Shadow Art Outdoor Science

This post contains affiliate links for your convenience. Thank you for choosing to support this blog.

Shadow art outdoor science is a hands-on STEAM activity that will help children learn that shadows are created when an object blocks light.

In this art and science activity, children will have the opportunity to use their bodies and other objects to block the light of the sun in order to create a shadow. Then they can create shadow art!

If you completed the Human Sundial Shadow Science Experiment you already know that the suns position in the sky effects the size of our shadows. You may want to do this experiment before you try this activity so you know when the best times to make shadows will be.

You can always do the tracings during the time of day when the shadows are the best, and make art out of them later. You can even do tracing at several points throughout the day to create different types of shadow art–up to you.

Shadow Art Outdoor Science: Materials

• Sunny Day.
• Open space with no shadows and no clouds overhead. Driveways, parking lots, and playgrounds work well.
• Recycled chalk paint (Making recycled chalk paint is another great way for kids to explore science!)
• Science Notebook (optional)
• Camera (optional)

Recommended Reading

Below are some great books to check out to help extend your child’s understanding of shadows and how they are formed.

Shadow Art Outdoor Science: Procedure

1. Have kids play around with creating different types of shadows using their bodies and/or other objects such as leaves, toys, bikes, etc. Finding a good position may be hard at first. Encourage your child to keep experimenting. This is how learning happens!

2. Record observations in science notebook (optional).

2. Use sidewalk chalk to trace each others shadows in various positions. (Tell those silly kids to keep it clean!)

3. Use recycled chalk paint or sidewalk chalk to ‘fill in’ or ‘color’ your shadows to create art. Emphasize process over product.

4. Take pictures of your beautiful creations!

Shadow Art Outdoor Science: Our Process

My daughter had trouble figuring out how to make her shadow do what she wanted it to at first. But as she played (experimented) she began to learn how to move her body in relation to the sun to produce the type of shadow she wanted. Nothing like learning through play!

I absolutely loved working with recycled chalk paint and shadow tracings! This activity is NOT just for kids. It was like painting with dusty watercolors in a big coloring book on the driveway. My daughter loved it too. She is still asking me to trace and paint shadows daily!

It was a fantastic process art and science activity that my daughter and I both throughly enjoyed! For more information about using Recycled Chalk Paint click on the link.

We have a few other tracings that we still need to paint, and a few more crazy ideas of how we can position our shadows to make more fun shadow art.

Be sure you bookmark this page to check back for new photos of our most recent shadow art, and don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter below so you don’t miss anything!

Shadow Art Outdoor Science: Conclusion

Shadow art outdoor science is a hands-on STEAM activity that will help children learn about shadows while making art. A fun outside art and science activity for toddlers to adults!

You may also like:

For more fun ideas follow me on Facebook & Pinterest!

More Outdoor Science Activities

This post is a part of the 31 Days of Outdoor STEM hosted by Little Bins for Little Hands. Be sure you head over there to see all of the other fun activities you can try!

Original article and pictures take http://www.rhythmsofplay.com/shadow-art-outdoor-science/ site