We take bedtime stories pretty seriously in our home. The slightest hint of a yawn sends the kids scrambling for a stack of their favorite books, which never seem to be enough and leaves them begging for “just one more” as they drift off into sleep. Who can blame them? The stories are as important as any other basic necessity of life, transitioning us from the realities of the day to the imaginary world of dreams.

On any given night, your sure to find at least one desperate reader hiding under the blankets with a flashlight. So when Energizer asked us to check out their new collection of LED flashlights, we decided to combine two favorite childhood pastimes—enjoying stories and playing with flashlights—to create a collection of printable bedtime story shadow puppets.

Grab a flashlight, turn off the lights, and get ready to bring your bedtime stories to life!

What You Need

• Shadow puppet printables (download cabin & bear here, owl & rabbit here)
• Portable light source (we used the Energizer® LED 3 in 1 Light and Energizer® LED Pop Up Lantern)
• Four paper straws, pencils, or wooden craft dowels to use to control the puppets
• Two sheets white (or light-colored) card stock
• Two sheets black card stock
• Glue stick or spray adhesive (recommended)
• Scissors (or craft knife)
• Printer
• Tape

Step 1
Download the shadow puppets templates using the links provided above and print on white or light-colored card stock. Use spray adhesive or glue stick to attach a sheet of black card stock to the back of each template. Cut out the shapes.

Step 2
Attach your handle of your choice (we ended up using party straws) to the back of each shadow puppet using a small piece of tape.

Step 3
It’s time to set up the lights and start the show! The Energizer LED flashlights were well-suited for our needs. The folding tripod legs turned the Energizer® LED 3 in 1 Light into the ultimate mini floor stage light, while the handy Energizer® LED Pop Up Lantern was perfect for situations where we needed to hang the light.

All said and done, the new Energizer LED flashlights were big hits in the hands of our children. We highly recommend checking them out if you get a chance—be sure to come back and share your experiences as they light up your next adventure!

Brought to you by Energizer®.