DIY Light Table Color Mixing & Nature Slides for Preschool
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This post is for you, if youβre:
-looking for ways to amp up your light table play.
-trying to find a fun way to teach your kids about color mixing.
-excited about bring nature into the classroom!
-considering making your own DIY light table (keep reading all the way to the end for a very clear recommendation!)
I DIYβed these beautiful light table play slidesβ¦ AND YOU CAN TOO!
Let me show you howβ¦
Hereβs what you need:
Iβve had my Scotch TL-901 for years and love love LOVE it, but itβs currently unavailable so this one is an upgraded version!
These Amazon Basics cost less and they work just as good as the Scotch Brand ones!
3. Cellophane Sheets -
I had never used these before so I ordered two sizes.
They were pretty much the exact same, aside from one being slightly bigger.
They both worked great, it just depends how big you want your slides to be. I ended up cutting mine a lot so if I ordered more for this same project Iβd probably go with the smaller ones- but the bigger ones were great too - they both worked well!
4. Flowers (and/or any other fun nature you might collect outside)
I bought two bouquets from the store (because itβs almost spring here but nothing has sprung yet.π) I did manage to collect some fun leaves from my yard, but I wanted to add more color with pretty flowers π β¦ so I bought more.
It would definitely be more fun to go on a nature walk with your kids and let them collect all kinds of fun things! πΎππΏ
5. Feathers (Optional) -
but I LOVE feathersβ¦ π Iβve been wearing them in my hair for years and I LOVE using them in my art projects.
Here are some fun feathers you can order on Amazon. And here are some other pretty fun ones!
πππππ
The Best Method
I tried out a few different methodsβ¦to see what would work best. ππΏππ»ππ½ππΎ
I wanted to figure out how to make the slides the most durable, because the cellophane sheets are pretty flimsy.
The best way I found to do it was to put the cellophane sheets and the flower pieces/nature/feathers - into the lamination sheet and put them through the laminator as one pieceβ¦ππΌππΏππ½ππΎ
*BE SURE TO FLATTEN the flowers before laminating.*
You can press down on them OR you can take them apart a little so they flatten easily.
You want to make sure youβre not trying to push big bulky flower heads through the laminator.
This is how it should look before you run it through the laminator!
πππππ
I gotta tell ya, when these came out, and I held them up to the window β π β I was βlittle-kid-againβ excited.
(Straight up, giddy.) π
THEY ARE EVEN BETTER THAN I IMAGINED!
I mean, come on β HOW COOL ARE THOSE COLORS?π
AND, the best partβ¦ is that, I constructed a few to show color mixing examplesβ¦ but kids can overlap colors on their own to see what happens! ππ―
This fun could last for hours!!!
πππππ
Methods To Avoid
In the beginning, I was pushing whole bulky flower heads πΊ πΈ πΌ through the laminator and they would get smashed. π―
QUICK TIP: If youβre having trouble keeping the lamination folded together, you should probably press them down more BEFORE running it through.
(Use a heavy book or a spatula to flatten the objects before you send them through!) Otherwise, the heat and the laminator take over and smooosh it⦠which is not good for the laminator.
***You donβt want the laminator to have to fight to get the sheet through because itβs too bulkyβ¦ take care of this beforehand!
Below is an example of a smashed flower that I sent through: π
It still looks OK, but itβs not good for the laminator. π β
I also attempted to add a popsicle stick border to see how that would goβ¦
First, I laminated one single sheet of pink cellophane.
Then, I put whole flowers on it β¦
And finally, I sandwiched it closed with one unlaminated sheet of cellophane and some hot glue.
It was kind of cool.
But it was just too fragile. π
AND, the popsicle sticks took away from the full-light-table-experience - making it hard to stack slides for color mixing or color sorting.
Ultimately, I opted for the no-popsicle stick border. ππ½
πππππ
I mean, is it just me - or can you almost taste that rainbow? π
Who am I kidding, those colors are better than skittlesβ¦
BEAUTIFUL (and they donβt make my pants too tight.π)
EVERYONE WINS ππ»ππΎππΌππΏππ½ππΏππ½
with these DIY rainbow light table slidesβ¦
DIY light table fun, at itβs finest, peopleβ¦
β¨SO SIMPLE.
β¨SO ENTERTAINING.
So many possibilities for kids to be creative.
Wait, what?
Oh, you want to know more about the light table rocks?
Of course, you do. π₯
THEY ARE EVERYTHING YOU THINK THEY ARE, and so much moreβ¦
Iβm not kidding, LπK AT THEM - EVEN WITHOUT A LIGHT TABLE!
I WANT TO EAT THEM.
(Maybe Iβm just hungry?) π
They look like... perfectβ¦ littleβ¦ candy-gemβ¦ light-table-activity TREASURESβ¦ Amiright? ππ½
Look no further!!!!
These loose parts play, transparent, pebbles will be A HIT!!!
(No matter whoβs playing on your light table.)
Even you! Youβre gonna love them!
πππππ
Photos to Inspire You!
Here are some more photos of the fun light table play slides so you can be inspired to create your own.
This is a light table activity YOU CAN TOTALLY MAKE AT HOME!
What was that?
You want to know more about the light table connectors in that photo? ππΎππΌππΏππ»
Well, absolutely⦠here they are:
You have good taste. ππ»ππΏππ½
They are from Guidecraftβ¦
AND THEY ARE MAGICAL. β‘β‘β‘
Iβm SERIOUSβ¦
They are one of the most versatile light table toys Iβve ever come acrossβ¦
Here is why I mention itβ¦
They allow kids to build high structures that can hold ANYTHING!
