Next week, with daylight saving time imminent, the darkness will suddenly sneak up on us as we are leaving work or picking up kids from after-school activities. How can we celebrate the darkness–rather than complaining about it as I usually do?
One idea is to take the family out for an early evening walk: look out for nocturnal critters and cover your flashlight with red plastic wrap to make it even more fun and animal-friendly.
These suggestions appear in the book Daytime Nighttime, All Through the Year:
Too cold or too tired to go outside? You can learn about nocturnal creatures by picking up the read-aloud and spot-the-animal book Forest Bright, Forest Night, which shows the same set of creatures during the day and during the night.
Some are sleeping, some are foraging for food, and on every page you can spot both the nighttime and daytime creatures. Read it one way and discover how animals behave in the sunlight. Flip the book and you can find out what happens after dark.
Want more ideas for nocturnal activities? Here are two lists that include active outdoor games like flashlight tag, spotlight charades, statue tag, and flashlight limbo:
- 10 Ideas for Playing Outside in the Dark by ParentMap
- 8 Fun Games to Play in the Dark by Care.com
Don’t forget to set your clocks back this Sunday, November 4th, and remember to find time to play in the dark!
