Fun With Shadows to Make Groundhog Day Special

[vc_row][vc_column][ultimate_ctation ctaction_background=”#c9c8c3″ ctaction_background_hover=”#c9c8c3″]Kids and adults alike wake up on Groundhog Day eagerly awaiting Phil’s message about Spring, but why stop the fun there? Here are some ways to explore the science of shadows with kids to make Groundhog Day extra special![/ultimate_ctation][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Add the 3 activities below to your Groundhog Day festivities and watch your kids’ faces light up with science-filled excitement.

You’ll Need:

• A Flashlight
• A Box
• Toys

Activity 1: Shadows and Distance

Start by exploring how shadows look different at various distances.

Let kids take turns holding up their hand as someone points the flashlight at it from a few feet away to a few inches away.

They’ll love watching their shadow grow bigger and bigger!

Activity 2: Shadows and Movement

Explore how the movement of a light source affects the location of a shadow.

Have kids hold a flashlight above a box and move around it in a circle as you note the shadow movement.

Compare this to how the sun moves around us and casts shadows in different directions. 

Activity 3: Shadows and Shape

Finally, experiment with the shape of shadows.

Does it sometimes seem like shadows take on a shape of their own, like in the middle of the night?

Invite kids to point the flashlight at oddly shaped toys and observe the shadows they create.

Remind kids that when we see scary shadows in the moonlight, it is just a shadow making an unfamiliar shape.

Jump into the sweetness of Spring 

with our Brownie Carrots Kit!