Many kids – and even some adults – are afraid of the dark, but keeping a light on all night can run an energy bill up quickly. Candles provide a cheaper alternative to an electricity-powered light, but can be dangerous to leave burning as you sleep, and battery-powered night lights can burn through expensive batteries quickly, leaving you with a battery budget you didn’t anticipate. If you’re dealing with a child who is scared of their pitch black room or you’re looking for a way to add a little more light to a dark home, you don’t have to choose between dangerous or expensive anymore. This DIY night light option uses supplies you probably already have lying around your house or you can pick up at any party store for only a few dollars.
What You Need Before you begin the DIY, you’ll need to gather your supplies. To start this project, you’ll need the following:
- A glass bottle or jar
- Glow sticks
- Rubber Gloves
- Scissors
1. Clean Your Glass Bottles or Jars You want to make sure you’re working with a clean surface, so wash any and all of the glass jars you plan on using for this project. You can use everything from mason jars to old soda bottles, as long as you’re working with clear, clean glass. Using a dirty or tinted glass bottle could prevent the glow from shining through.
2. Cut your Glow Sticks Once your glass bottle surface is clean, snap the glow sticks to activate the chemicals within and get them glowing! Follow the instructions on the glow stick packages to ensure they are operating at their prime. Next, slip on your rubber gloves. Using your scissors, snip the ends from your glowing glow sticks, exposing the liquid within. Make sure you have your gloves on during this step! You don’t want to get the chemicals on your fingers or skin.
3. Wipe the Glow Stick Contents on the Inside of the Bottle Allow the contents of your glow sticks to drip into your clean glass bottles, getting the glowing liquid all over the bottom and sides of the container. During this step, feel free to get creative. Add multiple colors and use as many glow sticks as you need to get the level of radiance you want. When you’re done, your glass bottles should have a splatter-like design of glowing paint.
4. Enjoy the Glow! Once you’ve got your bottles or jars glowing to your liking, you’re all set to enjoy your new DIY nightlight! These decorative bottles can be used during the day for a colorful decoration to any room, but turn out the light and they provide an easy, cost effective alternative to traditional night lights. Scatter these jars throughout your house to provide a little bit of light to any dark room, or create a collection of DIY glow stick night light jars for an even brighter glow!
