If you’re looking for some simple hands-on preschool activities to go along with Illumination Station, I hope these baskets give you a few fun ideas! These are the kinds of activities that work great during class time, small groups, or those in-between moments when some kiddos finish early and need something meaningful (and engaging!) to do.
Everything here is designed so preschoolers can use the activities mostly on their own without needing a teacher right beside them the whole time. That makes them perfect for centers, free-choice time, arrival time, or those “we’ve got 10 extra minutes” moments.
I tried to include links to the supplies I used for each basket, but definitely don’t feel like you have to copy things exactly. Honestly, you probably already have a lot of usable supplies sitting in closets at church…or things preschool parents would gladly loan for the week. A different basket, different manipulatives, homemade versions…all of that works just fine.
The big goal is simply to make the most of every moment with the kiddos. Every basket is meant to gently point them back to the theme of light and remind them who Jesus really is…even while they’re just playing, building, squishing playdough, or matching stickers.
You probably can scrounge up enough baskets and bins from your own cupboards and closets, but if you need some, these are bright and large enough for full sheets to lie flat with room for additional supplies.
10 Pcs Classroom Storage Baskets, 13.5”x10” Letter Size A4 Paper Trays Plastic Colorful Turn in Trays Classroom Storage Bins for School Office Teacher Supplies (10)
What is better than dot marker pages? Dot stickers! Here are a variety of pages that you can print (preferably on card stock, but paper works too) and let the kiddos have at it with stickers. If you want to give them the option of coloring the page too, you can always include some crayons in the basket. I find that when I snip the stickers into strips, they are easier for the kids to use and there ends up being less waste.
Print the templates on cardstock, laminate them, toss a tub of pattern blocks beside them…and you’re good to go! Super simple prep, but preschoolers absolutely love these. They get to build, problem-solve, and play while also being reminded that Jesus is the Light of the World. Hands-on learning + little brains working hard = a preschool win.
If your church doesn’t already have pattern blocks, ask around. Any teachers in your congregation? You are likely able to find someone who can loan you a set for the week of VBS. If you prefer to invest in a set for your church, here are some good options…
These are my favorite pattern blocks because they are a nice, thick wooden block. They last forever!
Learning Resources Wooden Pattern Blocks – Educational Toys and Tangram Puzzle Manipulatives for Kindergarten, Early Math Toys, Wood Pattern Blocks for Classroom and Homeschool, Teacher Must Haves
By preschool, most kiddos already know exactly what to do when they spot a Bingo game…which makes this basket an easy win. Perfect for a little small-group fun while still tying into the theme!
Just print and laminate the 6 different Bingo cards, cut out the calling cards, and toss them into a zip-lock bag. Add some kind of Bingo markers (mini erasers work great for this), and boom…another super easy preschool activity basket ready to go.
The Canva link is here in case you’d like to edit the Bingo cards or add some more.
These are the colorful erasers in the cup. Amazon sometimes has cute lightbulb erasers too, but the less expensive ones weren’t available when I was posting this. They would be super cute too!
200pcs Love Mini Erasers for Kids, Bulk Cute Pencil Erasers Small Fun Erasers for Classroom Rewards Party Favors Gift Filling Eraser
It really doesn’t get much simpler than this! Print out a few coloring pages, toss in some crayons, and the kiddos are all set with another fun activity choice. Easy prep for you, relaxing creative time for them, and another simple way to keep the theme of Jesus’ light in front of them throughout the day.
The pdf for the flashlight coloring page from my basket is below, but I’ve got a number of other coloring pages you can choose from on the Activities page (just scroll down to see the various options).
So here’s a preschool fan favorite for sure. Kids use mini black light flashlights to hunt for glow-in-the-dark creatures hidden in shredded black paper. They start by drawing a card to see which animal they need to find…then the hunt is on! The kiddos dig through the bin with their black lights shining as they search for the matching creature.
For this one, it works best if you can set it up somewhere that isn’t super bright. Want to make it even more fun? Toss a little tent over the station or let them crawl under a table to do their glowing creature hunt. Instant preschool excitement.
Here’s the Canva Template for the animal cards. If you end up with different animals, you can edit them here.
I chose these animals because they show up under black light (not all glow-in-the-dark animals do). This set matches the cards that I made, so if you use different animals, remember to make new search cards.
120pcs Luminous Mini Resin Animals 20 Types to Hide Miniature Resin Animals Figures Glow in the Dark Tiny Ducks Owls Frogs Bulk for Micro Landscape Dollhouse Aquarium Potted Fairy Garden DIY Decor
These are pretty small, which works well for this activity (and also keeps them affordable).
5 Pcs UV Black Light Flashlights Bulk, 9 Led 395-400nm Mini Blacklight Handheld Portable Torch Pet Urine Detector for Bed Bug, Hair, Dog Cat Urine and Stains Batteries Included
If you’ve got some black paper around, you can just use a paper shredder for this activity. I did find this 1-lb bag of crinkle cut paper on Amazon Haul for a pretty good price too.
NEWMIAO 1 LB Black Crinkle Cut Paper Shred Filler for Gift Baskets Stuffing, Shredded Crinkle Paper for Gift Box Bag Basket Filler Decoration Christmas Wedding Birthday Bridesmaid Gift Wrapping
For this basket, all you need to do is print and laminate some playdough mats and they’re ready to go. There are a few different styles to choose from, but they are all in the Canva link and on the downloadable pdf. If you need to save on the budget, there’s also a great recipe for making your own playdough (comes out perfect every time for soft, pliable playdough).
CHALLENGE MATS Challenge the kids to make a playdough creation that reinforces the Bible Story. Younger kids may need the version with the larger image to duplicate, while older kids may prefer a larger working space.
ADD-ON MATS Here’s another fun option for playdough mats (often preferred by the younger kiddos). For these, the kids can use their playdough to sculpt items to add to the story picture.
Planning to make your own playdough (or have a volunteer make it)? Cream of Tartar is way cheaper than the grocery store if you buy it in a larger container from somewhere like Amazon. This bag will make about 14 recipes of playdough.
Minimalist Cream of Tartar, For Baking and Stabilizing Egg Whites, