Inside: Put together a preschool bee theme light table as part of your bug unit!

Light table activities don’t need to be complicated. I like to gather what we already have on hand, sometimes related to our current theme, and display it on top of the surface of the table.

This preschool bee theme light table came about while I was planning our bugs and butterflies theme. I wanted a designated spot where the children could explore bees and I loved how the colors popped!

Our toddlers and preschoolers loved playing with the bee finger puppets while also moving and stacking the blocks.

Another example of learning through hands-on play!

When I plan a new theme, I first grab the theme bin from our storage room to see what we have.

While I prefer to use translucent pieces on the light table, that’s not always an option. I was pleased that at least our yellow blocks were translucent, and that’s what drew the children to this activity.

I also found some bee photos on Canva and attached them to the wall. More visuals!

Aside from being fun, what are the benefits of this table?

The children were using their hands while moving the pieces around.

They stacked the blocks, fit the hexagon pieces together, and slipped the bees on their fingers.

This is where the translucent pieces make a big difference. They allow the light to show through.

Even the bees allowed some light to show through.

This table provided pieces that could be fit together, stacked, and rearranged. The children are being exposed to different sizes, shapes, and patterns.

The children were able to rearrange the pieces and create a story about what was happening with the bees.

Our light table often involves small groups of children. While working together, they are building their communication skills, learning how to share space, and navigate the pieces together.

Playing together often encourages the children to use their imaginations, too. I heard some wonderful dialogue about what these bees were doing, where they were flying, what they were eating.