These two vehicle 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: Bicycle, Sailboat, Helicopter, Bus and Rocket
Bicycle, sailboat, helicopter, bus and rocket appear on the first activity sheet. Look for the bicycle handlebar and seat above its wheels, or the sailboat flag above the sail. On the helicopter, the long rotor and small tail are more useful than its green body. The bus windows disappear in the silhouette, so compare the roof, wheels and overall shape instead.
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: Truck, Airplane, Hot Air Balloon, Train and Submarine
The second sheet introduces truck, airplane, hot air balloon, train and submarine. The hot air balloon has a large rounded top and a small basket. The submarine has a little periscope and a propeller at the back. Compare the airplane wings with the train chimney before drawing: knowing that both pictures are vehicles is only the beginning of the match.
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.
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