Putting The Pretty In Preschool

Finding Beauty In Everyday Early Childhood Experiences

light table

Felt Marker Color Exploration

by Leave a Comment

Create beautiful hues with this felt marker color exploration invitation. The activty is easy and economical to set up!

_______

So – many – beautiful – hues! That‘s what your little learners will create while engaging in this felt marker color exploration invitation. The activity is easy and economical to set up and the science experiment is as interesting to children as any other project out there.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Supplies to Collect

Gather the following supplies. Most can be found in the kitchen, so you probably already have them!

  • plastic tablecloth
  • water-based felt markers
  • office paper
  • craft foam
  • paper towels
  • clear plastic or white styrofoam egg cartons
  • compartment trays
  • scissors
  • jug of water

_______

Create beautiful hues with this felt marker color exploration invitation. The activity is easy and economical to set up!

_______

The Felt Marker Color Exploration Set Up

First, cover a table with a plastic tablecloth.

Next cut paper, paper towels, and craft foam into 2-inch x 3-inch strips.

For each participant, fill sections of an egg carton with water. Or add water to empty tempera block trays.

Then set up stations with strips of paper and foam, and a water-filled egg carton or compartment tray.

Add a set of water-based felt markers to each spot.

_______

Exploring Color With Felt Pens And Markers

An easy and economical felt marker color exploration activity your children will love to do!

_______

Invite participants to decorate foam and paper strips with felt markers, and then dip the strips into egg carton sections. The water will turn a variety of colors, resulting in exquisite transient art. Such a fun science experiment with an artistic flair!

The colored water in the clear egg cartons below is the work of several students. I was so impressed with the many colors they created. The plastic egg cartons are set on a light table so the hues display clearly. Aren’t they gorgeous?

So many beautiful hues can be created with this felt marker color exploration activity.

_______

Related:

_______

[Read more…] about Felt Marker Color Exploration

St. Patrick’s Light Table Tray

by Leave a Comment

A cheeky leprechaun is the highlight of this low-maintenance, easy-to put together St. Patrick's Day light table tray.

_______

St. Patrick’s Day accessories lend themselves so well to sensory activities and can be used in many different ways. Keeping an eye out for transparent supplies is the key to making this easy, mess-free St. Patrick’s light table tray.

_______

Follow me on Pinterest for more early learning ideas.

_______

Supplies To Collect

Transparent gems, gems, and more gems work well for this tray. Select them in different sizes in the colors green, yellow, and brownish gold.

Other supplies to gather are shamrock reusable ice cubes, shamrocks cut from wall decorations, a black pot, a leprechaun figurine, and mini green tongs and drinking cups.

Dot markers and a piece of transparency copy paper come in handy for creating a rainbow.

A clear compartment tray works wonderfully for the bin.

_______

The St. Patrick’s Light Table Tray

How to put together a St. Patrick's Day sensory tray for the light table.

_______

First, select a clear compartment tray for the sensory activity.

Next, use dot markers to create a large rainbow on a piece of transparency copy paper. The ink dries rapidly and doesn’t smudge at all. Or draw a rainbow with felt pens on regular copy paper. Afterward, cut the rainbow out and tape it to one end of the tray.

Then add a variety of acrylic gems to the tray.

Set in the shamrock ice cubes and wall decoration pieces.

Lastly, add the drinking cups, salad tongs, pot, and leprechaun. Then set the sensory tray on a light table or light box for early learners to discover.

Children will be excited to sort and rearrange the loose parts in the tray and may spread them all over the lighted surface.

Note: This St. Patrick’s light table tray is low maintenance. It is mess-free and doesn’t require a base ingredient. It works well as an activity on or off the light table.

A cheeky leprechaun is the highlight of this low-maintenance, easy-to put together St. Patrick's Day light table tray.

_______

Related:  

Leprechaun Sensory Jar

Leprechaun Sensory Play

_______

[Read more…] about St. Patrick’s Light Table Tray

Christmas Light Table Activity

by Leave a Comment

Invitation to scoop and sort Christmas-themed reusable ice cubes in this magical light exploration play activity for little learners.

________

This Christmas light table activity is oh so simple to set up! And the festive light play invitation will add ambiance to your Christmas theme offerings.

A light table is a table illuminated by light and comes in a variety of sizes. Some smaller ones have removable legs for versatility. Portable light boxes and light panels are other excellent alternatives for light exploration activities.

_______

For more activities with light, follow my Pinterest board Light Play.

_______

Light Table Supplies

Clear containers and accessories, and reusable ice cubes are the key items to collect for this magical center. Gather:

  • clear salad bowl
  • plastic see-through gift boxes
  • plastic egg holders
  • clear serving spoons
  • Christmas-themed reusable ice cubes

_________

The Christmas Light Table Activity

Counting, sorting, and scooping opportunities at the light table with Christmas-themed reusable ice cubes and clear containers.

_______

Fill the salad bowl with reusable ice cubes and set it on a light table along with a serving spoon.

Spread the plastic gift boxes, egg holders, and extra spoons around the bowl.

Invite little learners to scoop ice cubes from the bowl into the gift boxes and sort ice cubes in the egg holders.

Color and shape sorting, counting, and practice with eye-hand coordination are a few benefits of this play invitation, aside from just being a lot of fun!

Invitation for little learners to count and sort reusable Christmas-themed ice cubes at the light table.

________

If you do not have a light table or lightbox in your classroom or home, you can make a simple and economical DIY version. Just add Christmas lights to a clear plastic tub with a lid. I’ve tried this and it works just fine!

Reusable ice cubes can be picked up at dollar stores, or in the picnic supply section of other stores.  I’m always checking for ones that complement the themes we do in the classroom.

The clear gift boxes were an awesome dollar store find, and I snapped up ones trimmed in red, green, silver, and gold.  Little learners would enjoy scooping and transferring ice cubes into all sizes and shapes of containers, so use what you have available.

Clear gift boxes are the perfect containers for scooping reusable Christmas-themed ice cubes at the light table.

________

A light table can be used for science, discovery, math, art, drawing, literacy, music, and more. What’s your favorite way to use one? Share below.

________

[Read more…] about Christmas Light Table Activity