Ripples of Joy
Home/Play Basket/The Flashlight Basket
The Flashlight Basket
Play Basket

The Flashlight Basket

One torch, a dark room and a basket of shadow puppets and coloured cellophane. Bedtime resistance turns into the best half hour of the evening.

This page may contain affiliate links. I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Ages 2-85 min prepSave to Pinterest

In winter it is dark here by five and the long evening stretch used to be the hardest part of my day. Then we started the torch basket, and the dark became the activity instead of the problem.

A torch changes a familiar room completely. The hallway becomes a cave, the ceiling becomes a night sky, and the same toys they ignored all day suddenly cast enormous shadows on the wall.

It is also wonderfully calm. Low light lowers everyone's volume, including mine.

A shelf, a torch behind the animals, and a whole wall of shadows.
A shelf, a torch behind the animals, and a whole wall of shadows.
The basket: torches, cellophane squares, rubber bands and card shapes.
The basket: torches, cellophane squares, rubber bands and card shapes.
Red cellophane over the lens turns the whole wall a different colour.
Red cellophane over the lens turns the whole wall a different colour.

What you'll need

  • A sturdy torch with a decent beam (one per child avoids a lot of negotiation)
  • Squares of coloured cellophane and a rubber band to hold one over the lens
  • Card and scissors to cut simple shadow puppets, taped to lolly sticks
  • A few small toy animals or figures with clear outlines
  • A white wall or a plain sheet pegged up as a screen
  • A basket to keep it all in, plus spare batteries

How to make it

  1. 1

    Wait until the room is properly dim, then hand over the torch. The first five minutes of free exploring are important — let them just shine it everywhere.

  2. 2

    Shadow zoo: line up toy animals on a shelf, put the torch behind them and watch the shadows stretch across the wall. Move the torch closer and further and see the animals grow and shrink.

  3. 3

    Puppet show: cut simple shapes from card, tape each to a stick, and perform behind the sheet with the torch shining from behind.

  4. 4

    Colour magic: stretch cellophane over the lens with a rubber band and see what happens to the room. Layer two colours and see what new colour appears.

  5. 5

    Shadow drawing: hold an object so its shadow lands on paper taped to the wall, then trace around the shadow with a pencil.

  6. 6

    Torch hunt: hide five small objects around a dim room and search for them with the beam only, like a night-time treasure hunt.

  7. 7

    Finish lying on the floor with the torch pointed at the ceiling, talking quietly. It is the easiest transition to bed I know.

More shadow play

Once the flashlight games are exhausted, shadows outside tell the time. A sunny day and a stick are all you need.

Track shadows with a sundial →

Shadows, sunshine and a little bit of science.

Tip

A metal torch with a focused beam gives crisper shadows than a wide LED lantern. Keep spare batteries in the basket — nothing ends the magic faster than a dying torch. For an anxious child, this is also a lovely way to make the dark feel friendly and controllable.

Loved this basket?

Covers of the four Ripples of Joy coloring books: spring, summer, autumn and winter

Get our 4 Seasons coloring pack, free

Four printable nature coloring books, about 100 pages of animals, flowers and treasures from every season. Then one small idea a week: a craft secret, a nature whisper, or a question for your family table.

By subscribing you agree to our Privacy Policy. Free, every Sunday morning. No spam, and you can unsubscribe anytime.

Keep the magic going

Next basket to explore