This list of educational shadow activities and science experiments for kids is filled with fun ways to play with shadows while learning about light and shadow.
Shadow activities and experiments can help children learn what a shadow is, and, how shadows are formed by way of experience.
These interactive indoor and outdoor shadow activities for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and elementary-aged kids are perfect for groundhog day and year-round fun at home or in the classroom.
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What is a Shadow and How is it formed?
A shadow is made when an object, plant, animal, or person blocks light. The object that blocks the light must be translucent or opaque for a shadow to form because light can pass through transparent objects.
Light travels away from the source in straight lines. When the source of light is blocked by another object, it creates a shadow. Shadows fall away from the light and form in the opposite direction of whatever is blocking the light source.
This means that three things must be present to make a shadow. A source of light, an object to block it, and a surface behind the object for the shadow to fall upon. The sun is a natural source of light, while a lamp or a flashlight is an artificial source of light.
The size and shape of a shadow depend on the size and position of the light source compared to the relative size and angle of the object blocking the light.
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7 Educational Shadow Activities and Science Experiments for kids
This list of educational shadow activities and science experiments that make learning fun!
Try any of these shadow play ideas and experiments as a hands-on way for kids to learn more about the sun, shadows, and the science of light.
This fun shadow activity ideas are great for groundhog day and year-round learning fun!
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1. Play with your shadow
There are so many fun ways to play and learn with your shadow. The imagination is an endless source of inspiration.
Have a tea party with your shadow, play games with your shadow, or, invite some friends to play shadow tag!
How to Play Shadow Tag
Shadow tag is best played outdoors on a sunny day. The main idea is to step on another player’s shadow in order to “tag” them.
- Start by selecting the player that will be “It” or the “tagger.”
- Before starting play, decide if there will be a “base” or place that players can be temporarily safe from “tagging” if they need a minute to rest, and, where this “base” will be.
- On go, all players try to keep their shadow from getting tagged by the person that is “It,” while the player that is “It” does their best to step on another player’s shadow to “tag” them.
- When another player is tagged, by “It” or the “tagger” that player then becomes “It.”
- Play continues until the players decide to end the game of shadow tag.
Chasing Shadow Play
My daughter’s favorite playtime activity with her shadow is to be chased by it. Whenever she notices that her shadow is following her on one of our daily walks, she shrieks with joy and tries to run away from it as if it were chasing her.
She continually looks over her shoulder at it as she runs chirping with excitement and giggling with joy… Oh, to be a kid again!
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2. Dance with your shadow
Put on some fun music in a sunny outdoor area where children can see their shadows and have fun dancing with them. Feel free to add in shaker eggs and other musical instruments of choice.
Add in more fun by turning off and on the music and having your kids freeze when the music stops. Your kids will have a hard time not giggling at their silly frozen shadows.
Looking for kids music that won’t drive you nuts? Click on the link!
3. Experiment with Shadows
Blocking different light sources with different types of objects at different angles will form different types of shadows.
Encourage children to experiment and have fun playing and learning with shadows. Invite children to try any of the simple shadow experiments listed below.
- Play with natural sources of light versus artificial sources of light.
- Experiment with casting shadows onto different surfaces such as a wall, floor, or table.
- See what happens when you move objects at different angles.
- Experiment with the difference between translucent, transparent, and opaque objects.
Related: Science Experiment with Watercolor Resist Mediums
4. Human Sundial Shadow Science Experiment
This shadow experiment for kids is both fun and educational.
Making human sundials with my classmates in elementary school was so much fun, I decided to give it a try with my daughter as a homeschool lesson. She loved it!
Pop over to have a look at our Human Sundial Shadow Science Experiment to learn how to conduct your own.
5. Make Shadow Art
Making art with shadows is another fun shadow activity for kids. Shadow art can be done both indoors, with artificial light, and outdoors in the sunlight.
There are two primary ways to create shadow art. One way to create shadow art is by tracing or drawing shadows to create shadow art.
Another creative way to make shadow art is by making shadow sculptures that cast realistic shadows upon a wall, table, or another surface. These shadow sculptures can be made with random objects, pieces of wood, paper, and even junk!
Just about anything can be used with a little creativity to cast artistic shadows upon a wall, floor, or another surface. Some of the creations in the shadow art video below will blow your mind!
Indoor Shadow Art Instructions
- Choose a light source to cast shadows with.
- Find an object, or objects, to block the light and create shadows with them.
- Either create art with the shadows similar to the sculptures shown in the video, or, trace and color the shadows to create art.
Shadow Art Supplies for Tracing and Coloring Shadows:
Use any or all of the following to draw or color shadows to create shadow art.
- Drawing paper, watercolor paper, or poster board
- Crayons
- Colored pencils
- Markers
- Pastels
- Charcoal
- Chalk
- Chalk paint
- Tempura paint
- Watercolor paint
- Acrylic Paint
Outdoor Shadow Art Instructions
Bring art supplies outside to an area where the sun is shining and look for shadows to trace, shade, or paint the shadow of.
Place a piece of paper in the shadow, pick your artistic medium of choice, and get creative!
Or, try Shadow Art Outdoor STEAM for kids
6. Make Shadow Puppets
Making shadow puppets is another form of shadow art that makes experimenting with blocking light and creating shadows fun for kids.
Invite children to block light with their hands and arms to cast animals and other fun shapes onto a wall, screen, or curtain. Simple shadow puppets include a dog, a bunny and a bird.
The video below shares how to make shadow animals with your hands.
7. Take Pictures of Your Shadow Antics
This shadow activity is always a hit with my daughter. You can see some of our shadow fun in the photo of our family in the shadow below.
Taking pictures of your shadow can be tough. It’s hard to find a way to take the picture without the camera in the photo. In the photo below, I was holding my daughter’s point and shoot camera at my chest.
It’s also hard to take pictures of other people’s shadows without finding some part of your own shadow in the frame, but it is sure is fun to try!
Shadow Science for Kids
The educational activities and shadow science experiments for kids listed above are a hands-on way to learn about shadows, the sun, and the science of light.
These interactive outdoor shadow activities for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners, and elementary-aged kids are perfect for groundhog day and year-round fun at home or in the classroom!
More Activities and Experiments for Kids
- Sorting and Classifying Rocks
- Coin Sorting Montessori Sensorial Activity
- Experiment with Watercolor Resist
- Rock Balancing and Stone Stacking
- Rainbow Rainy Day Art
- Magnet Fishing: Cool Science for Kids
What fun ideas! Shadows are such a fun topic to cover and being able to get outside and play makes it even more so. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! My daughter loves playing with her shadow so we are always coming up with fun new ideas. So glad you like them! 🙂
I love the shadow art pictures. My youngest likes jumping on my shadow when I’m walking along. I’ll give these ideas a go with her.
Oh, thanks for reminding me Debbie… Shadow tag is another fun game!
I think these shadow activities are a great way to teach children to understand the rules of reflection. The theory of reflection of light can help them in excelling in many games such as caroms. Thanks for sharing the pictures of this interesting activity. The kids look really cute in these pictures.
I agree Sachin, these shadow activities are a great way to understand some of the rules of reflection. So glad you like it!