Light and shadow

Ages 0 to 2 A grown-up reads and plays along · about 10 minutes

Read together

Here is the light. Here is my hand.

Look! A shadow on the wall.

Do it

1. In a dim room, shine a torch (flashlight) at a plain wall.
2. Hold up your hand and make a shadow. Make it big, then small, by moving closer or further.
3. Let your child wave a hand or a toy in the beam. Say “light”, “dark”, “shadow”.
4. Turn the light off and on. Say “night” and “day”.

Talk about it

• Where does the shadow go when the light goes off?
• Can you make a big shadow?

For the grown-up

A shadow is made when something blocks light. Children first enjoy it as magic. Later they learn why it happens.

Mark as done

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Where this comes from

This is a play and practice activity with no factual claims to source.

Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources listed. Please read it before sharing it with a child.