Light up your summer fun

I have fond memories of sitting on a log with my cousins as a kid and staring into the night, waiting with great anticipation for that very first firefly to pop on his light, signaling the start of our own private light show. One by one, other fireflies joined in. It seemed like all the fireflies in the world had congregated at our picnic spot, lighting up the night like fireworks.

Light up your summer evenings with friends, family and fireflies. Take advantage of the warm weather to enjoy meals around the barbecue and activities under the night sky.

Here are ideas to help you do just that:

Decorative Beverage Containers

Before the gathering, school-age kids can personalize beverage and water bottles. First, remove the labels. Print your own bottle labels from your computer with the theme of your gathering printed in big letters. If bottles will be in ice buckets, cover each label with a piece of clear packing tape to make it waterproof.

Preschoolers can have fun putting themed stickers on the outside of plastic or paper drinking cups. Let them arrange the decorated cups on the buffet table for guests to admire.

Make Fireflies

Decorate your empty plastic water bottles to look like a firefly, then slip a glow stick inside and watch it light up!

To create the firefly, leave the cap on for a mouth. Glue two googly eyes or buttons on the angle of the bottle above the cap/spout. For the body, cover the rest of the bottle with black construction paper or black electrical tape, leaving the last 3 inches uncovered. Scrunch up clear shiny paper for wings and tape them on top. Twist pipe cleaners into antennae and tape in place between the eyes and the wings.

Nature’s Nightlights

At bedtime, read the book “Nightlight” by Jeannine Anderson and illustrated by Nikki Johnson (Windward Publishing). A delightful and magically illustrated story, two little bears, Aurora Mae and Borealis Burl, awaken to the Northern Lights and the enchantment of bright fireflies.