Light table.... INSPIRATION

One of the questions asked quite a lot in some of the preschool groups I participate in, is for inspiration for the light table... and where to find it... So here is some inspiration from this blog... and a few other places too...

of course there is always the delight of glittering transparant items to create patterns and images with... alone or in groups as part of a collaborative artwork

for sensory experiences... this is a homemade light table where there are electric tealights (submersible ones) in the box underneath the slime box... the light adds yet another sensory experience to the slime session.... link to slime post...

think out of the box when it comes to materials for the light table... and start collecting all sorts of things... and dare to ask for left over supplies... here I asked StikkiNikki ice-cream (in Stockholm yumyum for organic homemade ice-cream) if I could have the spoons that people were throwing away... she was very happy for the plastic spoons to be upcycled... (took some time to wash them all though... and they come in useful for glue spreading and other crafts and play)

dare to rethink how the lighttable is positioned in your setting...  at Boulder Journey School there were lots of light tables and some, as you see were on their side against the wall to add a different opportunity for light exploration... (check my posts from Boulder Journey School for more inspiration for indoor and outdoor play and learning - link to MY BOULDER EXPERIENCE 2013 - several posts to check out)

creating small world play opportunities.... this photo show you how we celebrated International Fairy Tea Party last September... and at the moment we have it set up for Sleeping Beauty inspired small world play link to see our sleeping beauty inspired play on FB - there are plans to celebrate International Tea Party again this year... if you are interested keep a look out here on my blog or on the International Fairy Tea Party Facebook page

paint on the light table... here I have wrapped the light table up in plastic and squirted paint on for the children to explore, and make a print... more information can be found... here, here and here

more sensory on the light table... here I replaced the bottom of a tray with clear perspex so that we could experiment with salt, beans, coffee beans, beads, ice, cloud dough etc etc... a clear box is also perfect for this sort of play/exploration...  I have  in total 19 posts with a connection to the light table... of course the light table is not the only way to explore light... but it is the topic of this post... if you want to have access to all my posts on the light table... click here

At "AND NEXT COMES L" you can see how maths and sorting can be done on the light table... the link to this activity is here - but it is worth exploring the whole blog for more light table inspiration - here is the link to Dyan's light table activities and inspiration

LALYMOM reminds us how colour can be explored on the light table... either one colour at a time... or several colours... this is the link to an exploration of RED

CRAFTULATE reminds of us the need to think outside our comfort zone when it comes to the light table... jelly/jello is maybe not the first thing that would spring to mind when it comes to the light table... check here for more details... here in Sweden it is cheapest to get gelatine and colour and add scent to it if desiring a smell sensory experience too (which I recommend as the sense of smell is strongly connected with memory making)

WHERE IMAGINATION GROWS - exploring nature on the light table... either directly on the light table... or by making your own nature slides as suggested here. There are lots of other suggestions for light table use here too (as well as lots of other inspiration)... so don't hurry off the blog...

STILL PLAYING SCHOOL reminds me that the light box is more than just a place for the visual experience - but that all the senses can be used here... sound being the experiment of this post. Of course experimenting with sound does not mean you have to compromise on the visual quality and beauty of the experience, as you can see... Take the time to explore this blog as there is lots of inspiration

and of course no post about light tables would be complete without a link to the ultimate light table guide at CAUTION TWINS AT PLAY (not my twins this time though!!) - Here you can lose yourself in the many inspirations, and wonder when you will manage to find the time to try them all out!!

REALLY, when it comes to the light table just let your imagination flow... all areas of the curriculum can be explored here... as I am sure you will discover as you explore the above blogs...

Just have fun and click on all of the links... you won't regret it...