DIY Light Table Color Mixing & Nature Slides for Preschool
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This post is for you, if youโre:
-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 DIYโed these beautiful light table play slidesโฆ AND YOU CAN TOO!
Let me show you howโฆ
Hereโs what you need:
Iโve had my Scotch TL-901 for years and love love LOVE it, but itโs 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 Iโd 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 itโs almost spring here but nothing has sprung yet.๐) I did manage to collect some fun leaves from my yard, but I wanted to add more color with pretty flowers ๐ โฆ 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! ๐พ๐๐ฟ
5. Feathers (Optional) -
but I LOVE feathersโฆ ๐ Iโve 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!
๐๐๐๐๐
The Best Method
I tried out a few different methodsโฆto see what would work best. ๐๐ฟ๐๐ป๐๐ฝ๐๐พ
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 pieceโฆ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐๐พ
*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 youโre not trying to push big bulky flower heads through the laminator.
This is how it should look before you run it through the laminator!
๐๐๐๐๐
I gotta tell ya, when these came out, and I held them up to the window โ ๐ โ I was โlittle-kid-againโ excited.
(Straight up, giddy.) ๐
THEY ARE EVEN BETTER THAN I IMAGINED!
I mean, come on โ HOW COOL ARE THOSE COLORS?๐
AND, the best partโฆ is that, I constructed a few to show color mixing examplesโฆ but kids can overlap colors on their own to see what happens! ๐๐ฏ
This fun could last for hours!!!
๐๐๐๐๐
Methods To Avoid
In the beginning, I was pushing whole bulky flower heads ๐บ ๐ธ ๐ผ through the laminator and they would get smashed. ๐ฏ
QUICK TIP: If youโre 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 itโฆ which is not good for the laminator.
***You donโt want the laminator to have to fight to get the sheet through because itโs too bulkyโฆ take care of this beforehand!
Below is an example of a smashed flower that I sent through: ๐
It still looks OK, but itโs not good for the laminator. ๐ โ
I also attempted to add a popsicle stick border to see how that would goโฆ
First, I laminated one single sheet of pink cellophane.
Then, I put whole flowers on it โฆ
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. ๐
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. ๐๐ฝ
๐๐๐๐๐
I mean, is it just me - or can you almost taste that rainbow? ๐
Who am I kidding, those colors are better than skittlesโฆ
BEAUTIFUL (and they donโt make my pants too tight.๐)
EVERYONE WINS ๐๐ป๐๐พ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐๐ฝ
with these DIY rainbow light table slidesโฆ
DIY light table fun, at itโs finest, peopleโฆ
โจSO SIMPLE.
โจSO 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. ๐ฅ
THEY ARE EVERYTHING YOU THINK THEY ARE, and so much moreโฆ
Iโm not kidding, L๐K AT THEM - EVEN WITHOUT A LIGHT TABLE!
I WANT TO EAT THEM.
(Maybe Iโm just hungry?) ๐
They look like... perfectโฆ littleโฆ candy-gemโฆ light-table-activity TREASURESโฆ Amiright? ๐๐ฝ
Look no further!!!!
These loose parts play, transparent, pebbles will be A HIT!!!
(No matter whoโs playing on your light table.)
Even you! Youโre gonna love them!
๐๐๐๐๐
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? ๐๐พ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐๐ป
Well, absolutelyโฆ here they are:
You have good taste. ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐๐ฝ
They are from Guidecraftโฆ
AND THEY ARE MAGICAL. โกโกโก
Iโm SERIOUSโฆ
They are one of the most versatile light table toys Iโve ever come acrossโฆ
Here is why I mention itโฆ
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 wouldnโt usually be very fun on a light table โ fun on the light table!!!
The blocks glow so much in the light, that itโs still fun to put things on them, even if itโs something thatโs not transparent.
๐๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐๐พ ๐ (WOOOO-HOOO!!!)
See what I mean?
We added little animals that would have been pretty LAME ๐ผ on the light table, without the Guidecraft blocks!
BUT WITH THE BLOCKS, they are AWESOME. ๐๐พ๐๐ป๐๐ฝ๐๐ผ
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!
๏ปฟShould I DIY the light table, too?
GOOD QUESTION.
