illumi-Spring

Light up a slinky with a puck light to encourage your child to use their vision

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The Slinky’s unique walking action down a flight of stairs or between your hands has captivated children since the early 1940s when it was invented by Richard T. James. It’s also a simple, attention-grabbing toy for children with visual impairments when it’s lit up on one end with a puck light. It’s easy to manipulate, it bounces slowly without making noise, the light is bright, and it can be hung or suspended in a “Little Room” or “CVI Den.” The original Slinky by Just Play works the best.

Supplies

• Goody elastic hair band
• 2.75-inch battery-operated puck light. It should be touch-sensitive in 80 lumens or more (available on Amazon or at the hardware or dollar store)
• Plastic Slinky, in your child’s preferred color, often red or yellow
• Hot glue gun
  

Instructions

1. Cut the hairband so it is a single elastic length.

2. Using a hot glue gun, put a thin layer around the flat end of the Slinky.

3. With the puck light flat on the table facing upward, place the glued end of the Slinky around the edge of the puck light. Be careful that you don’t get glue on the edge of the flexible, press on/press off light.

4. Press down and adjust to make sure it sticks solidly, and that the light is centered.

5. Once the thin layer of glue is dry, run another line of hot glue along the outer edge to make a solid seal between the Slinky and puck light.

6. Place a dot of glue on one side of the puck light.

7. Take one end of the elastic band and press it onto the dot of glue.

8. Add extra glue on top of the edge of the elastic to seal it firmly to the puck light. Be careful that no glue reaches the edge of the puck light where the battery lid needs to turn freely.

9. Repeat this process on the side of the puck light directly across from the first.

10. Let the illumi-spring dry completely before using.

You can also make a variation of the illumi-spring with Mardi Gras beads.

• First, cut the Mardi gras bead necklaces into 14-inch lengths.
  
• Glue the end of each length around the edge of the puck light to form a “curtain” of beads that can be lit up with the puck light.

Adapted from Strategy to See.