Shadow Theme Unit for Daycare and Preschool
Teaching Children About Shadows
A shadow is created when the light coming from a light source, such as the sun, a light bulb, or a flashlight is blocked by a solid object. The light can't get through, and the dark area that's created on the surface the light is shining on is a shadow. Use shadows as a theme and let the children experience the fun of shadows with these fun and educational activities.
Go Shadow Watching
As the sun travels across the sky, it affects the length of shadows. Demonstrate this change to children with this activity. Go outside early in the morning and mark a special spot. Stand on the spot together and observe the length of the shadows. Take a child and sketch around his shadow with a stick in the dirt or chalk on the sidewalk. Return at noon to the same spot and observe the shadows again. What happened to the shadows? They will be much shorter. Return to the same spot in the late afternoon, the shadows will be even shorter. A book to read after a day of shadow watching is; Come Out Shadow, Wherever You Are by Bernice Myers [Scholastic, 1974].
Play Shadow Tag
Challenge kids to a twist on an old, classic game. On a sunny afternoon, designate one player to be "it" and have him chase the others in this version of tag. Instead of tagging another person, "it" has to touch the other player's shadow with his own. When another person's shadow is tagged, that player becomes "it" and the game continues until no shadow remains untagged. If this game is interrupted by clouds, just switch to regular tag until the sun returns.
Me and My Shadow
Position a bright light to shine on the body so that it casts a shadow on a wall. Show the children how clever a shadow is – it does everything the person does. Show the group how to make a shadow wave, dance, twirl, and even fall down. Invite the children to take turns performing with their shadow in the light. For a variation, stand facing a child and play "mirror" copying each other's every move.
Make Shadow Puppets
Trace around cookie cutters on construction paper. Cut out these paper shapes and punch eyes where needed with a hole punch. Glue these shapes onto Popsicle (craft) sticks. Encourage the children to use these puppets to create shadows on the wall with flashlights or cast shadows outdoors in the sunlight. Make up stories or dramatize songs with these nifty characters.
Shadow Screen Game
Set up a filmstrip projector and screen in a room. Turn this projector on and dark all the other lights. Have the children sit in front of the screen like the movies. Let the children take turns going to the back of the screen. The children in front of the screen will be able to see their friend's shadow. Invite the actor to dance or move in any way they wish. As a fun variation, have all the children close their eyes as one child is picked to go behind the screen and act. The other children now open their eyes and try to guess who the mystery kid behind the screen is.
A Silhouette Project
Place a chair next to a blank wall and have a child sit with one side of their face towards the wall. Tape a white sheet of paper onto the wall at the same level as the child's face. Point a strong light source (lamp or projector) directly at his face until a shadow appears on the paper. Using a pencil, trace around the whole edge of the shadow. Do this with each child in your group.
Invite the children to cut around the lines that were drawn. Tape the cutout to a piece of black construction paper and draw another line around the cutout. You may have to press hard to see the line. Again cut around this new line. This is the silhouette and can be framed by gluing the black silhouette to a sheet of colorful construction paper.
After participating in these fun and educational activities your group of children will be humming the tune to "me and my shadow" and understanding how these characters are formed.
Me and My Shadow
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