What are the characteristics of shadows for kids?

A shadow is a dark shape that appears when something blocks light!

What is a Shadow?

Imagine you're playing outside on a sunny day. When you stand in the sun, you often see a dark shape behind or in front of you. That's your shadow! Shadows are made when an object blocks light from a light source, like the sun or a lamp. Because the light can't go through the object, a dark spot is created on the surface behind it.

Amazing Facts About Shadows!

Here are some cool characteristics of shadows that make them so fun and interesting for kids to observe:

Shadows Need Light!

The most important thing to remember about shadows is that they can only exist when there's a light source. If there's no light, there's no shadow! For example, you won't see a shadow in a completely dark room because there's no light to block.

How Many Shadows Can You Have?

Did you know you can have more than one shadow at a time? It's true!

• One Light, One Shadow: If there's just one light source (like one sun or one lamp), you'll usually see one shadow for each object.
• Many Lights, Many Shadows! According to the reference, "[Y]ou can have many numbers of shadows depending on the number of light sources." This means if you have two lamps shining on an object, you might see two shadows! If you are standing under multiple streetlights at night, you might even see several shadows all around you.

Shadows Change Size and Shape!

Shadows are not always the same! They keep changing because the position of the light source changes. The reference notes that "shadows keep changing throughout the day their longest in the early morning and in the late [afternoon/evening]." This happens because as the sun moves across the sky, it hits objects from different angles, making their shadows look different.

Here’s how a shadow often changes during the day:

Shadows are truly fascinating and a great way to learn about light and how it interacts with objects!