Flashlight! Book and Art Activity

📝 This post, Flashlight, was originally published in 2019 and has been updated with new information and resources.

There is little more fun than venturing into the dark with a flashlight when you are young — what might you see, who might you meet, and will you keep exploring or run back to the safety of your bed?

Flashlights are also perfect for reading under the covers when you are supposed to be sleeping and for finding lost treasures under the couch. But the true magic of a flashlight? Exploring something new or unknown in the dark!

In the book Flashlight! by Lizi Boyd, a child ventures outside his tent while camping to explore the night.

After reading and discussing the book together, we were so inspired that we decided to create our own flashlight scenes!

Materials

✔️ Flashlight! templates
black construction paper
✔️white construction paper
✔️white colored pencils
✔️colored pencils
✔️scissors
✔️glue

Preparation

✔️Gather materials above
✔️Prepare the stencil

Making the Flashlight Scene

🔦 Have students decide on a location for their artwork. They might choose their bedroom, their backyard, or even their classroom!

🔦Once they have decided on their location, students draw a picture of themselves in that location using a white colored pencil.

🔦Students then choose a light source for their scene. Students might choose a flashlight, while others choose a candle or headlamp. Nowadays, a student might even choose the light on a cellphone! They then create that light source from paper and add it to their picture.

🔦Students glue the light (stencil) onto the black paper coming out of their light source and add details with colored pencils.

🔦Finally, students use a white colored pencil to complete the scene

The scenes varied so much, and every single one was a true reflection of the child who made it. I just loved seeing their creativity shine — literally!

Like this idea and want the expanded version with writing activities? Grab Flashlight Activities from our TPT store.

My students always loved looking closely at the illustrations in Flashlight! There are so many details hidden throughout the book that children naturally start talking, wondering, and making predictions. It is one of those books that sparks creativity long after the last page is turned.

More Flashlight Activities

Try some of these flashlight ideas in the classroom or at home. If you don’t have flashlights in your classroom, have students bring one from home.

🔦Take a Flashlight Walk!
While students are out of the room, hide some treasures in a dark space. Turn the lights out and close the blinds. When your students return, ask them to use a flashlight to find the objects placed around the room!

🔦Flashlight Find it
With the lights out, say “find something blue.” Students need to find something that is blue and shine their light on it. Repeat with other colors, shapes and sizes.

🔦 Pass the Flashlight
Gather in a circle and turn out the lights. Ask students a question and pass the flashlight as students share their answers.

🔦 Flashlight Reading
Turn out the lights and have students read in the dark with their flashlights!

Whether you try the art project, a flashlight walk, or flashlight reading, I hope this post inspires you to bring a little extra wonder into your classroom. Flashlight! is one of those books that sparks curiosity, creativity, and conversation long after the story ends.

Have you used Flashlight! with your students? I’d love to hear about your favorite activities in the comments below!