shadow Archives - JDaniel4s Mom

Transportation Shadow Matching Activity

March 10, 2024 By Deirdre

Planes, trains, and automobiles are part of this transportation shadow matching activity. The shadow cards feature a silhouette of a form of transportation. The cards that match the silhouettes feature an outline of a form of transportation and its name.

This set is part of a series of shadows that also focuses on each of the four seasons. There are sets for winter, spring, summer, and fall.

Getting the Transportation Shadow Matching Activity

The Transportation Shadow Matching Activity is a PDF. Once you have downloaded, the set you will need to open it with a PDF reader like Acrobat Reader.

First, you will need to download the set.

Transportation Shadow Matching Game Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The algorithm page is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. You may be asked if you want the file to open right after downloading it. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

Making the Matching Cards Reusable

If you plan on using the pages over and over again, you may want to laminate them. Below I have suggested products that you may want to use to cover them.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. My Amazon Picks

Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, Never Jam…$54.68~~$128.93~~ (11154)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 100 Count-P…$15.98~~$24.68~~ (63556)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 200- Count-…$27.99~~$42.99~~ (23612)

Hammermill Printer Paper, Great White 100% Recy…$17.00 (4917)AllAds by Amazon

Extending Shadow Matching Activity

If you have a collection of transportation toys available to you, you can gather them to use with this activity. Your children can match each of your transportation toys to the outline or silhouette card.
You can have your children hold up a card and describe where they might see that form of transportation.
Children try to make the sound that makes the transportation on each card.

More Learning Activities

Building Shapes with Crayons STEM Task Cards

Seed Packet Shape Building Mats

Winter Shadow Matching Activity

February 28, 2024 By Deirdre

When the days get dark earlier, the shadows seem to appear earlier too. Your children will have to explore these winter shadow matching activity cards. The cards can be placed out face up a few at a time. Children can see if they can find the words that match the cards.

Do you have to use the winter shadow-matching activity cards this way? No, the above idea is just a suggestion. The cards can be used any way you want to use them.

Ways You Could Explore the Cards

Choose a group of eight shadows and matching words. Then turn them face out. Two at a time turn cards. If they match, you get to keep them. If they don’t match, you have to turn them over again.
The shadow card can be shown to children and they can describe the object they think it is. You don’t have to use the word cards.
The children can be shown the word cards. They can draw their shadow cards that illustrate the words or words on the cards.

Getting the Winter Shadow Matching Activity

The Winter Shadow Matching Activity is a PDF. Once you have downloaded, the set you will need to open it with a PDF reader like Acrobat Reader.

First, you will need to download the set.

Winter Shadow Matching Activity Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The algorithm page is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. A message may come up asking if you want the file to open right after downloading it. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

Books Based on Shadows and Light

Building background before starting an activity is always a good idea. These are wonderful books that have a light and shadow theme. Some of the books are non-fiction and others are fiction.

The links below are affiliate links.

Dinos After Dark features cutouts that you can shine on the wall with a flashlight.

Hand Shadow Fun is a great resource for learning how to create fun shadow images with your hands.

Phil and his shadow have fallen out. His shadow wants fun and adventure. Phil wants boring and predictable. This book looks at how they learn to work together.

More Fun Activities to Explore

Decorating an Umbrella Based on an Algorithm

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish Algorithm Page

Fall Shadow Matching Activity

February 27, 2024 By Deirdre

This fall shadow-matching activity focuses on objects associated with fall holidays and changes in nature. It will be fun to match the silhouettes to their word card. The cards could be placed in a center to explore in pairs or on their own. If your children are non-readers, you would need to read the words to them.

Getting the Fall Shadow Matching Activity

The Fall Shadow Matching Activity is a PDF. Once you have downloaded, the set you will need to open it with a PDF reader like Acrobat Reader.

First, you will need to download the set.

Fall Shadow Matching Game Download

Second, if you don’t have Acrobat Reader you will need to download it. The algorithm page is an Acrobat Reader PDF file.

Third, you must go to your download file and open the page. You may be asked if you want the file to open right after downloading it. You won’t have to hunt for it in your download file if you are.

Making the Matching Cards Reusable

If you plan on using the pages over and over again, you may want to laminate them. Below I have suggested products that you may want to use to cover them.

The links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. My Amazon Picks

Scotch Brand PRO Thermal Laminator, Never Jam…$54.68~~$128.93~~ (11154)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 100 Count-P…$15.98~~$24.68~~ (63556)

Scotch Thermal Laminating Pouches, 200- Count-…$27.99~~$42.99~~ (23612)

Hammermill Printer Paper, Great White 100% Recy…$17.00 (4917)AllAds by Amazon

Extending Shadow Matching Activity

It would be so much fun to go on a nature hike and gather fall objects. Once your children have gathered a few objects, you take them inside. Flashlights can be used to illuminate each object that was gathered. That will cause a shadow to appear on the wall behind each object.

More Fun Activities to Explore

Fall Tangrams

Fall Tree Counting and Skip Counting Puzzles

Space-Themed Shadow Puppet Templates

February 9, 2021 By Deirdre

Kids will have fun exploring the world of shadows with this set of Space-themed shadow puppet templates. They can be used to explore shadows inside the house like the puppets in my Space Shadow Puppet post. They can be explored outside your house too.

Effects of Light on Shadow Puppets

Where the Shadow is Seen

When the sun is in front of you, the shadow forms behind you.

If the sun is to your left, then the shadow forms to your right.

If the sun is to your right, then the shadow forms to your left.

