Your children can continue to enjoy the magic of Lite Brite for years to come with Lite Brite paper refill options.
History of Lite Brite
Adults fondly remember their first Lite Brite, and they often want to pass that memory on to their children. The toy was considered a unique creation when it was first introduced by Hasbro in 1967. The idea was simple - create a box powered by a single high wattage incandescent bulb, and add a pegboard and a bag of brightly colored pegs. In addition to the box and pegs, the toy came with several sheets of stencils created on black paper. These stencils formed distinct shapes of flowers, animals, boats, and many other designs. Once children filled the stencils by placing pegs on designated points, the pictures came brightly to life.
Lite Brite Today
Today, kids of all ages are still enjoying the magic of Lite Brite, though the design has changed somewhat. While the Lite Brite of the past had to be plugged into an electric power source, today they use batteries, making them a much safer toy for young children. Today's budding artists can choose from a variety of Lite Brite toys, like the Lite Brite Cube and the Lite Brite with Spin Art. This version allows kids to add fluorescent paints to a blank piece of paper on a spinning table to make lots of unique designs.
Lite Brite Cube
One of the most popular Lite Brite versions on the market today is the Lite Brite Cube. While the old Lite Brite featured only one side on which kids could place the black stencil and pegs, this version has four sides, so kids can save three of their pictures while they work on a fourth one. More than one child can enjoy playing on the same Lite Brite as well for added fun. This Lite Brite has a carry handle and two peg storage drawers for added convenience. It typically comes with 400 pegs and 10 Lite Brite paper refill sheets.
Potential Problems
While Lite Brite continues to be a popular gift for children, there are some complaints and potential problems associated with the toy.
- Large holes - Some consumers complain that the holes in the Lite Brite Cube are too large to adequately hold the pegs, creating frustration for little fingers. Consumers argue that the users shouldn't have to place the paper on the screen every time, but they find it necessary to do so because too much light comes through the holes otherwise. This isn't very economical as the paper cannot be reused easily. The punched holes from the pegs make it almost impossible to change patterns using the same sheet.
- Paper refill size - For those with an older Lite Brite version, finding a Lite Brite paper refill can be difficult if not impossible. New Lite Brite screens are typically smaller than the original versions.
Finding a Lite Brite Paper Refill
- Buy refills - If you are searching for paper refills for your Lite Brite, you can usually find them at Amazon for around $13. Refill sets generally include 12 to 15 sheets, but again, most of these sheets are too small for older Lite Brites.
- Make refills-A much more economical option is to make your own refills. You can do this by using black construction paper. Simply cut the paper to size so that it fits your child's Lite Brite. To make stencils, you can mark on the paper with a white marker or let your child create her own design without any stencil marks.
Lite Brite might be considered a retro toy from the past, but today's kids still understand the attraction of creating with lights!
