The magic of a simple light table

Have you ever had the chance to experience the wonder of a light table with your kids at school? Wow, it is quite an experience. What a fantastic tool to set the creative mind free! It's fun and an interesting, non-controlling way to develop math, science, fine motor, language, and creativity. Imagine getting down all these skills in a divergent frame of mind and hands-on. The aesthetic possibilities are countless.

For a while I thought of the light table as just a cognitive tool, but suddenly I got lost in it's magic. Some days ago the light table was out with glass gems, colored plastic sheets, translucent buttons, black cardstock shapes, x-ray cards of sea life creatures, and I saw how my kids went to town with these items. I was amazed at the creations that were being created before me. So I decided to take photos of these pieces and blow them up and display them in our next Art Show this coming April.

As you can see, the aesthetic value is BEAUTIFUL, almost magic. Several people in the center asked me what that was. They were surprised to learn it was "light table" art. This is a great way to wake up the aesthetic, divergent thinking, and creative sensibilities in your preschooler. Go for it. You will find yourself lost in the whimsical world of the light table.

The children will see colors move, interact with each other, patterns expand and contract before their own eyes. In the spring go for a nature walk and collect signs of nature, and bring them back to the light table. I just got a huge piece of honeycomb and can't wait to see how it looks like on the light table.

If you don't have a light table at your school, get them to purchase one or go online and find information on how to make one. You and your children will be ever so happy you did. Another wonderful, fun and meaningful way to develop all these skills and comply with "the no child left behind" deal...

Let's get creative and give our children a chance to really express themselves in their own way.

Yes! Spring is here!

First order of business? Got out to play!

It was a VERY windy day in the Midwest, however it did not stop us from taking advantage and explore the mysterious forces of the wind. The parachute was taken out of the closet and the adventure began.

The children felt the wind's strength firsthand, some got a little bit scared as their bodies where pushed and pulled by the wind and parachute. Just imagine how much effort we all had to put in, in order to keep the parachute under control. We definitely got in a great work out.

After playing for well over forty minutes and talking about the colors moving and guessing in what direction the wind was blowing from, we went inside and talked about storms, tornados, hurricanes, lightning and much more. Some children made drawings and stories. So, not only did they exercise their gross motor, science and social skills, they also got language and literacy.

Take advantage of the weather and come up close and personal with mother nature. She's great, and loves children! N.