I suppose itโs time to give away all the goods and reveal the light table we use todayโฆ
THE BEST OF THE BEST LIGHT TABLE.
THE MOST DURABLE.
LIKE, YOUR-KIDS-CANโT-BREAK-IT, DURABLE.
(SERIOUSLY, they canโt.)๐
Itโs PERFECTLY CRAFTED.
(I donโt know why Iโm yelling so much๐โฆ)
BUT GUIDECRAFTโs 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, โbuy nice or buy twiceโโฆ
Then, THIS IS YOUR TABLE.
(They arenโt even paying me to say this!!!)
But if youโve gone down the rabbit hole of โDIY LIGHT TABLEโ inspiration on Pinterestโฆ
Youโve probably thought to yourself,
โI can make an AWESOME light table. No problemโฆ Looks easy! I just need a few things!โ
๐
Stop. right. there.
You know.
IF YOUโVE DONE IT, YOU KNOW. ๐
You know โ that Christmas lights GET HOTโฆ
You canโt 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 โlight box.โ ๐
(You really canโt even call those things a light table.)
AND YES, MEDIOCRE - itโs a fact, the light doesnโt have the same effect when there are little chunks of light instead of a full even spreadโฆ Iโm sorry, but thatโs the way it is!
COME ON, they can only play so long before, your impulsive DIY CREATION- GETS TOO HOT!!!!!! ๐ฅ๐ณ
(Donโt be THAT teacher/parent.)
YOUโRE BETTER THAN THAT.
GET A REAL LIGHT TABLE.
One that WORKSโฆand WORKS BEAUTIFULLY.
THAT YOUR KIDS WONโT RUIN, by leaning on the plastic lid too hard!๐ณ
(YOU KNOW THEY ARE GOING TO LEAN ON IT!๐ซ)
Yes, Iโm talking to you, DIY-clear-storage-container-light-table-maker. ๐ง
I dare you, to spend a few extra dollars on the light table Iโm talking aboutโฆ
I DARE YOU!
Then, youโll see.
Youโll know.
โDamn, she was right.โ
(Iโm not even saying it in bold, I donโt have to be flashy about it, YOU WILL JUST KNOW.)
Youโll get it.
And then, you can cross over to the dark sideโฆ
of paying for high quality light tables,
and I know youโll never go backโฆ
Someday, I bet youโll even help me pass on the word.
Here, Iโm including a link to make it easy for you!
Ok, but for realโฆ
All jokes aside, I know there are some pretty LEGIT light tables that people have made themselvesโฆ
BUT, if they are LEGIT, that means, they spent some dollar dollar bills on it-even if they made it themselves.
If youโre going to spend the moneyโฆ
GET THE ONE YOU CAN ALSO HANG ON THE WALLโฆ
Easilyโโโโโ
YOU GUYS, itโs totally mountable!!
IT COMES TO YOU -ALREADY ready for the day you donโt want it to be a table anymoreโฆ
And itโs ready to be a LIGHT BOARD ON THE WALL.
BAM.
Oh but wait, I forgotโ
GUESS WHAT?
I have been where you are!
I am not just up here on a high horse,
IโVE MADE THE DIY LIGHT TABLESโฆ
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. ๐๐๐๐
Ughh, Iโm over it - when you know better, you do better, right?
AND, the good news isโฆ
IF THIS IS YOUโฆ and you were going to go this routeโฆ
Donโt PANIC!
You can TOTALLY re-purpose that fancy light strip - cha ching!!!
HOW?
EASYโฆ
Use it for THAT STEP that everyone trips on when they come in your laundry room!!!
Thatโs WHAT I DID!!!! ๐
๐LIGHT IT UP, BABY.๐
No more tripping elderly folk in your entry way!
Because NOW, they can see that hidden stepโฆ
Wait, what?
ohโฆ
Itโs just me? ๐
Damn.
โฆWell, Iโm sure youโll find something fun to do with them.
I mean seriouslyโฆ can your โlight boxโ do THIS? ๐๐ป๐๐ฟ๐๐ฝ
8 KIDS?
WORKING NICELY, in such close proximity??
ITโS A FINE MOTOR DREAM.
( PINCH)
โฆ Youโre not dreaming.
โฆAND THEN, with one little piece of equipmentโฆ
