Looking for light table activities for toddlers and preschoolers? Below you'll find tons of light box ideas and activities for every topic and season imaginable!
When my boys were toddlers and preschoolers, we did a lot of play on our homemade light table.
Like a lot a lot.
Light play was extremely calming for J and it was a great connection point for us when he was little. He used to spend hours silently playing at the light table.
So needless to say, I've captured tons of different light play ideas over the years and posted them here on the blog. And this collection of 100+ light table activities for kids is just a small-ish sample of what fun we've had over the years.
Why Light Play?
Curious about the benefits of light play? Or unsure of where to begin? Here's some useful information about light table play.- Check out our light table accessory guide to browse the best light tables, light panels, and accessories.
- Read all about why I love light play.
- Still Playing School's Why Light Table Play? post is a fantastic read if you are unfamiliar with the benefits of playing with light.
How to Make a DIY Light Table or Box for Kids
There are lots of great DIY light table projects out there and I have been known to make quite a few myself.- DIY Light Table Tutorial
- DIY Light Box from Happy Hooligans
- DIY Mini Light Box from Play Trains!
- DIY Jumbo Dice
- Homemade Light Bright Tabletop
- DIY Color Blocks
- Homemade Shapes and Letter Manipulatives for Light Play
- DIY Colorful Discs for Light Table Play from Teach Preschool
- Homemade Alphabet Stones
- DIY Nature Slides for Light Table Play from Where Imagination Grows
- Homemade Texture Cards
- DIY Glue Shapes, Letters, & Numbers for Light Table Play from Teach Preschool
Open Ended Light Box Ideas for Kids
One of the boys' favorite things to do on the light table is to explore and create with loose parts or engage in open-ended dramatic play. Check out these great ideas!- Loose Parts on the Light Table
- Making Faces on the Light Table
- Trains and Tracks for Light Table Play from Play Trains!
- Frog Pond Small World
- Colored Cups and Glass Stones on the Light Table from Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds
- Invitation to Create Monsters & Robots
- Shower Curtain Rings and Glass Stones
- Penguin Habitat on Light Table from Caution! Twins at Play
- Building Spiderwebs on the Light Table
- Sensory Bin on the Light Table from Teaching 2 and 3 Year Olds
- Blokus Pieces on the Light Box
- Light Table Block Play from Caution! Twins at Play
- Tube Shots on the Light Box
- Water Beads & Glass Gems from Learn Play Imagine
Fine Motor Light Table Ideas
Light tables are a great way to develop fine motor skills in toddlers and preschoolers. And there is seriously a wide variety of activities that focus on fine motor skills on the light table including:- Light Bright Geoboard
- Fine Motor Station on the Light Table from Happily Ever Mom
- Pool Noodles and Pegs on the Light Table
- Cutting Paper on the Light Table from Teach Preschool
- DIY Light Bright Using Styrofoam
- Threading Straws on the Light Table
- Cutting Water Beads on the Light Table from Where Imagination Grows
- Tracing lines on the light table from Teach Preschool
- Monster Munch Fine Motor Game from Lalymom
- Geoboard Light Table Play: Letters & Shapes from Where Imagination Grows
Color & Shape Learning Light Table Activities
Here are some great ways to work on colors and shapes on the light table.- Olympic Color Sorting on the Light Table
- Shape Sorting on the Light Table
- Building a Rainbow on the Light Table
- Exploring Red on the Light Box from Lalymom
- Color Sorting on the Light Table
- Shape Puzzles on the Light Table from Happily Ever Mom
Math & Science Light Table Activities
From counting to fractions to science experiments, these ideas will be sure to spark hours of math and science fun!- Introducing Fractions on the Light Table from Still Playing School
- Explore Basic Physics with Ramps on the Light Table
- Learn About Constellations on the Light Table
- Seashell Number Match on the Light Table from An Idea on Tuesday
- Counting Circles on the Light Table from Where Imagination Grows
- Counting on the Light Box
- Color Mixing on the Light table from Still Playing School
- Color Mixing on the Light Table from Where Imagination Grows
- Experimenting with Ice, Colored Water, and Salt on the light table from Happily Ever Mom
Literacy Activities on the Light Table
Learn the alphabet, practice sight words, or bring stories to life with these fun ideas!- Storytelling on the Light Table
- Sight Word Practice on the Light Table from Still Playing School
- Matching Upper and Lower Case Letters on Light Table from Teach Preschool
- Alphabet Cups on the Light Table from The Imagination Tree
- Goodnight Moon Light Box Activities from Twodaloo
- Light Table Story Stones from Caution! Twins at Play
- Spelling on the Light Box
- Silly Putty Sight Word Search from Learn Play Imagine
- Bubble Wrap Literacy on the Light Table from De Tout et De Rien
- Creating with Hearts Based on the Book "My Heart is Like a Zoo" from Still Playing School
Music & Art Inspired Light Table Ideas
Light tables can be a fantastic way to explore music and art. Try some of these ideas:- Sticky Art on the Light Table from Happily Ever Mom
- Art Appreciation on Light Table
- Washi Tape Art on the Light Table
- Mondrian on the Light Box from Lalymom
- Music Note Matching on Light Table
- Music Play on the Overhead Projector - could be done on the light table too!
- Melted Pony Bead Puppets on the Light Table from Happily Ever Mom
- Painting on the Light Table from Teach Preschool
- Kandinsky Jello Art on the Light Box from Lalymom
Seasonal Light Table Activities
Christmas, Valentine's, Thanksgiving, Canada Day, fall...you name the season or holiday, I bet I can find you some light table activity! If not, I will come up with one! In the meantime, check out these seasonal light table activities:- Valentine's Light Table Play
- Heart Cookie Cutters on the Light Table
- Invitation to play with Hearts and Straws
- Valentine's Day Sensory Play on the Light Table from Where Imagination Grows
- Canadian Flag on the Light Box
- Sorting and Counting Apples on the Light Table
- Turkey Light Table Play from Where Imagination Grows
- Halloween Light Table Play from Where Imagination Grows
- Sticky Fall Tree on the Light Table
- Pumpkin Faces on the Light Table from Where Imagination Grows
- Indian Corn Patterns on the Light Table from Still Playing School
- Pumpkin Counting on the Light Table from Where Imagination Grows
- Jack-O-Lantern Light Table Play
- Fall Light Table Play from Where Imagination Grows
- Fall Harvest Numbers on the Light Table from Caution! Twins at Play
- Tissue Paper Cornucopia Craft on the Light Box from Stir the Wonder
- Tracing Christmas Shapes on Light Table
- Winter Sensory Play on the Light Table from Where Imagination Grows
- Snowflakes on the Light Table and 14 Other Winter and Christmas Activities
- Christmas Light Patterns on the Light Table
- Winter Sensory Bin on Light Table
- Egg Carton Snowmen on the Light Table from Still Playing School
- Christmas Themed Light Table Play
- Christmas Tree and Snowman Light Table Play from Where Imagination Grows
- Christmas Trees on the Light Table from An Idea on Tuesday
- Christmas Tree Cup Stacking from De Tout et De Rien
- Stackable Egg Carton Snowmen on the Light Table from Happily Ever Mom
- Building Snowflakes on the Light Table from Still Playing School
