Shadow play - encourage your toddler to make different shapes with their hands and fingers

What you need 

• A lamp or a sunny day 
• If using a lamp, a plain wall or sheet and a fairly dark room 

What to do 

• If you are using a lamp, shine it against a wall. You’ll probably need to experiment with how far from the wall the lamp will need to be. If you can darken the room by closing the curtains this will add to the fun.  
• Hold your hands in front of the lamp, or with the sun behind them, and move your fingers so your toddler can see how they make a shadow.  
• See if they want to have a turn; you could say, “Can we see your fingers too?”   
• With some practice, you might master a butterfly, rabbit or spider, or you might make a shadow that is personal to your toddler. 

If using a lamp, supervise your toddler and make sure they don’t put their hands too close to it.