How do I help?

[doris127]

In over 20 years in childcare and early education I have never come across this before so ideas on how to help would be good.

This morning I had 2 minders both about 22 months and both been coming for over a year. Every morning - rain or shine - we go for a walk with the dog. Today it was sunny which it's not been for a while and the little boy lost it - as he was terrified of his shadow. He was trying to kick it away and lifting his feet to get away from it - but freaking out as when he put his foot down it re- attached itself. Along with the other mindee I was waving and jumping and trying to make it into a game but he was having none of it! I tried distraction as the path runs along the train line but that didn't help either. He stopped crying whenever the path was in shade but as soon as the sun was behind us he would start all over again. When we turned the corner the sun was in front of us so thought we would be OK - and we were until he worked out it was following him and kept trying to run away!

I've had the spotlight on in the house since and used it to make shadows on the wall with hands and that's fine. I just don' t fancy either the screaming when we are out or having to stay in when the sun comes out!

All ideas welcome!!

[hectors house]

Oh dear sounds like a Peter Pan moment! I haven't ever come across it either - we normally wave at our shadows and sometimes take photographs of them. How about drawing round the mindee on black paper and pretending that it is his shadow when inside and hope he won't freak out so much outside otherwise you will be hoping it stays raining all summer.

[MessybutHappy]

I like Hectors idea, if it works, you could name the "home" shadow and include it in your activities?
Can the parents shed any light on it?
Bleed him though, I can totally see why it would be frightening!

[hectors house]

Would the little one feel safer in the buggy for a while that way he can learn to wave at his shadow and see that other people's shadows don't hurt him or them and then progress to getting out and making a game of trying to run away or hide from his shadow - maybe take photos of him with his shadow so you can talk about it inside - read the Peter Pan story where Peter loses his shadow and Wendy tries to sew it back on for him (think that is what happens in the book - it's been such a long time since I read it).

[sarah707]

Ds screamed and ran when he first saw his shadow I remember it well! We did lots of shadow activities with him and he was fine after a while

[sing-low]

We have a Disney Playhouse book about shadows - Donald Duck is scared of his shadow when he first sees it but then the end of the story is that the gang use their shadows to find their way back home (sorry, just ruined the punchline for you). It's called "Up, Up and Away".