 7

    Which feast day did the early Church set on 24 June, near midsummer?

    hard

    Answer

    St John the Baptist, on Saint John's Day.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer?oldid=1381166117

  8. 8

    Besides bonfires and feasting, which dance is part of many Midsummer gatherings?

    medium

    Answer

    Maypole dancing, around a decorated pole.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midsummer?oldid=1381166117

  9. 9

    After which star are the "dog days" of summer named?

    medium

    Answer

    Sirius, the Dog Star.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_days?oldid=1367574265

  10. 10

    In many modern sources, between which dates do the dog days fall?

    hard

    Answer

    July 3 to August 11, the hottest weeks.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_days?oldid=1367574265

  11. 11

    Between which dates does the Atlantic hurricane season run?

    medium

    Answer

    June 1 to November 30, six months.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_hurricane_season?oldid=1379077593

  12. 12

    Around which date is the middle of the Atlantic hurricane season's peak?

    hard

    Answer

    September 10.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_hurricane_season?oldid=1379077593

  13. 13

    Why do you see lightning before you hear thunder?

    easy

    Answer

    The speed of light, much greater than the speed of sound.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder?oldid=1381730612

  14. 14

    About how many seconds does thunder take to travel one kilometer?

    medium

    Answer

    Three seconds, or about five a mile.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder?oldid=1381730612

  15. 15

    What kind of insect is a firefly?

    medium

    Answer

    A soft-bodied beetle.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly?oldid=1381425227

  16. 16

    Why do adult fireflies flash their lights?

    easy

    Answer

    To attract mates, mainly at twilight.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly?oldid=1381425227

  17. 17

    What kind of light do fireflies make?

    medium

    Answer

    A "cold light", with no infrared or ultraviolet.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly?oldid=1381425227

  18. 18

    About how much of a watermelon is water?

    medium

    Answer

    91%, with 6% sugars.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon?oldid=1381846949

  19. 19

    In which country was the modern watermelon first domesticated?

    medium

    Answer

    Sudan, in Africa.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watermelon?oldid=1381846949

  20. 20

    At which 1904 event was the ice cream cone made popular in the United States?

    medium

    Answer

    The World's Fair, in St. Louis.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cream?oldid=1381894465

Questions 21–40

  1. 21

    Why did people add salt to the ice in old ice cream makers?

    medium

    Answer

    Salt lowered the melting point of ice, drawing heat from the cream.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cream?oldid=1381894465

  2. 22

    Who invented the small hand-cranked ice cream freezer in America in the 1840s?

    hard

    Answer

    Nancy Johnson.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cream?oldid=1381894465

  3. 23

    What is the name s'more short for?

    easy

    Answer

    "Some more", as in asking for another.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%27more?oldid=1377503024

  4. 24

    Which group's 1927 cookbook printed a recipe for "Some More"?

    hard

    Answer

    The Girl Scouts of America, around the campfire.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%27more?oldid=1377503024

  5. 25

    In which city did a company of lemonade sellers carry tanks on their backs in 1676?

    hard

    Answer

    Paris, the Compagnie de Limonadiers.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade?oldid=1381652514

  6. 26

    In the US and Canada, what do children traditionally set up in summer to make money?

    easy

    Answer

    Lemonade stands.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemonade?oldid=1381652514

  7. 27

    Who invented the flying disc in the late 1930s?

    medium

    Answer

    Walter Frederick Morrison.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisbee?oldid=1380213266

  8. 28

    What did Morrison and his future wife first toss around after Thanksgiving dinner in 1937?

    medium

    Answer

    A popcorn can lid.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisbee?oldid=1380213266

  9. 29

    Which toy company owns the Frisbee trademark?

    medium

    Answer

    Wham-O.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisbee?oldid=1380213266

  10. 30

    Why does damp sand hold the shape of a sandcastle when dry sand won't?

    medium

    Answer

    Water forms little "bridges" between the grains of sand.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandcastle?oldid=1378295058

  11. 31

    Where was a record 58-foot sand castle unveiled in 2019?

    hard

    Answer

    Rügen, in Germany.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandcastle?oldid=1378295058

  12. 32

    What does SPF on a sunscreen stand for?

    easy

    Answer

    Sun protection factor, a measure of UVB protection.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscreen?oldid=1380581601

  13. 33

    How often should sunscreen usually be put on again?

    medium

    Answer

    Every two hours, whatever the SPF.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscreen?oldid=1380581601

  14. 34

    About how many species of fireflies are there?

    hard

    Answer

    Some 2,000, in the beetle family Lampyridae.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly?oldid=1381425227

  15. 35

    Which female fireflies copy another kind's flash to trap its males as prey?

    hard

    Answer

    Photuris, copying the Photinus flash.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly?oldid=1381425227

  16. 36

    Which ice cream dish, like the cone, became popular in the early 20th century?

    medium

    Answer

    The banana split, served in a long dish.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cream?oldid=1381894465

  17. 37

    In the United States, when do schools often go back after the summer break?

    medium

    Answer

    Mid-August, in many places.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer?oldid=1377819122

  18. 38

    What were the first official dates of the Atlantic hurricane season?

    hard

    Answer

    June 15 through October 31.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_hurricane_season?oldid=1379077593

  19. 39

    In which year was the sun protection factor, or SPF, introduced?

    hard

    Answer

    1974, by Franz Greiter.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunscreen?oldid=1380581601

  20. 40

    How long can a low rumble of thunder last?

    hard

    Answer

    More than 30 seconds, at a low pitch.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thunder?oldid=1381730612

Question 41

  1. 41

    On which South Carolina beach was a record-tall sand castle built in 2007?

    hard

    Answer

    Myrtle Beach, by Team Sandtastic.

    Source: Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandcastle?oldid=1378295058

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