From the Shadows…playing with shadows and light

Clare and Ann Thompson

When the sun is out in the Summer months, it is a great time to spot shadows cast by objects, people and plants in our environment which can lead to lots of interesting conversation, experimentation and further exploration....

Children can have fun experimenting with the different shaped shadows cast by their bodies, changing them as they move and seeing how they shorten and elongate as the sun's position in the sky changes throughout the day.

This child, Noah, decided to see how many different letter formations he could create with his shadow!

Why not try positioning objects to create and manipulate shadows cast by the sun? A great way to spark creative discussion, play and experimentation!

Outdoor "washing lines" both large and small scale are great for casting shadows that can be chalked on in paved areas or used as inspiration for drawing. Hanging recycled fabric in a sunny spot can mean children can experiment with painting on top of shadows, or why not try drawing on each others shadows, or using a torch to create a silhouette of their faces!

Light panels are great for experimenting with transient designs and observing the effects of light shone through natural materials. Here we experimented with various natural loose parts including fresh, dried and pressed petals, leaves, dried fruit potpourri, sea glass, feathers and glass beads. Our transient art picturebooks make a perfect accompaniment for light panel play along with our nature’s treasure’s collection including Beach Treasures and Nature’s Colour Palette (all available in our shop).

Here we have included some pictures of an investigation room environment we set up for children to explore...

Using a projector or large torch, children can experiment with shadows cast by different objects or create their own characters and imaginative world! The dream illustrations in our new picturebook, From the Shadows have been created this way, so the book is a great stimulus for inspiring play, experimentation and storytelling with Shadows!

You can find our full range of Naturally Creative books and resources here in our shop, or find out more about our training and constancy work here.