Shadow Matching Worksheets
Make a new shadow matching sheet in seconds. Choose the picture groups and the number of pairs, then print it or save a PDF.
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What is shadow matching?
Shadow matching is a classic early-years puzzle. Your child looks at a coloured picture and draws a line to the dark outline, or shadow, that has exactly the same shape. To do it, they have to ignore colour and detail and look only at the outline, which is a core visual discrimination skill. The same careful looking is what helps children tell apart letters such as b and d later on.
How to use the generator
- Choose one or more picture groups: animals, fruits, vehicles, shapes, objects or toys. Mixing groups makes a more varied sheet.
- Choose how many pairs you want, from 4 to 10. Four big pairs suit the youngest children. Eight or ten pairs make a longer challenge.
- Pick a level and press Generate new worksheet. The shadows are shuffled every time, so no two sheets are the same.
- Print the sheet or save it as a PDF. Turn on the answer key to get a second page that draws the correct lines for you.
What the three levels mean
- Easy gives every picture a clearly different outline, for example a banana, a pear and a watermelon slice. Shadows are simple to tell apart.
- Medium allows a few pictures with similar outlines, so your child has to look a little harder.
- Hard can include look-alike shadows, such as the rounded head and pointed ears of a cat, a fox and an owl. This level asks for close attention to the details of the outline.
Picture groups
Each group has between 10 and 30 pictures, so a sheet rarely repeats. If you ask for more than one page, the generator uses different pictures on each page for as long as the groups contain enough of them. Every picture is an original drawing made for this site, and none of them shows a licensed or cartoon character.
Tips for parents and teachers
Name each picture aloud before drawing the line, and talk about what makes the shadow match: the ears, the tail, the wheels. Let younger children use a fat crayon and draw slowly. You can also play a follow-up game by cutting out the shadows and pictures and matching them on the table. Keep the answer key for checking, not for showing, so children can learn from their own mistakes.
Frequently asked questions
What age is shadow matching for?
It is most often used with preschoolers and children in the first years of school, but there is no strict age. Start with four pairs at the easy level and increase the number of pairs and the level as your child gains confidence.
Will every worksheet be different?
Yes. Each time you press Generate new worksheet the pictures are chosen again and the shadows are shuffled. The shadows are never left in the same order as the pictures.
Are the pictures copyrighted?
No. All pictures are simple original drawings made for KidsSheets.net. They are not taken from any book, game or cartoon.
Can I choose the exact pictures?
You choose the groups (animals, fruits, vehicles, shapes, objects and toys), and the generator picks pictures from them. If you want a particular theme, choose just that group.
How do I get the answers?
Turn on “Include answer key page”, or press “Show answer key”. The key is the same page with a green line drawn between each picture and its shadow.