23 Light and Dark Activities for Toddlers

Light and dark activities for toddlers offer a captivating and educational way to explore the fundamental concepts of illumination and shadow.

These activities engage the curiosity and imagination of young children as they discover the magical interplay between light and darkness.

From simple flashlight games to hands-on experiments with shadows, these activities provide toddlers with opportunities to develop their sensory awareness, creativity, and problem-solving skills.

Shadow Play –

This activity is perfect for introducing toddlers to the concept of light and shadows. To set up, all you need is a strong light source and a plain wall or surface. Encourage your toddler to experiment with different objects and shapes to cast shadows on the wall. You could even use their own body to create fun and silly shadows. This activity promotes creativity and curiosity, as well as an understanding of basic scientific concepts.

Glow-in-the-Dark Sensory Bin –

A sensory bin is a great way to engage your toddler’s senses and spark their imagination. For this activity, create a sensory bin filled with various glow-in-the-dark toys and objects. You could include items like glow sticks, stars, balls, and even glow-in-the-dark paint. Turn off the lights and watch as your toddler explores the bin, discovering new items and experiencing the magic of glow-in-the-dark.

Related: 20 Amazing Kwanzaa Activities for Preschoolers

Flashlight Scavenger Hunt –

Toddlers love to explore and hunt for hidden treasures. For this activity, turn off the lights and give your toddler a flashlight to search for hidden objects around the room. You could hide items like toys, books, or snacks in various spots, and give clues to help them find each item. This activity promotes problem-solving skills and improves hand-eye coordination.

Light Table Play –

A light table is a fantastic tool for engaging your toddler’s creativity and imagination. You can purchase a light table, or create your own using a clear plastic storage bin and a string of LED lights. Provide your toddler with a variety of translucent objects like beads, gems, or blocks to play with on the table. The light illuminates the objects and creates a mesmerizing effect that toddlers will love.

Firefly Jar Craft –

This craft is a fun and simple way to create a unique glowing jar that your toddler will adore. To make a firefly jar, you will need a mason jar, glow-in-the-dark paint, and a paintbrush. Have your toddler paint small dots onto the inside of the jar with the glow-in-the-dark paint. Once dry, turn off the lights and watch as the jar illuminates with a magical glow. This craft promotes creativity and improves fine motor skills.

Shadow Puppets –

Similar to shadow play, shadow puppets allow your toddler to create characters and stories with their shadows. Cut out various shapes from black cardstock and attach them to wooden skewers or popsicle sticks. Use a strong light source and encourage your toddler to put on a shadow puppet show. This activity promotes creativity, imagination, and storytelling skills.

Glow Stick Bath –

Turn bath time into a magical experience with a glow stick bath. Simply activate a few glow sticks and toss them into the bath water. Turn off the lights and watch as the water illuminates with a colorful glow. This activity promotes relaxation and sensory exploration.

Flashlight Tag –

Flashlight tag is a fun twist on a classic game. Turn off the lights and give each player a flashlight. The goal of the game is to tag other players with the light from your flashlight. This activity promotes physical activity and improves hand-eye coordination.

Starry Night Sky –

Create a starry night sky in your toddler’s bedroom with glow-in-the-dark star stickers. Stick the stars onto the ceiling above your toddler’s bed. Turn off the lights and watch as the stars illuminate with a soft glow. This activity promotes relaxation and encourages your toddler to explore the wonders of the night sky.

Light Painting –

Light painting is a fun and creative activity that allows your toddler to create art using light. To set up, turn off the lights and give your toddler a flashlight or other light source. Have them wave the light around in front of the camera while you take a long exposure photo. The result is a stunning and unique light painting that your toddler will love. This activity promotes creativity and improves fine motor skills.

Moon Sand Sensory Bin –

Moon sand is a fun and unique sensory material that feels like wet sand, but doesn’t dry out. Create a moon sand sensory bin for your toddler by mixing together flour and baby oil. Add in some glow-in-the-dark stars or other small objects for your toddler to discover as they play. This activity promotes sensory exploration and improves fine motor skills.

Light and Dark Sorting –

Create a sorting activity for your toddler using light and dark objects. Gather a variety of items like white and black pom-poms, toys, or blocks, and have your toddler sort them into two separate piles based on their color. This activity promotes color recognition and improves sorting and categorizing skills.

Flashlight Books –

Make story time even more exciting with flashlight books. Choose a favorite children’s book and read it with your toddler while shining a flashlight on the pages. This activity promotes literacy skills and encourages imaginative play.

Glow Stick Obstacle Course –

Create an obstacle course for your toddler using glow sticks. Place the glow sticks on the ground or hang them from objects to create a path. Turn off the lights and have your toddler navigate through the course while holding a glow stick. This activity promotes physical activity and improves gross motor skills.

Shadow Drawing –

Similar to light painting, shadow drawing is a fun activity that allows your toddler to create art using shadows. Set up a strong light source and provide your toddler with a white piece of paper and some objects like toys or blocks. Encourage your toddler to place the objects on the paper to create a shadow, then trace around the shadow with a pencil. This activity promotes creativity and improves fine motor skills.

Flashlight Hide and Seek –

Put a fun twist on hide and seek by playing with flashlights in the dark. Turn off the lights and give your toddler a flashlight to help them find hiding family members. This activity promotes physical activity and improves spatial awareness.

Shadow Tag –

Shadow tag is a fun game that combines the concepts of tag and shadow play. Turn on a strong light source and encourage your toddler to run around and try to tag each other’s shadows. This activity promotes physical activity and improves hand-eye coordination.

Moon Phase Activity –

Help your toddler learn about the different phases of the moon with a hands-on activity. Create moon phases using Oreo cookies and have your toddler place them in order from the new moon to the full moon. This activity promotes science education and improves fine motor skills.

Light Box –

Create a lightbox for your toddler using a plastic storage container, white tissue paper, and a string of battery-operated LED lights. Place the tissue paper over the top of the container and poke holes in it, then add the lights. Turn off the lights and let your toddler explore the light box with their hands or small objects. This activity promotes sensory exploration and improves fine motor skills.

Dark Room Exploration –

Set up a dark room for your toddler to explore using only a small flashlight or other light source. Create a safe space by removing any hazards and allowing your toddler to explore the room using their flashlight. This activity promotes sensory exploration and improves spatial awareness.