Make Your Own Light Table

Much like a moth to a flame...every time we visit a play place or library that has a light table, my son naturally runs to scope it out. Not clever that time, sorry. So anything that my child plays with for more than 10 minutes, I feverishly Google and see how much the item in question costs. Well, when I searched light table, I was less than thrilled to learn that they can cost around $200.

After that bombshell I thought, you can buy some lights for like $2 and a used wood kid's table for about $10 online, but put the words light and table together and hand over your credit card. So I had to fight my anti-DIY tendencies and make a plan.

I did some research and decided on the sweater box method in the name of: I live in a small house and don't want to stare at an extra table in my living room. So I bought a fully clear (including the lid) sweater box for about $11, 3 strands of Christmas tree lights at $2 a box and I already had black construction paper. While you could use wax paper to line the inside of the lid, I decided to take a sander to the inside of the lid, with a fine grit paper. I then drilled a hole in the side of the box and lined the rest of the box with black construction paper, simply by taping it down. Finally, I placed the lights in the box, connecting the strands to one another, and feeding the loose end on the drilled hole. cover the lid, plug in and you have a light table.

We don't have the most well known brand, Magnatile, but rather a brand called Picasso Tiles that I purchased on Groupon. Most brands appear to work together. Best of all, you can store the tiles IN the box and shove the box under the bed when your child isn't playing with it.

I am not a DIY mom by any means, but this was an hour well spent. My son has played with this for a few months now, and I see it lasting us a good while. $17 well spent!