Shadow Puppet Show

Activity Overview

Light and shadow are materials that help support active exploration and discovery. When playing with light and shadow, children are exposed to a whole range of theories including reflection, perspective, size, shape and color, transparency and position, and interplay. This shadow exploration will give children the opportunity to explore and discover how shadows are made, and how to manipulate shadow through simple changes while also activating their imaginations through storytelling.

What You Need

• Medium cardboard box

• White tissue paper

• Scissors

• Tape

• Stage-building tutorial video

• Light sources (lamps, flashlights)

• Markers, crayons, or colored pencils for decoration (optional)

• Your puppets from the Shadow Puppets activity

Steps

1. Build the stage following these video instructions.

2. Add some creative designs to your stage if you wish.

3. Use your shadow puppets, as well as your finger puppets and stick puppets, to tell stories!

Guiding Questions

• How can we make the shadow appear?

• What happens if you move the light?

• How can you make the shadow darker?

• How can you make the shadow bigger? Longer? Shorter?

• Can we see decorations on the puppets?

Extensions

• Use multiple light sources to see if you can make the shadow darker or lighter, bigger or smaller.

• Go through the house with flashlights and see what you can make a shadow out of.

• Can a shadow have color? Explore with different colored construction paper.

• Cut puppets or shapes out of sandwich bags or a gallon jug, and look at the differences when held up to the light? Is it the same as the cardstock puppet?

• Want a challenge? Try making shadow characters with your hands! Use our handy Shadow Puppet Tutorial Guide to get started!