Toddler Program

december 2022

This morning’s exploration was all about light and shadows. We brought out an overhead projector for the children to openly explore. H, S, A, A and L all took part exploring this. S and H placed loose parts on the projector and watched as the shadows they cast moved on the sheet. S kept putting his body in front of the light and pointed to his shadow “S shadow!” A placed his hands on the projector and also looked “It’s my hands…A shadow!” W stands in front of the light and sees his shadow casting on the sheet “W!” H took the coloured tiles and lined them up on the screen so that the entire piece of glass was covered. When that happened he stopped and looked at his hard work. He gleefully smiled and pointed to the reflection of the coloured tiles on the sheet.

After snack, Jorja, our ECE student, set up an experiment to help extend the children’s discoveries into light and shadows. She took out the triangle and placed a large sheet over it. Underneath she placed a very bright night light that cast light and colored dots above it. Obviously the children immediately came over to explore, crawling inside and placing their bodies very close to the light, watching as it reflected all over their faces and bodies. L, B, and A explored placing the light very close to their face while the other children watched in amazement E “Light…B face!” W “Lights up there…moon…sky!” Lolo then took the light and pointed it at the ground “Light down there. On ground!” B Whoa!” W picked up the light and began moving it up and down closer and farther from the ceiling “Light’s moving. Big and small” connecting how the light got smaller or bigger as he moved it up and down H yelled “Lights” with his arms out wide to the side as he looked up onto the ceiling. A joined in and pointed the light to the wall “Look. I see shadow” he said as he noticed the shadow of the climber on the wall. B eagerly walked over to where the lights were pointing and A said “I see B shadow too!” The children watched the light and how it interacted with the world around them, noticing how the light bounced off their environment and peers, excitedly watching as they made connections between themselves, their environment and their peers.

Lauren Dewar RECE, Selena Martin