Lite Brite Oval HD

 

 

If you've been around for very long, you know how much I LOVE Lite Brite. The original Lite Brite, the one I had as a kid, continues to be my favorite.  It has a wide base of support, allows for working on a slanted surface while holding the arm in space, and requires a stabilizing hand to hold the unit still as you pierce the paper with the pegs. As a therapist, BINGO! But you can't buy them any more unless you stumble onto one on eBay, at a rummage sale, or in a thrift store. You can read my previous post about it here. The Lite Brite Cube - hate it. The Lite Brite Flat Screen - don't like it. The Lite Brite Magic Screen - I have used this one with success. You can read my previous post about that one here.

Lite Brite has been around for almost 60 years, and like Oreos and Lay's Potato Chips, Lite Brite keeps remaking itself in an effort to hit on a new version that will be as popular as the original. Well, like Watermelon Oreos and Cappuccino Lay's Potato Chips, Lite Brite Oval HD is NOT it! I'll tell you why from a therapist's point of view.

The unit is lightweight plastic and does have a fold-out stand on the back, which is a plus. If you're careful, it should last a while. This particular version comes with 12 paper templates, each with a different picture, including a turtle, T-rex head, panda, dump truck, some kind of a monster, a skull, and something that, after looking at it for quite a while, I decided to call a "bug". (After checking the box I see it's a cuttlefish).

And here comes the big surprise for me - the pegs! They are tiny, maybe half as wide as the originals and only 2/3 as long. And VERY thin. 

 

CRAZY TINY

 

Because of this, each picture will require you to place hundreds of pegs. And because you are going to have to grip tight something so tiny while you push it in, the job will become tedious and your fingers will become sore long before you finish it. And when you line up the template on the unit, you better get it spot on. Because the pegs are so tiny and the holes are so tiny, if the letters on the template are not right on top of the circles below, you may have to jab repeatedly, pushing against solid plastic before you cut through the paper. And there's only one way to find that out... ugh. 

So, if you want to know more about Lite Brite, I recommend that you check out my two posts above. Other than that, I would not recommend Lite Brite Oval HD for kids or therapists.