Glowing Christmas Sensory Bag – Decorate a Tree on the Light Table 🎄

🪄 Festive Sensory Play on the Light Table

This Christmas-themed sensory bag is the perfect low-mess, high-engagement activity for toddlers and preschoolers! By filling a Ziploc bag with green dish soap, pom poms and a pipe cleaner star, kids can “decorate” a Christmas tree you draw on the outside of the bag. Place it on the light table and watch the colors glow as little fingers push the pom poms into place. It’s calming, satisfying, and full of fine-motor fun!

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Materials Needed

✔ IKEA Flisat sensory table and Trofast bin (Large)

✔ Light Source (set in the Trofast bin)

✔ VIPrint Studio Large Light Table Insert

✔ Large Ziploc bag

✔ Green dish soap or green food coloring with clear handwash gel or clear hair gel

✔ Small pom poms (red, green, white, yellow—any Christmas colors!)

✔ Strong tape (to seal the top of the bag)

✔ Permanent marker (for drawing the Christmas tree outline)

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💡 How to Play

1. Draw a simple Christmas tree shape on the outside of the Ziploc bag using a permanent marker.
2. Fill the bag with green dish soap (or clear handwash gel and add 1–2 drops of green food coloring). Seal the bag and mix gently until you get a glowing green gel.
3. Fold a star with yellow pipe cleaner.
4. Add small pom poms into the bag — these will become the “ornaments.”
5. Seal the top with strong tape to prevent leaks.
6. Place the sensory bag on your Light Table Insert on the IKEA Flisat Sensory Table. (If needed, use tape to secure the bag onto the light table insert.)
7. Invite your child to gently push the pom poms around the bag to “decorate” the drawn Christmas tree — placing ornaments on branches, moving them around, and watching them glow!
   
   🎯 Learning Benefits
   ✋ Develops fine motor skills through pushing and pinching motions
   👀 Encourages visual tracking and hand-eye coordination
   🌈 Explores color, light, and transparency on the light table
   🧘‍♀️ Provides calming sensory input
   🎄 Inspires creativity and early holiday-themed storytelling
   
   🧩 Extension Ideas
   Add sequins or beads inside the bag for extra sparkle
   Draw different Christmas shapes (star, candy cane, gift box) for more themed bags
   Create a “counting ornaments” game: place exactly 5 pom poms on the tree, then 10, etc.
   
   ✨ Closing
   This glowing sensory bag brings together festive fun, tactile learning, and beautiful light exploration. Simple to set up, soothing to play with, and magical to watch — the perfect Christmas activity for little hands!
   
   Want another Christmas-themed light table or sensory bin idea next? 🎄✨