(Animals, people, Legos, pom-poms, LITERALLY ANYTHING they might want to play with!)
In other words, THESE BLOCKS make toys that wouldnβt usually be very fun on a light table β fun on the light table!!!
The blocks glow so much in the light, that itβs still fun to put things on them, even if itβs something thatβs not transparent.
ππ½ππΏππΌππΎ π (WOOOO-HOOO!!!)
See what I mean?
We added little animals that would have been pretty LAME πΌ on the light table, without the Guidecraft blocks!
BUT WITH THE BLOCKS, they are AWESOME. ππΎππ»ππ½ππΌ
AND, connecting these blocks is a great fine motor activity.
Kids will be practicing fine motor skills by manipulating and figuring out how to connect the blocks so they can build fun structures that come to life on the light table!
ο»ΏShould I DIY the light table, too?
GOOD QUESTION.
I suppose itβs time to give away all the goods and reveal the light table we use todayβ¦
THE BEST OF THE BEST LIGHT TABLE.
THE MOST DURABLE.
LIKE, YOUR-KIDS-CANβT-BREAK-IT, DURABLE.
(SERIOUSLY, they canβt.)π
Itβs PERFECTLY CRAFTED.
(I donβt know why Iβm yelling so muchπβ¦)
BUT GUIDECRAFTβs light table is simply - the best of the best.
If you want to go big, this is the table for you.
But also, if you want to go smart- this is the table for you.
If you know the truth behind, βbuy nice or buy twiceββ¦
Then, THIS IS YOUR TABLE.
(They arenβt even paying me to say this!!!)
But if youβve gone down the rabbit hole of βDIY LIGHT TABLEβ inspiration on Pinterestβ¦
Youβve probably thought to yourself,
βI can make an AWESOME light table. No problemβ¦ Looks easy! I just need a few things!β
π
Stop. right. there.
You know.
IF YOUβVE DONE IT, YOU KNOW. π
You know β that Christmas lights GET HOTβ¦
You canβt just fill a clear tub with them and call it a light table!
NO SIR.
Your kids are going to be playing on a mediocre βlight box.β π
(You really canβt even call those things a light table.)
AND YES, MEDIOCRE - itβs a fact, the light doesnβt have the same effect when there are little chunks of light instead of a full even spreadβ¦ Iβm sorry, but thatβs the way it is!
COME ON, they can only play so long before, your impulsive DIY CREATION- GETS TOO HOT!!!!!! π₯π³
(Donβt be THAT teacher/parent.)
YOUβRE BETTER THAN THAT.
GET A REAL LIGHT TABLE.
One that WORKSβ¦and WORKS BEAUTIFULLY.
THAT YOUR KIDS WONβT RUIN, by leaning on the plastic lid too hard!π³
(YOU KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO LEAN ON IT!π«)
Yes, Iβm talking to you, DIY-clear-storage-container-light-table-maker. π§
I dare you, to spend a few extra dollars on the light table Iβm talking aboutβ¦
I DARE YOU!
Then, youβll see.
Youβll know.
βDamn, she was right.β
(Iβm not even saying it in bold, I donβt have to be flashy about it, YOU WILL JUST KNOW.)
Youβll get it.
And then, you can cross over to the dark sideβ¦
of paying for high quality light tables,
and I know youβll never go backβ¦
Someday, I bet youβll even help me pass on the word.
Here, Iβm including a link to make it easy for you!
Ok, but for realβ¦
All jokes aside, I know there are some pretty LEGIT light tables that people have made themselvesβ¦
BUT, if they are LEGIT, that means, they spent some dollar dollar bills on it-even if they made it themselves.
If youβre going to spend the moneyβ¦
GET THE ONE YOU CAN ALSO HANG ON THE WALLβ¦
Easilyβββββ
YOU GUYS, itβs totally mountable!!
IT COMES TO YOU -ALREADY ready for the day you donβt want it to be a table anymoreβ¦
And itβs ready to be a LIGHT BOARD ON THE WALL.
BAM.
Oh but wait, I forgotβ
GUESS WHAT?
I have been where you are!
I am not just up here on a high horse,
IβVE MADE THE DIY LIGHT TABLESβ¦
I even upgraded the last one I made - with a fancy multicolored light strip that had 15 different color settings and a remote!!!!
I was so excited to show the kids how to use the remote. ππππ
Ughh, Iβm over it - when you know better, you do better, right?
AND, the good news isβ¦
IF THIS IS YOUβ¦ and you were going to go this routeβ¦
Donβt PANIC!
You can TOTALLY re-purpose that fancy light strip - cha ching!!!
HOW?
EASYβ¦
Use it for THAT STEP that everyone trips on when they come in your laundry room!!!
Thatβs WHAT I DID!!!! π
πLIGHT IT UP, BABY.π
No more tripping elderly folk in your entry way!
Because NOW, they can see that hidden stepβ¦
Wait, what?
ohβ¦
Itβs just me? π
Damn.
β¦Well, Iβm sure youβll find something fun to do with them.
I mean seriouslyβ¦ can your βlight boxβ do THIS? ππ»ππΏππ½
8 KIDS?
WORKING NICELY, in such close proximity??
ITβS A FINE MOTOR DREAM.
( PINCH)
β¦ Youβre not dreaming.
β¦AND THEN, with one little piece of equipmentβ¦
