Tape a large piece of paper to the wall at head height. Shine a lamp from the side to project the child's profile. Trace the outline with a pencil while they hold still. Fill the shape with black paint or cut paper. Write the date and age on the back. A face changes fast at this age — the silhouette records exactly who they were.

What you need

strong lamp or torch
large paper
pencil
tape
black paint or black paper for the silhouette

How to do it

1Tape paper to the wall at head height and say: 'We're making a shadow portrait.' Darken the room as much as possible.
2Position the child so their profile lands cleanly on the paper. Adjust the lamp until the shadow sharpens.
3Trace the outline with a pencil while they hold completely still.
4Fill the silhouette with black paint, or cut the shape from black paper and mount on white.
5Write the date and age on the back. A face at this age changes fast.

Variations

Korb-Tür: If they won't hold still, trace the shadow as they are still for seconds at a time. It doesn't have to be one continuous line — break it into sections. A wiggly silhouette is still a silhouette.
Ausstieg: When the tracing is done, write the date and age on the back and step back: 'That's your portrait. It goes on the wall.' Frame or display it immediately. The portrait has a place.

💡 Parent tip

Write the date and the child's age on the back. What seems ordinary now is irreplaceable in ten years. The silhouette at five looks nothing like the silhouette at eight.

What your child develops

Spatial understanding — a 3D person projects as a 2D shape depending on angle and light
Sustained stillness — holding a pose requires real body awareness and self-regulation
Portrait-making — a silhouette reveals the characteristic features of a face as cleanly as any photograph