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PSPKK12343 Comments

Easy Sensory Activity for Kids: Make an X-Ray Light Box!

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simple sensory fun x-ray light box - the measured mom

 

You can do this too – talk about simple!  Here’s what you need to do:

X-ray pictures

1) Search for “x-rays” on google images.  Print a few on plain paper and copy them onto overhead transparencies with a copy machine.  That’s the hardest part of this, I promise.

Christmas lights in bin

2) Get out some white Christmas lights and place the lights inside of a large plastic container. My container is transparent.  Either way works.

lighted bin

3) Put an opaque lid on the container.  If you don’t have a lid, you could turn the box upside down.  However, if your box is transparent you may want to put a liner inside (wax paper or something similar) so you can’t see the string of lights.  Then put the box in a closet and turn out the lights.  (Warning: when you’re done playing, be sure to unplug the lights, or they might start to melt the box.  We had the lights on for 2+hours before I remembered to unplug them – no melting, but it was smelling pretty warm!)

child with X-ray sensory bin

4) Give your child the X-ray transparencies and other objects for some sensory fun!   My Four counted the bones in this x-ray.

child pointing to brain on X-ray picture

 My Six pointed out the brain.

child building with Magna Tiles on box

My Four had fun building with his Magna-Tiles on the light box.

X-ray sensory bin

We added these glass gems and tiles for more sensory fun.  We talked about which were opaque and which were translucent.

This sensory activity kept my kids busy for a short time – less than ten minutes each.  But it was a cinch to make, and I can see a great use for it in the future… as a fantastic prop for hospital pretend play!

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Filed Under: General Tagged With: preschool, first grade, second grade, third grade, kindergarten, sensory play, Pre-K

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Reader Interactions

43 Comments

  1. Shinta

    May 2, 2020 at 8:14 am

    Hi, you still have the image xray u used? Can’t find the proper image for head xray like yours, thanks a lot!

    Reply to this comment
    • Anna G

      May 2, 2020 at 8:28 am

      No, this was 7 years ago. 🙂 I just googled it and found an image; legally, I wouldn’t be able to share that image online.

      Reply to this comment
  2. Louise

    October 2, 2019 at 12:13 am

    Just in time for my 6 year old son’s Vocabulary Parade!!! 🙂

    Reply to this comment
  3. Kelyce

    March 11, 2019 at 8:47 pm

    I used this clever idea for my high school physics project on x-rays. Everyone loved this demonstration! Thank you so much for the idea!

    Reply to this comment
  4. Crystal

    June 3, 2013 at 2:26 pm

    I love this idea! So many things that can be done with it! I’ll be featuring you on Mom’s Library this week at http://www.crystalstinytreasures.com Thank you for linking up and don’t forget to stop by to grab your ‘Featured’ badge :-0

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 6, 2013 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks so much for the feature, Crystal!!

      Reply to this comment
  5. Karyn

    June 1, 2013 at 9:18 am

    This is just SO cool! Thanks for linking up to Share it Saturday. I featured your post this morning!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      June 6, 2013 at 3:43 pm

      Thanks so much for the feature, Karyn!!

      Reply to this comment
  6. annageig

    May 31, 2013 at 7:45 am

    Thanks for visiting, Angelue’!

    Reply to this comment
  7. annageig

    May 31, 2013 at 7:43 am

    Thank you so much for the feature!

    Reply to this comment
  8. Beth

    May 31, 2013 at 7:04 am

    This is SO clever! What a great idea!!

    I featured this at TGIF this week. Feel free to grab an I was featured button if you like.

    Thanks for sharing all your creativity with all of us! I hope to see you linked up again later today!!

    Have a great weekend,
    Beth =)

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 31, 2013 at 7:45 am

      Thanks so much for the feature, Beth!

      Reply to this comment
  9. Sarah @ My Joy-Filled Life

    May 29, 2013 at 6:18 pm

    I love your idea! We have really been getting into sensory bins/boxes here and I love that yours is so unique.

    I will be featuring your post on my blog tomorrow at the Hearts for Home Blog Hop! Stop by and grab an “I was featured” button!

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 31, 2013 at 7:45 am

      Thanks so much for the feature, Sarah!

      Reply to this comment
  10. Carla

    May 29, 2013 at 2:01 pm

    Oooh! I need to buy a box of overhead transparencies! This is so cool! We do a light box with Christmas lights too, but we haven’t used it for x-rays. 😉 Thanks for sharing this at Teach Me Tuesday at Preschool Powol Packets!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 31, 2013 at 7:44 am

      You’re welcome, Carla — thanks so much for visiting!

      Reply to this comment
  11. Carrie

    May 29, 2013 at 9:40 am

    What a great idea!! Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 31, 2013 at 7:43 am

      You’re welcome, Carrie — thanks so much for stopping by!

      Reply to this comment
  12. brittany

    May 26, 2013 at 8:39 pm

    this is such a wonderful idea! thank you for sharing 🙂

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 27, 2013 at 7:38 pm

      You’re welcome, Brittany – thanks for stopping by!

      Reply to this comment
  13. Marie-Claude Leroux

    May 25, 2013 at 6:43 am

    These are great! Came by through Share It Saturday – and glad I checked it out… fun!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 27, 2013 at 7:38 pm

      Thank you so much for visiting!

      Reply to this comment
  14. Andrea @ No Doubt Learning

    May 24, 2013 at 9:40 am

    What a fun activity! I’m going to make note to try this out with my own girls!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 27, 2013 at 7:38 pm

      Let me know if they have fun with it, Andrea!

      Reply to this comment
  15. Val Young

    May 24, 2013 at 9:27 am

    This is awesome! We are so going to be doing this

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 27, 2013 at 7:37 pm

      I’d love to hear how it goes, Val!

      Reply to this comment
  16. Samantha @ Stir the Wonder

    May 24, 2013 at 7:05 am

    This is so neat! I wanted to do this a while back, but never got around to it!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 27, 2013 at 7:37 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Samantha! I hope it goes over well with your kids.

      Reply to this comment
  17. Jean

    May 23, 2013 at 11:47 pm

    I made one of these light boxes, but I used LED Christmas lights. They don’t get hot. I really enjoy your site. Thanks for all of the fun ideas

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 27, 2013 at 7:37 pm

      Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to remember that for next time. So glad you can use some ideas you find here, Jean!

      Reply to this comment
  18. Angela @ Teaching Mama

    May 23, 2013 at 7:05 am

    This is awesome! I’ve been wanting to make a light box, so I’ll be trying this out! I love those x-rays, too!

    Reply to this comment
    • annageig

      May 23, 2013 at 9:19 am

      Thanks, Angela! You can do much fancier, more spectacular light boxes. But we’re all about simple over here!

      Reply to this comment

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