Light it Up!
Ready
- A large flat clear plastic bin – one that fits under the bed is a good size
- 6-8 LED puck lights or a few strings of battery operated twinkle lights – you can also use corded/plug-in lights; they may fit under the lid or you may need to cut a hole in the container
- Aluminum foil
- Tissue paper or tracing paper
- Clear tape
- A set of items to play with atop your light table – be sure to consider items of varying shape, size, opacity and color
Set
- Line the underside of the lid with your tissue paper/tracing paper using clear tape to diffuse the light and hide the light source.
- Line the inside of your bin with aluminum foil to better reflect the light.
- Spread out your lights at the bottom of the bin (option to secure them with double-sided tape).
- Turn the lights on and close the lid.
- Turn off the lights in the room.
Play!
- Experiment with placing your items on top of the table:
– Do the colors change with the light?
– Can you build with your items?
– Can you line them up?
Play your way! What else can you do with these open-ended materials?
Why Play This Way?
This play and learning experience encourages little minds to experiment, observe, and explore while utilizing visual stimuli in a whole new way. Everyday objects suddenly get a fresh look as they are lit from below. Plus, this is one irresistible “tool” that you will use again and again as your little one grows. There is something uniquely captivating about a light table. Enjoy your time together as you turn off the lights, and cozy up to this amazing play.
Better with a Book
At LᐧMᐧNᐧOᐧPlay!, we love to pair our play with a great book.
Light Tables
Extension Activities
Choose your own adventure! Select any of the extension activities or resources below and see where your play takes you next. They all build on the same play theme to extend your learning in even more ways.
