Library Workshop Review: Light & Shadow

Our August 2025 Library Workshop, Light & Shadow, invited participants to explore the fascinating connection between science, art, and storytelling. Through a series of hands-on activities, children investigated how light behaves, how colours interact, and how simple optical effects can create magical visual experiences.

The workshop began with experiments on light transmission and colour overlay, where participants discovered how different coloured films could be layered to produce new colours and effects. They then learned about the principle of persistence of vision and how it allows separate images to appear as continuous motion.

After exploring the science, participants put their knowledge into practice by designing and building their own custom rotating lanterns. Using translucent materials, coloured filters, and creative drawings, each child created a unique lantern that transformed light into moving patterns and stories.

Preparation Challenge

One of the main challenges during preparation was finding the right balance between brightness and colour visibility. During testing, we discovered that some coloured materials blocked too much light, making the lantern effects difficult to see. The team therefore experimented with different translucent films and light placements to achieve clearer and more vibrant projections.

On the Day

The workshop attracted strong interest from the community. Participants were highly engaged throughout the session, especially when testing different colour combinations and watching their rotating lanterns project moving patterns onto the walls.

Participant Feedback

Year 3 particpant said:

“I loved seeing the colours mix together. My lantern looked different every time it turned.”

Year 6 particpaent said:

“I learned that light can pass through some materials and change colour. Building the rotating lantern was like making my own moving light show.”