Black Light Drawing Activity

It’s hard to describe just how epic black light drawing is. Neon colors + squeals of excitement + everything around you glowing? This couldn’t be cooler if it tried!

Hearts, zig zags, and swirly lines are drawn with neon tempera sticks and highlighters on white paper, glowing under a black light

Why you should try black light drawing

Picture this: kids sitting around a large piece of white paper with highlighter markers in hand.

Together, we count down from 10, and when we get to one, I switch the lights off.

However, instead of the room going dark, it’s illuminated with a bright, glowing light because a black light is on and ready.

PANDAMONIUM. GIGGLES. SHRIEKS. JOY.

And guess what? It’s electric every single time you use a black light.

🌙 Related: Kick this up a notch by using your blacklight on one of our giant 10-foot coloring banners.

black light drawing in action: a hand holds a yellow highlighter and draws a looped line on a white paper. The photo is dark and shines with a blue hue from the black light shining.

Black light drawing materials

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Black light bar – this bar is fabulous and will light up a normal-sized room
White paper
Highlighters – all colors work, but yellow is the best
Neon tempera sticks – I was mind-blown when I learned these came in neon
Neon oil pastels
Neon tempera cakes

🌙 NOTE: You don’t need all the drawing/painting supplies and can start with just one type. If you pick just one supply, I’d recommend yellow highlighters.

A young girl lays on her stomach engaged in the black light drawing activity by using a yellow highlighter to draw on a large piece of white butcher paper. The room is dark and lit up with a black light.

How to do black light drawing

When using a black light, you want height and darkness.

Height

You want your black light above your drawing surface so it can shine on your paper.

Here are some ideas to get you started for black light placement for common areas in your home or classroom:

Kitchen table: set your black light on the counter closest to the table, propping it up for extra height if needed
Garage floor: set the blacklight on the seat of a chair next to where you’re coloring
Classroom table: set your blacklight on any counter closest to your tables

Darkness

You want your room to be as dark as possible to get the best glowing effect.

Make sure to:

Close the blinds of the room you’re in
Close doors if necessary
Turn off all other lights, such as overhead lighting, lamps, and night lights

Now you’re ready!

Provide your child with your neon drawing or painting supplies of choice + white paper, and go to town.

This is a perfect activity for you to join in as well! Grab a paper, pull up a seat, and prepare to be amazed.

💡 Teacher Tip: A black light shouldn’t be stared into, so provide appropriate adult supervision to make sure kids don’t stare directly at it. While it’s not as bright as the sun, treat it the same way by not staring at it.

A young girl smiles while holding a yellow highlighter showing off the lines and squiggles she has drawn on her legs. The room is dark and glows from a black light.

What else can you do with a black light?

A black light is a fun, versatile addition to your learning and can be used in many other fun ways.

Body art: Yellow highlighters aren’t easily visible on skin under standard lighting, but they look SO COOL under a black light. We love letting our preschoolers draw on their arms and legs with highlighters because you can barely see it once the activity is over (and kids think this is the coolest thing to ever exist in the world).

Glow hunt: Invite your child to go around the home or classroom and find materials they predict will glow, then test them out.

Letter scavenger hunt: Write letters on white paper with yellow highlights so they’re hard to see with the lights on but glow with a black light. Hide the letters around a room and invite your child to find them.

A black light drawing activity is perfect for spur-of-the-moment fun

Because the black light drawing setup is as simple as making a room dark and turning on your black light bar, this is the perfect activity when you only have a few moments to prep.

Rainy day? Black light drawing.

Need to jump on a phone call? Black light drawing.

Making dinner? Black light drawing.

No matter the question, black light drawing is the (super awesome) answer.

Have kids that love to draw? Here are some of our other favorite drawing activities:

Marker and Foil Prints – could be done with highlighters
Paper Bag Leaf Art – could be done with neon oil pastels or tempera sticks
Dinosaur Directed Draw – how fun would this be neon?
Glowing Neon Art with Black Light Flashlights – this is incredible

A large piece of white butcher paper glows blue from a black light with bright yellow designs made from yellow highlighters.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age is this recommended for?

Any that can safely use the materials. Remember, black lights shouldn’t be stared at, so make sure to use appropriate adult supervision when using the black light.

What glows under a black light?

White and neon. Kids love finding things that will glow, especially things they’re wearing.

Can this black light illuminate a room?

Yes! The black light linked under “Materials” can fully illuminate a standard sized room.