Snowflake Shapes on the Light Table

Experience the joy of winter by building snowflakes inside the classroom! Sometimes it’s just a little too cold to venture outside in the colder months. But that doesn’t mean the winter fun is on hold. Instead, enjoy winter indoors using transparent tiles and a template to make snowflakes on the light table. Building snowflakes using templates gives the children different opportunities to practice math. As an alternative, students can also make snowflakes without templates by looking at pictures.

Build Snowflakes

Building snowflakes with colorful tiles are a beautiful way for preschoolers to gain quality time at the light table. Light tables are versatile in the classroom encompassing math, literacy, art, and more. Use transparent pattern blocks to make the snowflakes can create delightful designs. Students can make snowflakes with or without templates. You can find these translucent pattern blocks on Amazon!

Create a Pattern

It is easy to build snowflakes with the right supplies. Make snowflake patterns on transparency sheets using the pattern blocks as tracers. Simply trace the outline of the blocks with a permanent marker to create a unique snowflake template.

Are you looking for an easier way? Hop over to PreKinders’ free snowflake pattern block templates.

Math Skills Abound!

Geometry naturally occurs when using pattern blocks. While the students choose tiles, they engage in spatial comparison to decide which one fits best. Here are some more skills practiced at the light table when using pattern blocks:

• Describing the position of objects by using terms: next to, beside, above, below, under, over, top, and bottom
• Matching, sorting, recognizing, and naming shapes (circle, triange, diamond, rectangle, and square)
• Creating complex patterns and designs

Opportunities for Personal and Social Development

When children are around the light table, it can be a quiet concentration of shapes and colors or an opportunity for social development. The teacher, or grown-up, can facilitate conversations for social engagement by verbally prompting:

• “What colors do do you see in the snowflake?”
• “I love how you are taking your time to place each tile carefully.”
• “What shapes do you see?”
• “Are these snowflakes cold like the ones outside?”

In addition to rich conversation, students can also practice the following social skills as well:

• Interacting appropriately with other children and familiar adults by cooperating, helping, sharing, and expressing interest
• Increasing attention to a task or activity over time
• Using classroom materials purposefully and respectfully
• Seeking and accepting help when needed

Expand the fun

The light table is just one center of the classroom to learn about snowflakes and winter. Expand the fun to other centers in the classroom by:

• Setting up a Hot Drink Café in the dramatic play area
• Playing Winter Carpet Games during circle time
• Reading fun books about snow during story time
• Setting up a Mitten Match interactive bulliten board
• Putting insta-snow in the sensory bin

There are so many opportunities for fun inside the classroom during winter. Just don’t forget to bundle up and go outside to enjoy it as well!