Sun’s rays shining down through the trees

Encourage your child to look at the lovely light effects observed in a wood when the sun is shining. What does he think causes these? Point out how the sun shines onto and through the leaves of the trees, thus producing dappled effects on the wood ‘floor’.

Can your child see this effect elsewhere? Look out for plants causing similar dappled effects in garden or park. At home, let him experiment by putting a colander between a light source and a piece of white paper on the floor. Notice the same effect. Again, the light is only coming through the holes in the colander, like the gaps in the trees.