This activity will introduce your child to shadows and how they are made.
Learning Area(s): Language and Communication; Science
MATERIALS
- Flexible lamp or flashlight
- Craft sticks
- Glue or tape
- Cut-outs of shapes (circle, star, heart, etc.)
- Blank wall
LET'S PLAY
Glue or tape each shape to a craft stick.
Place the light or flashlight behind your child and point it toward the blank wall. Turn off the lights and tell him that he will be making shadows. Say to your child, “Look at how I have created a shadow by placing my hand in front of the light. You can try it, too!”
Using the cut-out shapes glued to the craft sticks, place one in front of the light. Have the child explore making shadows using the shapes. Discuss why shadows change during the day. You can move the light closer to or farther away from the cut-out shapes. Discuss how shadows get bigger or smaller.
TIPS
- To extend this activity, put a piece of paper under his object’s shadow and trace it on his paper, or attach a large piece of paper to the wall behind your child’s shadow, and trace his silhouette.
- Together, go outside and use the sun and look at your child’s shadows on the ground. Your child can move to different places to make his shadow bigger or smaller. You can go outside at different times of the day to observe how the shadow has changed.
- Add some playful narration or pretend play when experimenting with making shadows bigger and smaller on the wall. For example, as you move the light closer to or farther away from the cut-out shapes, you can describe the shadows by saying, “The moon looks big and full in the night sky and the stars look so small!” or “This is my heart full of love… I love you this much (make the heart shadow small)… no, I love you this much (make the heart shadow grow larger)… I mean I love you this much!” (make the heart shadow very large).