Find an activity
Back to ideas

Make · Wild and Tumble activity

Shadow tracing

Catch a shadow before it runs away. Trace your toys' shadows on paper or the patio.

  • 15 min total
  • Low mess
  • Ages 3–5*
  • Outdoors
  • Sunny days
Let's do this

*Illustrative age guidance. Your child's development and circumstances matter more than a number.

A tiny plan for your day

Estimated time: 3 min to set up · 10 min to explore · 2 min to tidy. It's fine to stop early.

Before you start

What you’ll need

  • A few favourite toys, like animals or blocks
  • Paper and a pencil, or chunky chalk
  • A sunny path or patio

Let's begin

Four simple steps

That's the whole activity. Tick each step off as you go, and stop whenever you like.

  1. Stand a toy in the sun so its shadow falls on the paper.

  2. Little one leads

    Your child draws around the shadow.

  3. Move the toy, or turn it. What happens to the shadow?

  4. Come back in an hour. Has the shadow moved?

All done!

That's every step. However it went, you made a little moment together.

If you enjoyed this

More little ideas like this.

All activities