Night Light, Sleep Tight

Episode 22                                                                            Planet: self

Learning concept of the episode: The dark does not have to be scary; it can even be fun.

Story Summary

Bing and Bong arrive in the early evening, and set up camp. When darkness comes, Bing slips into a deep slumber, but Bong is wide awake and wants to go to the toilet tent. Being scared of the dark, Bong wakes Bing to walk down the path. Bing shows Bong that the “scary” sounds in the dark are just harmless Flockers. But when this happens a second time, Bing suggests a solution: Bing sets some Glow Locals along the path between the tents. Now, when visiting the loo, Bong is not afraid! Even when the Glow Locals’ lights go out, Bong still has fun, turning their lights on and off. Soon Bong curls up outside near the Glow Locals to fall asleep, where Bing joins Bong under the stars.

Focus Early Learning Goal

Personal, Social and Emotional Development 5: Have a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings and be sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others.

Linked ELGs

PSE2, PSE4, CLL13, KU10,

Preparation

• Watch the Tiny Planets episode 
• Talk about what Bing and Bong did in the story.

Talk about…..

• Being afraid of the dark, how things look different at night time
• Sources of light
• Animals that come out at night

Focus Activity

Glow in the dark (see overleaf)

Follow-on Activities

• Making shadows
• Creating nocturnal animals
• Look at how the town or city lights up at night
• Discuss space
• Paint/chalk  pictures of space

Glow in the Dark

Aim

To experiment with the dark, proving that darkness does not have to be scary

Resources

• A2 black sugar paper
• Glow in the dark paint
• Large pieces of black material (paper could be used)
• Torches, fairy lights, glow sticks

Guidelines

• Discuss the dark and explain to the children that you are going to darken the room.
• Black out the windows with the children’s help.
• Sit the children down and talk to them in the dark, reassure them that it is not scary and make it fun.
• Talk about light sources and show them different ones e.g. fairy lights, candles etc.
• Let them experiment with the torches and glow sticks.
• Let them paint pictures onto black paper with the glow in the dark paint.
• Make the life experience corner into a dark area. You could use a space theme? Hang up their glow in the dark pictures.
• Supply torches, glow sticks etc. for the children to use, hang up fairy lights etc.

Key Vocabulary

Dark, night time, light, scared, luminous, glow-in-the-dark

Health & Safety

Ensure that the children are safe and sitting down when you turn off the lights and do not get up and move around.

Reassure any children that really are frightened of the dark and ensure they are supervised or have the opportunity not to participate.

Do not let the children use the candles, ensure adult supervision.