— October 4, 2024

What creatures are prowling in the night? The activity I have for you today is based on a wordless book and is an excellent way to introduce the difference between nocturnal and diurnal animals to your preschooler. And to highlight which animals are common night prowlers.

As an Amazon Associate, Playing for Hours earns from qualifying purchases. 

Nocturnal versus Diurnal.

Animals that hunt and feed at night and sleep during the day are called nocturnal animals. On the other hand, ones that are active during the day and slumber at night are diurnal. Nocturnal animals can be especially fascinating to children since they themselves are diurnal creatures. Unlike nocturnal animals, children’s bodies have not adapted to help them survive in the dark so the night still holds many mysteries.

The book and activity today will not only reveal some of the mysterious midnight prowlers but remove some of the mystery the darkness holds.

Nocturnal animal flashlight activity.

Materials you need.

Chances are your child has some stuffed animals lying around. Stuffies, flashlights, and the darkness of night are all the materials you need for this activity. You can also use small animal figures but I have found they aren’t as exciting for my boys. 

Also, do what you can to get your hands on the book. It was one of the first wordless books we had in our homeschool and my boys are always eager to read it and go exploring with the little boy.

The story.

Flashlight by Lizi Boyd is a nighttime adventure of a little boy who is camping. Struggling to read his book and hold his flashlight at the same time he decides to hunt for a late night snack in the woods. On his adventure his flashlight discovers many creatures who are active as well. From bats to skunks to raccoons and foxes, the little boy makes his way through the woods to find an apple tree where he munches on an apple with some mice and deer nearby. Once he finishes he has an accident and drops his flashlight! But now it’s the animals’ turn to play with the flashlight. By the end the little boy has even had his problem with holding his flashlight while reading resolved.

A whimsical story that is also educational deserves a play based learning opportunity.

This is an easy activity and perfect to do as the days grow shorter. Once night falls distract your child by having them color at the table, play in their room, or have another adult entertain them. Discreetly take their stuffies outside and place them throughout the yard.

Get creative.

I enjoy setting up scenes with the stuffed animals. For instance, I have set them up at the swing set with two stuffies enjoying conversation in a couple lawn chairs while the others slid down the slide or perched at the top. When I was asked to set them up again I placed them in our front yard like they were checking the mail. This worked out well because my boys weren’t expecting the stuffies to not be in the backyard and ran around for a few minutes unable to find any of them. I eventually gave them the hint that their stuffies might be checking the mail the boys ran whooping to the front yard. 

If you want to hang a stuffed animal on a fence or doorknob, have a rubber band handy and loop it around their hands.

Flashlights at the ready. 

Now that the scene is set, read the book with your child. Then, you can ask them if they want to go outside and see if they can find any animals just like the little boy. Give your child a flashlight and go outside with them. My kiddos were pleasantly surprised to find that their stuffies were waiting for them in the yard. They eagerly ran around searching for them with their flashlight. 

Your child will inevitably want to do this activity again and again. With it already being a late activity you’ll need to decide based on how tired your child is. I’ll save this activity for when my kiddo has taken a late afternoon nap, usually by accident, and I know they will be up late anyways. 

Activities based on books are the best!

That’s all there is to it. Easy set up and no clean up makes this a perfect night time activity for a preschooler. This book would also be an excellent read leading up to a camping adventure as a family but this activity is a great alternative to taking your child camping if they aren’t quite ready for that. 

If you enjoy more activities based on books, check out this activity, Send Hearts by Mail. Based on the book The Day it Rained Hearts by Felicia Bond your child will be inspired to let others know they are loved. And it also helps clear out some of those random crafting supplies you’ve accumulated. Check it out at the link. 

Oo is for Owl

The flashlight activity is from a week of lessons that explore nocturnal animals and the diet of owls. Coloring pages, book suggestions, free printables and more can be found at Oo is for Owl.

Oo is for Owl is one week in a 26-week curriculum for preschool at home. Letter of the Week has been reimagined for all that home learning has to offer. Your child will learn their letters and so much more. Including math, science, art, and nature. Use the button below to explore. 

Flashlight Hunting

Activity Instructions

Recent posts on the homeschool blog.