The light table might be my most challenging center to come up with ideas for. I love my light table but finding inexpensive creative resources for various themes and holidays isn’t easy. I’m always on the lookout for translucent items that will capture children’s interest and provide a playful, educational experience. Check out this sorting hearts light table activity.
Sorting Hearts Light Table Activity
The items pictured for my Valentine’s Day light table center:
- red and pink acrylic heart table scatter
- plastic heart shaped boxes
- plastic jars
- ice cube trays
- light table or pad
My mini ice cube tray was a thrift store find but I can’t find any place where they can be purchased currently. Any ice cube tray will work.
Some skills children work on while playing with the hearts and containers include fine motor skills, sorting colors, counting, learning the heart shape, one to one correspondence by putting the hearts into the trays. Children also explore concepts like full, empty, and pouring.
Heart Shapes in Preschool
Try some of these fun heart-shaped activities in preschool. Make little heart pillows with paper or fabrics. It could even be a little hand warmer heart! Little hands like to make yarn wrapped hearts and make the best handprint heart valentines or Heart Full of Love Handprints. Melty Hearts are a perfect valentine craft for school-agers. Toddlers enjoy making Valentine Tissue Paper Hearts Collages.
If you have children under 3 years of age as I do, I allow them to play with the sorting hearts when I’m directly supervising, otherwise, I put them up when I’m working with other children or making meals, etc. Of course, older children can still put small things in their mouths so supervise and use your good judgment of what is best.
More Valentine Ideas
Also try adding heart shaped cookie cutters or creating valentine letters.