After Work: Play With Lights

This after-work play series should really be titled "playing in the dark" because of my night-lighting fetish for making a bedtime routine.

I realize "play" and "bedtime" are not ideas that go together, but sometimes a working mom's gotta take what she can.  These are part of an "after-work" series: simple ways that carve out play time when you get home, but without winding kids up.  You may have already seen our previous posts about our DIY light table, so here are other ways we play with light before bed.

Battery-operated candles double as night toys.
Here she made a bouquet vase from an empty yogurt drink bottle and some fake plants.

She grabbed these materials from an old "flower shop" play area set up (which became our popular "sweet shop" area).  I've packed them away for now while our house is still a major mess.   Hoo boy.  Ang daming kalat!

Anyway, night-time lighting is also perfect for assembling this pretty ornament from Ikea, as well as sneaking in a little fine-motor practice:

It's battery-operated so it stays cool and safe for little hands.

And little tempers when shaking vigorously.

Here it is hanging up in Ladybug Girl's room, way before her room was repainted.

Ah, motherhood.  When home decor becomes play becomes bedtime routines.

What are the strange bedtime routines that work for you?