These two musical instrument shadow matching sheets pair ten colorful pictures with their matching silhouettes. Each sheet has five pictures and five mixed shadows, with separate answer pages so you can check together afterward. Print one sheet for a small pencil activity, or use both for a longer matching session. No cutting or glue is needed.
Choose Your Download
The complete pack contains 5 pages. Both paper sizes include the same content. Downloads open directly without an email sign-up.
| File | A4 | US Letter |
|---|---|---|
| Complete pack (5 pages) | A4 PDF | Letter PDF |
| Activity (2 pages) | A4 PDF | Letter PDF |
| Answers (2 pages) | A4 PDF | Letter PDF |
| Printing and play guide (1 page) | A4 PDF | Letter PDF |
First Sheet: Guitar, Drum, Trumpet, Tambourine and Maracas
Guitar, drum, trumpet, tambourine and maracas appear on the first activity sheet. The guitar has a long neck and a rounded body, while the trumpet has a flared bell and small valve shapes along its top. Look for the sticks floating above the drum; they are included in its matching silhouette. The maracas form one picture of two shakers, not two separate matches.
Ask the child to choose one picture and describe its edge before looking down the shadow column. A finger can follow the outline in the air above the page. The goal is to find the same complete shape, including the little details sticking out from it.
Second Sheet: Violin, Piano, Harp, Xylophone and Handbell
The second sheet introduces violin, piano, harp, xylophone and handbell. The handbell has a narrow handle above its flared bottom, while the harp has a tall curved frame. The piano keys and harp strings disappear in their shadows, so compare their outside contours. The xylophone includes two crossed beaters above the colored bars; their outline helps distinguish it from the piano.
This is a fresh five-picture set. Finish the first page or put it aside before introducing this one, so there are only five possible shadows to consider at a time. Each matching shadow is on the same page as its colored picture.
Print and Set Up
Choose the A4 or US Letter version that matches the paper in your printer. Print in portrait orientation at actual size, or 100%, and check the print preview shows the whole sheet. Color printing preserves the colored picture column. Ordinary paper and a pencil are enough.
The activity PDF contains just the two playable sheets. The complete five-page pack also includes two answer sheets and a one-page guide. Keep the answers apart from the activity pages; there is no need to print them for every child. Leave every sheet whole.
Draw the Five Matches
Choose any colored picture in the left column. Look along its outline and find the same silhouette in the right column. Draw one line between the small circles beside the matching pair. Repeat until all five pictures have partners; every shadow is used once.
Lines may cross in the middle of the page. That does not make a match wrong. If pencil lines become hard to follow, say the picture number and shadow letter aloud before drawing, or let the child point while an adult records the chosen pair. Look at the shape rather than choosing a shadow just because it sits on the same row.
Check the First Sheet
The first answer sheet shows all five connecting lines. Its matches are 1-B, 2-E, 3-C, 4-A and 5-D. Check one line at a time from the numbered picture to its lettered shadow, especially where lines cross.
If a match differs, go back to the colored picture and name an edge detail that can settle the choice. The answer sheet can stay beside the adult until the child wants to compare.
Check the Second Sheet
For the second sheet, the matches are 1-B, 2-D, 3-A, 4-E and 5-C. Use the second answer page, rather than carrying the first page's letters over to these new pictures.
For an easier start, offer only one colored picture to discuss and help narrow its choices to two shadows. Keep the remaining shadows available: covering complete rows could accidentally hide the correct partner. For another round, use a fresh activity sheet or ask for spoken matches without drawing. Store the blank activities and answers in separate sections of the same folder.
You may print these files for personal, family and classroom activities. Share this resource page rather than selling or rehosting the PDFs.