TinyStepper
Parent and toddler doing a gentle stretch together on a soft mat

Brave Hands Torch Drawing

Use a torch to draw shapes and letters on the walls and ceiling in a darkened room — turning the dark into a canvas for play.

Activity details

19m–4y10 minslowindoorTorch

Instructions

Tiny Steps

Get ready
  • Close curtains and dim the room — not completely dark at first. Have a torch ready.
  • Turn on the torch and demonstrate: 'Watch! I can draw on the ceiling!' Make a big circle of light.
  1. Close curtains and dim the room — not completely dark at first. Have a torch ready.
  2. Turn on the torch and demonstrate: 'Watch! I can draw on the ceiling!' Make a big circle of light.
  3. Hand the torch to your child: 'Your turn! Can you draw a circle?'
  4. Call out shapes: 'Draw a zigzag! A big letter S! A smiley face!'
  5. Play chase: your torch draws one thing, their torch tries to catch it — the lights dance across the ceiling.
  6. Make shadows with your hands in the torch beam — a rabbit, a dog, a bird.
  7. Gradually make the room darker as your child becomes more confident: 'The darker it gets, the brighter your torch shines!'
  8. End by pointing the torch at the ceiling and saying: 'You are the light-bringer. The dark is not scary when you have your torch.'

Parent tip

Set out torch before inviting your toddler in so the first minute feels smooth.

Relaxed child lying on a floor cushion with blanket and pinwheel in a cosy calm corner

What success looks like

A few quiet minutes together without pressure. If your child relaxes even slightly, that’s self-regulation building.

Dim the lights and give your child a torch. Show them how to 'draw' on the ceiling — circles, zigzags, letters, faces. Suddenly the dark is not something to endure but something to play with. The torch gives your child power over darkness: they control the light, they choose where it goes, and they discover that dark rooms are full of possibility when you bring your own light.

Why it helps

Systematic desensitisation — gradually increasing exposure to a feared stimulus while pairing it with a positive experience — is the evidence-based approach to childhood fears recommended by paediatric psychologists. By giving the child a torch, you put them in control of the light, which directly addresses the helplessness that underpins fear of the dark. The playful context creates a positive emotional association with darkness that competes with and gradually replaces the fear response. NHS early years guidance recognises that emotional development is just as important as physical or cognitive milestones, and it grows best through warm, consistent interactions.

Variations

  • Tape coloured cellophane over the torch to project different colours — red, blue, green light on the walls.
  • Play 'torch tag' — you shine your light on the wall, your child tries to catch your spot with their light.
  • Trace your child's hand shadow on paper pinned to the wall — a brave handprint they can keep.

Safety tips

  • Use LED torches only — they do not get hot. Filament torches can burn if held against skin.
  • Do not shine torches directly into eyes — show your child to point at walls and ceilings, not faces.
  • If your child becomes distressed at any point, turn the main lights back on immediately. Never push exposure beyond their comfort zone.