How to Use & Benefits of the Light Table for Preschool, Pre-K, & Kindergarten
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My students love the light table, but I was a little hesitant when I first got one. I wasn’t exactly sure how to use it and get the most benefits from the light table for my young children. Thankfully, I was able to find TONS of uses across all the subjects I teach in my preschool classroom! So, I thought it would be helpful to make a post with all the different ways for how to use & the benefits of a light table for preschool, pre-k, and kindergarten students.
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Benefits of the Light Table in the Early Childhood Classroom
Why you should have a light table center:
- Multi-Sensory (sense of sight & touch) It is a fantastic source of visual sensory input.
- PLAY based
- Gets students up, moving, interacting, and learning together
- Makes any activity more engaging and exciting!
Skills students can develop during light table play are:
- fine motor skills
- hand-eye coordination
- creativity and imagination
- problem-solving skills
- social skills (sharing, taking turns, waiting, self-regulation, self-help skills)
- oral language and vocabulary
- math skills such as counting, sorting, graphing, and shapes
- alphabet knowledge and letter formation
- STEM engineering and building concepts and skills
- the specific literacy, math, or science skill or objective for the activity
Kinds of Light Tables
Light Table! These are great if you have the room and budget for a large light box! They are bigger and allow multiple students to play at one time. They cost quite a bit but will last a long time in your center. Look for one with a shelf for added storage! Place a piece of fabric across the edge to hide the materials on the shelf.
Light Pads! These are a smaller, flat light panel and are gaining popularity. They are great for an option that is smaller and can be put away into storage. Place several at any table. These come in various sizes and are a cheaper option. This is the one I like.
Light Table Supplies & Manipulatives
Light Table Supplies! Use the materials and supplies you already have in your classroom to create the light table activities. Look around your closet for things that are transparent. Check your craft supplies, math manipulatives, sensory, and STEM/building toys.
Here are some things you may already have!
- Magnet blocks
- Transparent STEM toys
- Marble run
- Brick blocks (Legos)
- Window wooden blocks
- Pipes
- Plastic ice cubes
- Kid plates, cups, bowls
- Colored plastic cups
- Colored plastic shot glasses
- Straws
- Sorting trays
- Ice cube trays
- Gems
- Transparent beads
- Sensory bottles
Transparent Manipulatives! Most traditional manipulatives have a transparent version for the light table. These are fun for open play as the first project on the light table!
- Transparent Letters
- Numbers
- Pattern blocks
- Buttons
- Connecting cubes
- Different Shapes
- Magnetic chips
- Dominos
- Counters
- Brick blocks
- Stackable counters
- 3D shapes
- Letter formation set
Gems & Beads! Glass gems & beads make amazing manipulatives for the light table! The gems come in various colors and shapes. Find a gem to match the learning theme or season. Lacing and sorting beads makes a great fine motor activity for little learners.
- Solid colors
- Rock/jewel shape
- Hearts
- Corn
- Leaves, acorns, pumpkins
- Holiday lights
- Shamrocks
- Dinosaurs
- Fruit
- Shells
Everything doesn’t have to be transparent! Items from nature, pom poms, animal figures, and vehicles are fun for the light table, too!
Container Options! You will need bowls, trays, and containers to use to set up and create activities at the light table. These can be used for writing trays, sorting, counting, building/STEM, literacy, loose parts, and more! Use the containers to store the manipulatives to make the activity look inviting for your students. Most of these containers were found at the dollar store.
- Book holder/picture frame holder
- Sorting tray (chip and dip tray)
- Trays with sections
- Large trays
- Small trays
- Small bowls
- Small plates
- Shot glasses
- “Fancy” bowls
- Tongs
- Bottles
- Jars
DIY Manipulatives! Create your own manipulatives for the light table! Write on the item with a permanent marker or use stickers. Use cups, plates, chips, or gems to make letter or number manipulatives.
Light Table Tools! Place colored tape on each cup. Now, you have sorting cups in tons of colors to match all the manipulatives (the top two photos). Purchase a set of square safety mirrors. Safety mirrors will not break if dropped or bumped. Place strips of strong tape on the back where the mirrors meet. Then, place them at the back of the light table to make any activity more engaging (bottom picture)! You can find the blocks here.
How to Make Light Table Templates! Create gorgeous colored sorting mats, themed cutouts, letter mats, or number mats using tissue paper!
- Laminate tissue paper
- Staple multiple pieces of laminated tissue paper together. Now, when you cut out the shape, the pages won’t slip!
- Trace the shape/object with a dry erase marker.
- Cut out the shape/object.
- Erase any outlines with a towel or tissue.
Leave the cutouts plain or write letters, names, sight words, numbers, or shapes to create a fun literacy or math activity.
DIY Tissue Paper Cutouts! Cut the laminated tissue paper to the size or object you like, then write letters, names, numbers, or shapes on each page.
DIY Lamination Activities! Draw or write ANYTHING on the inside of the lamination pouch, and then run it through! You can also use tape on the inside. It’s that simple! Now, you have a learning mat to match your activity.
- Pre-writing lines
- Letters
- Names
- Sight words
- Numbers
- Shapes
- Patterns
- Options are endless!
Printables on the Light Tables! Print it on regular paper, and the light will shine through! Use the activities you already have prepped at the light table. This is a wonderful way to engage students in a previously done activity.
Writing Trays! My students love using writing trays on the light table; plus, they are beautiful! I use colored sand or salt in a clear tray. Students can use a paintbrush to form the letters, numbers, or sight words. You can see how I make colored salt here.
Light Table Ideas & Planning
Don’t think of the light table as another thing to plan. Think of the light table as an extra sensory center you can use for students to practice skills. If you have an activity already prepped, put it at the light table just by switching out some of the manipulatives. Remember, everything does NOT have to be translucent.
Repeat a loved activity on the light table…If it works, do it again! You will have fewer behaviors when students are engaged. Everything doesn’t always have to be new. A simple, play-based fine motor activity is perfect! Students always need more activities to strengthen their fine motor muscles
Click the images below for tons of light table ideas for each season/subject.
There are so many uses and benefits of light play, and I can’t wait to see what you do in your classroom with your little learners! Light tables are a great option for preschool, pre-k, or kindergarten students to practice letter recognition, number recognition, and counting skills at a science center, and more! Your young minds will have so much fun on a traditional light table or light pad. Check out the light table playlist on YouTube for these ideas in action and MORE!
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hey, i’m jackie!
I’m Jackie, your go-to girl for early childhood inspiration and research-based curriculum.