Exploring Fall Leaves on the Light Table

Fall leaves on the light table are so amazing!

The wide expanse of color from fall leaves is our favorite thing about fall. They are so beautiful! Plus they are a prep-free way to start teaching to toddlers and preschoolers about nature and the seasons. Throw those fall leaves on the light table and explore them with light! This simple light table activity is inspired by all the fall colors we’ve been seeing on our walks and in the backyard.

Best of all it’s a great learning tool that takes virtually no set up.

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Fall Leaves on the Light Table for Preschoolers

Materials:

• Light Table
• Fall Leaves & Natural Items

This activity, much like our DIY nature slides, started with a walk outside. We took a bag with us and collected as many natural items as the kids wanted.  The pictures are only 1/4 of what we collected, we had a giant bag and the kids wanted all the leaves, acorns, and other items they could carry.  It was great to have the large bag because we cycled through the leaves, keeping the kids engaged longer.

Next to the light table, I added some paper and colored pencils/markers (in fall colors) so that the kids could record what they saw and recreate them on their own.

My kids aren’t writing yet but they used it as an opportunity to record what they did and saw through pictures. Letting them color and draw is not only an art activity but it lets them practice those prewriting skills.

Using the light table lets the kids explore the leaves more thoroughly.  They can easily see the veins and midrib while exploring changing colors.

We talked about parts of the leaf and they organized the leaves in color changes order: green to red to yellow to brown. 

The colors and textures of the fall foliage is a sensory activity for the kids too. Plus lets be real, they just look so bright and colorful on the light table!

Beautiful right?

Here are some more full fall-themed activities for kids:

Pumpkin Spice Kernels for Play from Frogs Snails & Puppy Dog Tails

Super-Cute Turkey Treat from Sugar Aunts

Acorns & Leaves Fall Sensory Bin from Stir the Wonder

Fall Tree Art from Crayon Box Chronicles

Pumpkin Slime in a Real Pumpkin from Little Bins for Little Hands

Looking for more crafts and activities? Check out our index for 100+ plus kids activities! Find activities by theme, materials, skills, age and much more!