Tag Archives: LED

Night Rider

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night rider

Navigate the nocturnal highways with this fantastic vehicular nightlight, complete with convenient carrying handle!

We recommend Night Light by Nicholas Blechman (Orchard Books, 2013). A charming blend of numbers, vehicles, and a guessing game, the book flips between night and day. The solid black pages only reveal the dotted lights of a vehicle, along with a textual clue (ex: “5 lights, cleaning day and night?”). Following each night page is a day page in which the identity of the vehicle is revealed. Fantastically fun.

You’ll need:

  • 1 small box with a lid (we used a tea box)
  • Construction paper
  • A box cutter
  • White printer paper, tracing paper, wax paper, or parchment paper
  • 1 submersible LED light (or glow stick)
  • Scissors, tape and glue for construction
  • Markers for decorating

First, use construction paper to turn a small box into your favorite vehicle. Marissa did a twine carrying handle on her awesome VW van, but you can also make a handle out of construction paper or a pipe cleaner. Next, use a box cutter to create a pair of headlights at one end of the box. Inside the box, tape a piece of white printer paper, tracing paper, wax paper, or parchment paper over the headlight holes. This gives the headlights a nice diffuse glow.

led headlights We used a submersible LED to light Marissa’s van. You can find them in the floral section of Michaels craft store – 9 cost $21, but I always use a 40% off coupon.

led in vehicle boxIf the LEDs are too pricey, a glow stick will do the trick. Drop the illumination of your choice in the vehicle box, close the lid, and you’re done. Vroom vroom vroom!

Glow, Pumpkin. Glow!

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pumpkin-balloonA no mess, no carve, no flame, gorgeously glowing pumpkin? You got it! Bounce these LED pumpkin balloons around at your next story time, sneak a few on the shelves on the 31st, or take a spirited evening stroll.

You’ll need:

  • 1 orange LED balloon
  • A black Sharpie permanent marker

I first spotted these LED balloons at JaZams, our local toy store. They’re made by a company called illooms. A variety pack of 5 latex balloons cost $6 , and a pack of 15 balloons cost $13. I’ve also seen illooms sold online at Oriental Trading Company, Amazon, and Walmart for varying prices. Party City sells just the LED bulbs (12 for $10). So that’s an option as well – buy the bulbs and a package of orange balloons.

illoom-led-balloonsThe illooms LED balloon has a round, hard tip at the top, and a tab sticking out of its neck. Pinch the tip while simultaneously pulling the tap to activate the LED. Then inflate the balloon (the directions suggest a pump, but I went with my lungs).

deflated-balloonThe round tip acts as a balloon weight that pulls the inflated balloon upside down, creating the the perfect pumpkin shape. Use a black Sharpie permanent marker to draw a pumpkin face on the balloon, and you’re good to glow!

Looking for a few more simple Halloween projects? Try a toilet paper roll jack-o’-lantern, a hanging bat exhibit, a shoulder snake, or an herbal amulet to ward off those pesky goblins. And as long as were talking about spooky orange vegetables, take a look at this Creepy Carrots story time.

way-creepy-carrots

This Little Light

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this little lightThis sweet and simple lantern was created at our Let it Shine story time. A younger sibling, upon seeing her brother’s fabulous painted lantern, tearfully asked if she could have a little lantern too. I whipped this one together in seconds, mostly using leftover program supplies. She was very, very happy (and, her mom reports, still using it)!

You’ll need:

Drop the LED votive candle in the cup (this provides some ballast when you are attaching the pipe cleaner and the ribbon). Tape the ends of the pipe cleaner to the cup, then knot some shimmer ribbon on either side of the pipe cleaner. Decorate the cup with foil star stickers.

sample lanternAt the original story time, we turned off the lights and decorated our lanterns with their LED lights twinkling and lullaby music playing. You can do this during the star sticker attaching phase of the project. Or, you can gather together with your lanterns and sing “This Little Light” or “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”

If you’re looking for a all-together different sort of lantern, check out our Spooky Old Classic story time.