This Saturday is Groundhog Day and people across the country will be waiting to see if winter will be sticking around a little longer or if warm weather is on the way. In preschool, this holiday is a good time to explore with shadows. On the preschool outdoor playground, children can already observe the shadows of people, trees, bushes, buildings, preschool playground equipment, etc. and how they change throughout the day.
This Groundhog Day, try experimenting with the shadows. One idea for an experiment is for the children to stand in one place on pavement. Then, the children can trace each other’s shadows onto the pavement. Come back at different times of the day, stand in the same place, and observe how the shadow has changed. Another activity is to play “Simon’s Shadow Says,” which is almost exactly like Simon Says, only Simon’s shadow says things like “make your shadow big,” “make your shadow small,” “make your shadow wave,” and so on.
Have a happy Groundhog Day!
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