The Size of the Shadow

Here are some facts from Science Learn.

When the Sun is low on the horizon, the shadows are long.

The shadows are much shorter when the Sun is high in the sky.

Exploring Shadows with Puppets

You will want to explore both shadow size and placement with your children. We used the sun with driveway as the backdrop. You can do the same or work inside with a flashlight and a light colored surface.

Learning More About Shadows

Below you will find several books that talk about shadows.

The links below are affiliate links.

Getting the Shadow Puppet Templates

You will need to download the Space Shadow Puppet Templates to your computer. Then you will need to open the set with a PDF reader. Acrobat Reader is a popular PDF reader. You may already have it on your computer.

If you print the puppets out of cardstock, they will be a little bit sturdier.

Getting the Shadow Puppets Ready to Explore

If you are working with older children, they can probably cut out the puppets on their own. Young children will need to have the puppets cut out for them.

Once the puppets are cut out, they will need to be taped or glued to a straw or stick. If you use a bendy straw, you will have tons of ways for the puppet to be displayed.

Here are some more sun related activities to do with kids:

Shadow Games- Building Block Numbers

LEGO Groundhog Shadow Experiment

Read.Explore.Learn.- Boris and the Wrong Shadow

LEGO Groundhog Shadow Experiment

January 27, 2016 By Deirdre

We look forward to viewing a groundhog shadow on February 2^nd. Some of us hope that he will see his shadow. While others hope there will not be a ground hog shadow observed. Why not try to create your own LEGO groundhog and explore the various ways to create a groundhog shadow. This would be a a wonderful STEAM experiment!

Making a LEGO Groundhog

If you don’t have an actual groundhog, you can make one. We made one with LEGO. There weren’t enough brown bricks in our LEGO collection to make the groundhog all brown. We decided to use some black brick along with the brown ones. I hope the black stripes don’t keep you from seeing that our creation is supposed to be a ground hog.

Here are the bricks we used to create our ground hog:

brown 1×2 (6)
black 1×2 (7)
brown 2×2 (17)
black 2×2 (9)
brown 4×2 (8)
black 3×2 (4)
brown 6×2 (3)
black 4×2 (5)
black 6×2 (3)
brown short ramp with two bumps (4)
black short ramp with two bumps (2)
black long ramp with two bumps (2)
brown medium sized ramp with two bumps (2)
brown short ramp with bumps on the bottom (2)
clear round brick (1)
large base plate (1)

Groundhog Shadow Experiments

Outdoor Fun

Exploring Angles

Take your groundhog outside and sit him on a platform. We used a small ladder. Then place a science fair board behind him. Try turning your groundhog so he is looking at the board from various angles. He can be turned forwards, side sideways and other various angles.

Making Your Groundhog Shadow Grow or Shrink

Take your groundhog off the ladder. Try holding him make his shadow get really big and super small.

Place the groundhog on the ladder and try moving to the left and right of the groundhog. Notice what direction the groundhog shadow will move.

Indoor Fun

We took the science fair board and the groundhog inside. Rather than using the sun to help create the groundhog shadow.

Moving Right and Left

We found that by moving the flashlight to the right the groundhog shadow moved to the left. The shadow moved to the left when we move the light to the right.

Growing and Shrinking Shadow

When the light shone down on the groundhog from above the shadow got smaller. When the light was backed away from the board and the groundhog the shadow got bigger.

It was fun to watch the groundhog’s shadow change!

Recording Your Results

You will want to have your children record the results of each shadow experiment. Young children could record their results with illustrations or pictures. Older children could use words and pictures to share their results.

Here are some other STEM and STEAM experiments we have done:

LEGO Snowflake Patterns
Snowflake Patterns with Blocks
STEM Engineering Bridge Building

For more science experiments please visit my Early Learning Science board on Pinterest.

How Do I Make Play Dough- Chocolate Shadow Play Dough

January 30, 2013 By Deirdre

Groundhog’s Day is right around the corner and I thought it would be fun to make Chocolate Shadow cookies with JDaniel . It has always been fun to do an activity that ties to holiday. Chocolate Shadow cookies tie to the whole groundhog sees his shadow tradition. I took out my ancient Pillsbury cookie cookbook and searched for the recipe. I didn’t remember until I started reading over the recipe for them that they contained peanut butter. My son doesn’t like anything with peanut butter in it. Rather then make cookies only my husband and I would eat I thought that maybe we could make chocolate shadow play dough instead. It doesn’t need peanut butter and it is fun to knead it into dough. Just how do I make play dough?

How do I Make Play Dough for Groundhog’s Day

Well, we start by hunting and gathering around the kitchen. JDaniel loves to help gather together all the ingredients.

Chocolate Shadow Play Dough 1 cup of water3 cups of flour ( We add a little at a time and sometimes don’t need 3 cups.)
1 1/2 cups of salt
1/4 cup of vegetable oil1/2 cup of cocoaWe mix all of the ingredients except the cocoa together adding the flour a little at a time. We tend to use a big bowl when mixing. It helps to keep the ingredients in a bowl. We also tend to mix and knead the ingredients together with our hands. It is very relaxing and feels great on our hands.

Once the mixture is the right texture and isn’t sticky, we add the cocoa. I like the marbleized effect that we get by not adding it in with the other ingredients. It looks like the dough has a shadow.

Later in the day we had one of the little boys next door come over to play. I took out our animal cookie cutters. We ended up with all kinds of chocolate shadow creatures. I believe there were even a couple of groundhogs.