Age
⚙ 3 years and up
Time and Place
⚙ Any time of day
⚙ Any time of year
⚙ Outdoors (on a sunny day) or indoors (with a flashlight)
Materials
⚙ None required
Optional Materials
⚙ Flashlight
⚙ Objects such as toys or loose parts to cast shadows
Safety
⚙ Supervise children at all times
⚙ If outdoors, protect children from sun exposure (e.g., hats, sunscreen)
Instructions
If outdoors: Find a sunny area. If indoors: Find a dimly lit space and use a flashlight. Encourage the children to investigate their own shadows or the shadows created by different objects.
Questions You May Ask
⚙ How do shadows change [throughout the day, as clouds move in front of the sun, if the object moves]?
⚙ How can you use a flashlight to explore shadows?
⚙ What object could you use to create a shaded place?
⚙ How can you make a shadow [longer, wider, shorter, narrower]?
Related Children's Books
⚙ The Day I Met My Shadow by Melissa Brun
Play-based Context
Young children notice their shadows on sunny days and explore them playfully by observing how the shadows move with them.
