Without a doubt, the most common question I am asked is, where can I buy a light panel? Tonight I thought I would do a bit of a search and find some online stockists for you.
I bought our light panel from Modern Teaching Aids when Jack was two. We’ve had it for nearly five years and it’s still going strong.
Light panels are definitely an investment item; they can be expensive. For me, buying an expensive item always comes with a risk; will we get value for money from this item? How do I see the item being used? I think this last question is really important. We can fill our homes with toys, materials and art supplies, but if our image of children – how they play, explore and learn – doesn’t align with the potential of these materials, then we won’t get value for money.
Our light panel is an A2 LED TickIT light panel. They also come in A3 size which cost less but you lose some of the potential play with the smaller size (it would suit one child, two might be a bit squashy).
Australian Stockists:
Here are some Australian Stockists. Each link will open in a new window so you can compare prices and shipping.
I also came across these great new colour-changing light panels. They are also from TickIT so I think we can trust the quality:
This YouTube video shows the colour-changing light panel in action.
UK Stockists:
- Early Years Direct
- Early Years Direct (colour-changing light panel)
- Sensory Education (colour-changing light panel)
US Stockists:
Surprisingly, I had a little difficulty finding US stockists. Usually, they are the first I find. I did eventually find these ones:
- Lakeshore Learning
- Lakeshore Learning (colour-changing light panel)
- Constructive Playthings (this one looks like an A3 size – and on sale at the moment)
- Amazon (this one also looks like an A3 size)
…..
Our light panel has proved to be a very worthwhile investment. Jack and Sarah use it almost every day. They use it freely with translucent blocks and shapes as well as with different art materials (liquid watercolours and tracing paper are a favourite at the moment). I have a clear piece of thick plastic over ours to protect it from spills.
Here are some of the other ways we use our light panel:
practising letters and words in salt
clear-based tray | alphabet cards
writing numerals in salt and glass gems
clear-based tray | wooden number cards
exploring shapes and patterns with coloured triangles
drawing with OHT pens (non-permanent, fine-tipped pens)
Tinkering with electronics
exploring the changing colours of leaves
practising letters with translucent pattern blocks
pattern blocks | alphabet cards
Playing with translucent blocks
Making shapes with translucent geoboards
Exploring X-rays
Sorting colours
colour paddles | colour shapes
Exploring old slides
Playing with water beads
A few stockists for you and lots of ideas for using your new light panel. 🙂 Jack and Sarah are almost 7 and 5 years old now and, like I said, still use the light panel most days. I can see a good few more years use out of it yet.
Sometimes I’ll set up materials like the salt tray and letter cards, other times I’ll leave it empty so the kids can take their work over and use the light panel how they like.
It’s important to have the light panel out and accessible. Place it somewhere in the room where your children can play and explore freely. Pop a plastic cover over the top so you can offer sensory materials like water beads, shaving cream (add some pipettes and small jars of liquid watercolours for some awesome colour-mixing), slime, goop (oobleck), gelli-baff, coloured and plain salt … that kind of thing.
If you make the light panel accessible and protect it from misuse, you’ll feel more relaxed about the children making messes as they paint on, play and explore this really awesome tool.
I’m hoping to write a few more FAQ posts so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments.
This post is so inspiring, it’s crazy! I just wish I could get together with you and pick your brain over a cup of tea. Everything you write is inspiring but also so doable. I have learnt so much from you and get so excited when I see a new post pop up in my email (I wish you blogged everyday!!)
Awesome thanks so much for sharing. so inspirational and so many wonderful ideas for play and learning. what kind of plastic cover do you use to protect it?
Same question as above 🙂 what kind of plastic? Thank you for the time and effort to put this post together!
I was shocked to see this email in my inbox. I was just researching light tables last night!! My question is also about the plastic cover. Is this something you can buy along with the table?
Would you suggest a light panel, light table or light cube and why?
Hi Kate, you are so inspiring! I was wondering where you place your light panel in the room? Is it far away from natural light sources? Do you close the curtains/blinds to use it? In a normally lit house do you think it would work effectively?
We have a light panel in my classroom but my struggle is how to make it dark enough to do some of these activities, or similar, while still having the rest of the classroom light enough for the remaining children to work in. I am starting to think I need to make a cubby of some sort for when we want it to be dark. Do you have this dilemma?
I built a cheap-o version using a translucent plastic storage bin and a string of holiday lights. I cover the bottom of the bin with wax paper (diffuses the light) and the inside sides and lid with tin foil (reflects the light out of the bottom). Once the lights are inside (with the cord trailing out; use with supervision), flip the box upside down to guard against an inquisitive child taking the lid off. We pull the blackout blinds down and it’s plenty bight enough.
It’s not beautiful but it works, particularly if you want to figure out whether it’s worth spending the money on a more expensive model. And when you’re done, you just take the lights, foil, and paper out and it reverts to a regular sensory play bin:-)
Thank you so much for British retailers! I finally found the dealers in Italy , to save shipping costs . One is http://www.borgione.it/piano-luminoso-formato-a3.html,
I hope it’s useful to your italian readers.