Learning About Shadows | Activities for Speech Therapy

Around Groundhog Day I like doing some activities with shadows to help my students understand the concept of the groundhog's shadow, which I find they often don't. BUT, you don't have to do it in February, these would be fun to do anytime of year!

Shadow Puppets – you remember doing this when you were a kid, right?! Take a flashlight and make different animals with your hands. The students can make their animals ‘say' their articulation words or give clues so others can guess their animal. You can also use this to discuss how the flashlight is like the sun, creating a shadow on the wall.

Hidden Words – we like to play the game of hiding picture cards around the room, but how about we tape them to the wall, turn off the lights, and let the kids ‘find' the words by shining a flashlight on them? Use any pictures or card decks you have lying around to target your students' goals.

Shadow Scavengers – on a bright, sunny day, head outside! Take some objects with you, like Toobs or mini objects and some paper/writing utensils. Students can set up objects with their sounds and draw their shadows, group objects by theme or category, or tell a story about their shadow drawings. Better still, have them trace each other's shadow. Not sunny enough? Do it inside with a flashlight!

You're My Shadow – Kind of like Simon Says, you can have students copy you, or each other for a fun following directions game, movement break, or reinforcer.

Need more Groundhog Activities? Check these out!

• Feed the Groundhog Boom Deck
• Free Language Resources
• Speech Freebies