Shadows are science! And they are great for conducting experiments.
Shadows appear when an object blocks the light. Kids can make shadows with their bodies and with objects. They can affect different qualities of their shadows with how they move or by how the light changes.
You can download this resource HERE.
As you explore light and shadows together throughout your day, make observations and experiment with different ways to create or change the shadows in your space.
- Notice the shadows of the things around you or outside your window: cars, a dog or cat, a bird flying from tree to tree, the legs of a chair near a window.
- Observe the way your shadows “walk” along with you. Make them do silly things by moving around!
- Can your shadows dance? Find out!
- Go outside and use chalk to outline your shadows. Head back outside later in the day to check on your shadows. In what ways are they the same or different?
- Measure the lengths of your shadows using pieces of yarn or with a tape measure. Measure the shadows of other objects too, like a parked car, trees, the mailbox, or anything else that casts a shadow.
As you explore your shadows, ask your kids these curiosity-inspiring questions:
- I wonder what will happen to your shadow if you walk forward? What happens if you walk backward?
- What do you think will happen if we stand very close together?
- Where is the sun in the sky right now? Let’s go check what our shadows are doing. (Do this throughout the day!)
- How can we make this shadow look bigger or smaller, lighter or darker? (Move the object or the light source, or increase/decrease the amount of light.)
- What do you think happens to shadows on a cloudy day?
*Adapted from NAEYC