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    Home » Early Years Science » Follow the Shadow

    Follow the Shadow

    June 20, 2022 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment

    This simple shadow activity is very similar to my DIY sundial, but is more about observing the size, position and shape of the shadow than following the time.

    We see shadows when light is blocked by an object. In this activity the small octopus toy blocks the light which creates a shadow in the shape of the toy on the floor. Light travels in straight lines so cannot bend around the toy.

    If you’re learning about shadows as part of a light topic, I have lots more shadow science activities you might like.

    You’ll need

    Paper cup

    Small toy

    Wooden skewer

    Chalk or chalk pens

    A sunny day

    Instructions

    Carefully poke a hole through the paper cup with the wooden skewer.

    If it’s a windy day you might need to place a little play dough under the cup to secure it.

    Place a small toy on top of the skewer and use the chalk to draw the shadow.

    Draw the shadow every hour and watch how the size and shape changes.

    shadow of an octopus toy drawn with chalk
    Changing shadows during the day drawn on a patio with chalk
    Person shape made from pipe cleaners for a shadow activity

    Another idea is to make a figure from a pipe cleaners and draw the shadow as it changes.

    Why do shadows change during the day?

    You can see that my octopus shadows became longer as time went on. This is because I started drawing the shadows at about 1pm and finished at 4pm so the sun was lower in the sky for the later drawings.

    The length of a shadow depends on how high the sun is in the sky. A low sun gives a longer shadow than when the sun is high in the sky.

    If the sun is directly above, you might not see any shadows!

    Science concepts

    • light
    • shadows

    a stick in a paper cup with a toy octopus on the top. The shadow at various times has been drawn on the floor for a science activity

    Last Updated on June 20, 2022 by Emma Vanstone

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    Safety Notice

    Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

    These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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