“Oh Boy, Flashlights!”

Blossom Bright Flashlight

“Oh boy, lights!” was my first-ever string of words at Christmas when I was 18-months old.  That’s what I said when my parents turned the lights on the tree. 

Children love lights!  If you have an infant, they will turn toward lights.  My boys LOVED the light and fan section at Home Depot when they were babies. 

In our Kindermusik classes, we use flashlights in class as a manipulative to help children experience smooth and bumpy (staccato and legato), high and low, and more.  Just recently, I taught an ABC, Music & Me class for 4-6 year olds, and we used flashlights as a prop for expressive movement and then lifted them up and down according to the notes we sang in a simple song.

Blaze Firefly Flashlight

Here are some fun things to do with flashlights: 

• Buy your child his or her own flashlight to play with in the car.
• Play, “Where’s Your Elbow?”  Teach your toddler the names of his or body parts by shining the flashlights on them.  (You each need your own flashlight.)
• Try a Flashlight Hunt.  Go around the house hunting for something with a specific attribute:  ie.  blue things, soft things, or metal things.  Shine your light on them as you find them.  For older children, find and count.  How many chairs, doors, tables, beds, etc. do we have?
• Turn off the lights, turn on some music, and dance with your flashlights!
• Bundle up and go for an outside flashlight walk at night.
• Play Flashlight Hide & Seek in the house.  The older your children are the more household lights you can turn off.  In warmer weather, older children love flashlight hide and seek in the backyard.

-posted by Miss Anita, whose family likes to go out and see all of the wonderful lights during this festive season.

Miss Analiisa says that she will give Blaze or Blossom Flashlights (your choice!) to the first 5 people to post their “flashlight activity” ideas or photos on Studio3Music’s Facebook page!