How to Make a Working Traffic Light

This traffic light is so easy to put together and it is so much fun to use! Use it as a tool for learning about traffic lights or in your pretend play!

Often when we go on a drive, Goose and I spend the time talking about how we get where we’re going. We talk about our left and our right when making turns, we discuss how to be a safe driver and passenger, and how traffic lights work.

She understands the concept of stop for red and go for green but she never quite gets a good view of the lights in action. So I put together this working traffic light so we could have some fun while learning about our road safety.

You will need:

Cardboard

Scissors

Xacto knife

Paint and brush

Tissue paper

Clear plastic/laminator (optional)

Flashlight

Start with a piece of cardboard. Mark out your rectangle and three circles. Use your xacto knife to carefully cut out your circles and then cut your rectangle shape using scissors.

Now, paint your cardboard. Our traffic lights around here are yellow, but I know most of the world uses black traffic lights. Even though ours aren’t black, I still chose that colour to help the colours of the lights really stand out for her.

Now comes the lights. Take two layers of tissue paper in each colour and cut them into pieces large enough to fill the holes you made in the cardboard.

I decided to laminate mine so we didn’t have to risk getting holes but you can skip that step if you’re brave. Or perhaps tape it to some clear plastic or put it in a sandwich baggie.

Now simply tape your tissue paper to your light.

And voila! Traffic light. Use a flashlight behind your tissue paper to make the lights work!

Check it out in action:

Now’s your chance to show your little one how the lights work. Teach them what each colour means and how a driver or pedestrian should react when a different colour is present.

After discussing what each colour means, get them to act out being a car while you change the lights for them. You can even go as far as drawing a road with chalk outside and involving their bicycle or toy cars!

Make sure to switch roles and allow them to direct you as well. I find that Goose often remembers more when she has to be the one in charge.

Another simple way to help learn about the colours is to sing about them! I’ve come up with a small list of songs they may like.

Show us your working traffic light by tagging us on Instagram or posting to our Facebook page!