This week we explored shadow puppetry in class.  Shadows and light are facinating for even the youngest baby, and of course the older your child gets, the more they will be able to explore this exciting medium.  

For this blog post, I want to focus on different materials to consider using when playing with shadows.  

FLASHLIGHTS:

The best flashlights to use for shadow puppetry are those with a rounded lens, like this one.  They are not always the most common brand at the store, but if you search for Cree or Rayz you will find some affordable options.  

Avoid flashlights with multiple LED bulbs (looks like a dozen or so bubbles under the lens) because they will distort the light and make blurry shadows.

The lights listed above are all LED, which are pretty bright.  Great for making shadows, but your baby could hurt their eyes by shining the light directly into their face. Traditional bulbs are lower lumens and safer, and you can make them even dimmer by putting in some partially-used batteries.  Plus, you can find traditional bulbs in fun child-friendly shapes and colors.


 

PUPPETS


I like making shadow puppets with colored cellophane or construction paper cut into geometric shapes.  You can also make them out of foamy stickers that are already in an interesting shape by just adding a stick.  

If you're interested in purchasing some shadow puppets, Moulin Roty has some delightful and durable sets.  

LIGHT UP TOYS

I love light up objects that can fascinate children by turning a familiar object into something surprising.  

My favorite go-to is an LED juggling ball, but nightlights and other light-up baby toys can create the same effect.  Make sure you choose an item that does not have an exposed bulb to make sure you aren't risking a burn. 



Remember - none of these products are designed for babies, so you should always exercise care when introducing them to your young child.  Always supervise the use of lighting and shadow toys - allow your child to explore and make discoveries, but be watchful in order to avoid the chance of a choking hazard coming loose or a puppet stick being waved around.  

Enjoy these fun shadow/light ideas, and let us know if you have any other products you recommend. 

If you have ever spent more than 5 mintues around a young child, you have probably noticed that they love making noise. Whether blowing raspberries with their mouths, banging on pots, or watching a passing ambulance with fascination, sounds are a big part of a small person's world. This week we are playing with noise and sounds in our Creative Play classes and want to share some fun ideas for playing with sounds at home:

• Noise with our bodies - What kind of noises can you and your child make with your bodies? Can you whistle? Clap? Pat your knees? Pick a way of making noise with your baby or young child and sing thier favorite song using that way (for example, sing "twinkle twinkle" while blowing rasperries). Then try a new way that is a little bit of a challenge for your child. For a younger child, this might be clapping. For a preschooler, it may be snapping or whistling. Find how many different versions of your favorite song you can do! For the youngest babies, try singing directly into the top of their heads - they will love hearing your voice in a new way.
• Noise from the world around us - There is a good reason that babies books are full of animals - they love hearing animal noises and beginning to make connections about familiar objects and images in their world. Pick one of your child's favorite animals or objects (for my son, it was a fire engine) that make s a distinct noise, and practice making that sound together. How many fire engines can you find in baby's room? How many in her books?
• Making sounds with objects - Children love making noise with objects and discovering how they can have control over an object. Find some new objects aroud the house to make noise with. Pots and pans, plastic bowls, and wooden spoons are a good start, but if those are too familiar look in your closets for empty shoe boxes, water bottles, and bags that you can put beans or balls or bells inside of and shake. If you put a bell in a bag, does it sound the same or different than if you put it in a box? Once you have found a favorite new instrument, put your child's favorite album on the speakers and use your instrument to play along.

Playing with noise comes naturally to children and they may not need much encouragement for these simple activities, but you can encourage them to expand their curiosity by using words like soft, loud, fast, slow, smooth, and sharp to describe the sounds that they are making.

Any other favorite sound games? Put them in the comments section so we can all share!