Follow Me

 What's the big idea?

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Yesterday we braved the Shanghai heat for a Photo Safari. The plan was to take pictures of our favourite outdoor friends (flowers, butterflies, ants etc.) for a simple book. 

Plans became deterred when O discovered her shadow. 

Again. 

This was not their first encounter, but you wouldn't have known it by how enticed she was! At first she was running away from it. Eventually she embraced it's presence and befriended him. Her, I guess? Maybe not? No need to tack a gender to it.

In my former ESL preschool, I used to start some days with the Shadow Game. The kids ate this one up, even the evidently shy bunch that were not big on being in front of the class. Once absorbed in the game, there was no getting them to sit down! O will play this game (to her grandmothers amazement) for a very long time. Specifically, rather ONLY, when she is the one being shadowed, meaning, she is the leader and mommy must follow suit!

EXPAND ON SHADOWS:

FOLLOW ME; Shadow Game; generally two people play for dramatic effect; one mimics the others movements and gestures. Prepare to laugh a lot. Prep with yoga as the kids will make you do some things your body would rather not!

DRAWING SHADOWS: From one of my favourite websites Tinkerlab http://tinkerlab.com/2011/04/drawing-shadows/, brilliant and artisitic mommy chalks up shadow drawings of her kids playing outdoors! Her samplet is baby on a bike~how flipping clever and simple!

SHADOW PUPPETS: A simple solid bedsheet, a few cut out subjects on chopsticks/straws and a flashlight! Re-create your favourite stories or ad-lib as you go along!