As night falls over Camp Starlight, the loud and crazy activities of the day give way to the whispered and wonderful activities of the evening.
Bedtime stories, chilled-out card games, and friendly chatter fill the hour between returning inside and falling asleep.
As a camp counselor, you will always need plenty of fun, surprising activities to keep the fun flowing. Learning a few shadow-animals is a sure-fire way to spark campers’ creativity and interest. The best part is, all you need is a flashlight and a wall! (Check and check!)
Level 1: Bear & Alligator
The simplest shadow animals use your thumbs for ears mouths, and can be easily modified to match dozens of recognizable animal faces! Try curling in your fingers to make a snub-nosed pug out of the alligator, or move the bear’s ear over its nose to make a triceratops dinosaur!
Level 2: Dog and Eagle
Woof woof! Wrap your right hand around the left to add two ears and a defined head-shape to your friendly Fido!
Then try using your hands for a flapping bird — one of the oldest tricks in the book. You can spread and curve your fingers to make a creepy spider for some easy heeby-jeebies!
Level 3: Deer and Mountain Goat
Once you’ve mastered the dog, adding curved horns and and a peep-hole for the eyes can turn it into both a deer and a mountain goat. Getting the shape just right for less recognizable critters than dogs and birds can be tricky, but it’s worth the effort once you’ve nailed it!
Level 4: Rabbit and Bear Cub
The final step in shadow animal mastery is the jump from faces to full-bodied creatures! The trick here is using one hand for the legs and body while the other takes care of ears and mouth. Getting the angle “just so” is more important here than with easier animals. Once you’ve got it, they can crawl, wave, and give high-fives!
Bedtime is fun time!
Hand shadows can also add some interactive fun to traditional camp stories, or even make an appearance in your group’s skit or talent show performance!
Once you’ve mastered the basics, what other unexpected animals and shapes can you and your campers dream up?
Practice at home and be sure to share your creations with us, whether on Facebook or in person!
In the meantime, keep dreaming that camp dream. 😊
