Exploring shadows is a childhood favorite. Young children love the mystery of how to make shadows bigger and smaller and how to make shadows with extra legs and arms or even two heads. Family walks, no matter where (around the block, in a park, at the beach), provide wonderful opportunities to explore the mysteries of light and shadows. Enjoy the walk and the fun of observing shadows and how they change as you move about outdoors.
- Notice the shadows of the things around you—cars, a dog or cat, a bird flying from tree to tree.
- Observe the way your shadows “walk” along with you, and play with the shadows!
- Make different types of shadows by moving your arms or legs or jumping about.
- Use chalk to outline your shadow and your child’s shadow. Come back 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 string or with a tape measure. Measure the shadow of other objects too, like a parked car, trees, the mailbox, or any- thing else that casts a shadow.
- Ask questions or make comments that help your child think: —I wonder what will happen to your shadow if you step forward or back? —What might happen if we stand close together? —Where is the sun in the sky right now? (Ask this at several times of the day.) —What happens to shadows on a cloudy day?
- Explore, observe, and enjoy doing and learning about science together!
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