Go into the light, Carol Ann!
Flashlights. The perfect toy? I have no idea, however I can make a pretty good argument for them being high on the list.
They are readily available, have a wide price range (you can even find them at the dollar store), with few exceptions (one is listed below) they are silent and lend themselves to both active and down time. Type flashlight games into Google and you’ll find all manner of outdoor fun: tag and hide & seek - much more fun with a flashlight. Blow bubbles at dusk and attempt to find them with your beam of light, they glow!
At the same time you can crash on the living floor and play flashlight tag on the wall or practice your shadow puppet skills. They can be comforting to the kid who’s wary of the dark, some even convert into soft glow nightlights and would be much appreciated by the after dark reader. Perfect for sleep-overs, pup tent in the backyard, basement fort and a necessity for sleep-away camp. Inexpensive enough to make great additions to party goody bags and Christmas stockings. Convinced yet? See a few cool examples of what’s currently available below.
Below:
Wild Lights Tiger Flashlight, Catch this tiger by his tail and squeeze, he opens his mouth and roars. $5.99
Coleman Flashlight/Nightlight, Operates as a regular flashlight, an amber LED nightlight and it can project 8 starlight patterns onto your wall! $12.49
Headlamps, Contains 3 LED lights (very bright!) on adjustable headband, great for adult guided evening hikes. $19.95 each
EverReady Flashlight, Inexpensive and rugged, best part though is that it floats. $6.95
Above:
LED Lantern & Flashlight, Converts from a bright flashlight to a soft-glow lantern with just a pull. Only 4 1/4″ tall. $23.95
Coleman Kid’s Lantern (scroll down) This one is cool, remote-controlled, auto shut off, cool to the touch, weather-resistant and it floats. $24.95
Coleman Kid’s Firefly Lantern (scroll down) Ok, technically not a flashlight or a lantern but a house for fireflies! $9.95
Have an evening with no plans? Make a play date with your kids. With minimal planning a flashlight scavenger hunt in a low lit house can be exciting and the last clue can lead to brownies and milk in the kitchen or popcorn and movie in the living room.
In researching this post, I discovered the web is host to the Flashlight Museum (I LOVE the internet!) Run by a group of guys whose hobby got way out of control, the museum is headquarters for the flashlight collecting community and an image archive of vintage flashlights. I couldn’t help but post some the beauties below.
