See How Shadows Work
Discover the secret of shadows and why their length changes throughout the day.
Materials
Directions
Find a big open space without tall trees that block the sun.
Choose two fixed points, one for your child to stand and one for you to stand, observe, and document her shadow.
Have your child use sidewalk chalk to draw circles around both points and shade those circles in to make them darker, in case a light rain comes and washes some of the chalk away.
Return to your exact spots throughout the day.
Take photos of your child and her shadow as it moves.
Ask your child to think about why her shadow moved to different spots throughout the day. If she gets stuck, discuss how light travels in straight lines and shadows are caused by something blocking light from going straight. Her shadow will be longest in the early morning after the sun rises and just before it sets at night because more of her body is blocking the light. She’ll see the smallest shadow in the middle of the day (around noon), because the sun is right over top and her shadow will be under her.
Jeff Bogle is an at-home dad who writes humorously about parenting and “all things childhood” on his site Out With the Kids. He is married to an adorable redheaded gal and has two lovely little ladies, who provide him with countless hours of humorous in-home entertainment, and who get to hear, see, and play with more cool stuff than you can possibly imagine.
Science