Activity Set: The Sun and Shadows
Begin by explaining what shadows are. “A shadow is a dark shape that appears when an object blocks light. The shadow changes depending on where the light is coming from.”
• Outdoor Shadow Exploration:
• Take the kids outside on a sunny day. Find a spot where the sunlight creates clear shadows.
• Place various objects (toys, blocks, or cut-out shapes) on the ground.
• Let the kids observe the shadows created by these objects. Ask them to notice how the size and shape of the shadows change as the sun moves across the sky.
• If the sun is moving too quickly or it’s not a sunny day, use a lamp indoors instead.
• Get the children to draw around the shadow of the object with chalk (on ground outside) or on paper.
• Get the children to draw their friends shadows on the ground outside with chalk- they love this.
• Bring the children back outside later on and see if they stand in the same place as previous, will their shadow be in the same position and explain why it won’t be- because the sun moves.