Shadow Matching Cut and Paste
Cut out the pictures at the bottom. Glue each one in the box next to its shadow.
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✂ cut along this line
Free worksheet from maggiegames.com
Shadow Matching Cut and Paste Worksheet
Six shadows with an empty box beside each. Cut out the six pictures along the bottom and glue each one next to its shadow. Free to print, at home or in class.
About this sheet
Same matching as the line-drawing sheets, different hands. Cutting along a dashed line and gluing a small square are two fine-motor jobs a lot of children need more of, and a glued-down answer is a commitment in a way a pencil line is not: the child has to be sure before it goes down. The six pictures were chosen to be unmistakable, because on this sheet the hard part is the scissors, not the matching. Cut the strip off first and let a younger child tear the squares apart along the lines.
How to use it
- Cut the strip off first. One long cut along the dashed line, by the adult if need be. Then the child cuts or tears the six squares apart.
- Match before gluing. Lay each picture on its box and check the whole sheet, then glue. A glue stick is easier to control than liquid glue.
- Talk about the outline, not the answer. "Which one has wings?" teaches the strategy. Pointing at the right box teaches nothing.
- Tearing counts. A child who cannot manage scissors yet can tear along the lines, and the matching is exactly the same.
What it practises
Visual discrimination, the ability to notice how two shapes differ from one another. It is the skill underneath telling a b from a d later on. Drawing the connecting line adds a little fine-motor and left-to-right tracking practice on top.
If the pencil work is the hard part rather than the matching, the online version of this game uses the same animal photographs and needs only a tap.
Questions
Is this worksheet really free?
Yes. Print it as many times as you like, at home or in a classroom. No account and no sign-up.
How do I get the PDF?
Use the download button above for the ready-made PDF, or press Print and choose Save as PDF.
What age is it for?
Roughly three to seven. Younger children usually do better with the four-pair Pets sheet.
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