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Lite-Brite Classic Review: A Screen-Free Holiday Gift (Batteries Not Included), Plus Crayola Globbles for the Stocking

By Best Items Staff
A cozy living room on a dark early-winter evening: a child's hands in a striped sweater cuff pressing small colored pegs into a glowing light-up pegboard toy, a half-finished boat picture lit in red, yellow, green and blue, a few spare pegs, loose AA batteries and a small screwdriver on the rug beside it, a warm lamp and a string of white holiday lights blurred in the background, candid editorial

Some toys survive every trend because the idea is simple: put a colored peg in a hole and watch it glow. The Lite-Brite Classic is that toy, and it's a nice answer to the question of what a kid can do on a dark November evening that doesn't involve a screen. Here's what's in the box, what to know before you wrap it, and two small extras that make holiday morning go smoothly.

What the Lite-Brite Classic is

Lite-Brite Classic Retro Light-Up Toy, 206 Pegs and 6 Design Templates, Ages 4+ is the glow-art pegboard many of us remember. Per its product page, it comes with 206 pegs in six colors and six easy templates, including a boat and a unicorn, and kids can also skip the templates and design their own pictures. Four light modes switch the display between different effects, and the battery-powered LED bulbs stay cool. Catalog rating: 4.6 / 5.0.

Prices on the site update daily, so check the product page for the current price.

Why it works as a screen-free gift

The appeal is that the child is the one doing the work. Pressing small pegs into a board builds fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, according to the product page, and a template gives younger kids a clear goal while free-form designs give older ones room to get creative. Because the board lights from behind, the finished picture is its own reward, which tends to keep a project going longer than a toy that only does one thing when you press a button.

It also works as a shared activity. A parent or grandparent can sit with a child and fill in a template together, and a free-form picture is a good rainy-day project for siblings. Keep in mind the pegs are small and the toy is labeled for ages 4 and up, so follow the age guidance on the product page and keep pieces away from younger siblings.

Batteries are not included

This is the detail that trips up holiday mornings: the Lite-Brite requires 3 AA batteries, not included. If you wrap it and forget, you'll be hunting through junk drawers while a delighted kid waits. Buying batteries at the same time you buy the toy is the easy fix.

The battery pack to buy with it: Duracell Coppertop AA, 24 Count

Duracell Coppertop AA Batteries, 24 Count, 12-Year Shelf Life, Long-Lasting Alkaline is a plain, dependable stock-up. Per its product page, each battery is guaranteed to stay ready for up to 12 years in storage, the Power Boost ingredients are meant for everyday devices like remotes, toys, game controllers, smoke detectors, and flashlights, and the re-closable 24-count pack keeps spares in one place. That shelf life is what makes it a good buy now: three go into the Lite-Brite, and the rest wait in a drawer for the next remote or smoke detector. Catalog rating: 4.8 / 5.0.

When you install them, follow the battery compartment diagram, don't mix old and new batteries, and take them out if the toy will be stored for a long stretch.

A small stocking stuffer: Crayola Globbles

Crayola Globbles Fidget Toy, 6 Count, Sticky Squish Balls are bright, squishy balls that stick, stack, squish, and sling, made for sensory play, focus, and stress relief. Per its product page, they don't leave a sticky residue and get their stickiness back after washing with soap and water, which matters for anything that will end up on the floor, in a backpack, or on a desk. The 6-count pack is an easy, low-cost stocking stuffer, party favor, or desk toy for kids and adults. Catalog rating: 4.5 / 5.0. Check the product page for the age guidance before you give them to younger children.

Who it's for, and who should skip it

The Lite-Brite is a good fit for kids ages 4 and up who like building, drawing, or anything that glows, and for families who want a quiet activity that isn't a tablet. Skip it if there are toddlers in the house who put small things in their mouths, or if your child wants a toy that does the creative work for them. Globbles suit kids who fidget, a classroom or desk, or anyone who needs a stocking filler. The Duracell pack is for anyone with more devices than spare batteries.

The bottom line

The Lite-Brite Classic is a warm, screen-free gift with 206 pegs, 6 templates, and four light modes, as long as you remember the 3 AA batteries it needs. Pair it with a Duracell Coppertop 24-count pack so it works the moment it's unwrapped, and tuck a set of Crayola Globbles into a stocking. Check each product page for the current price.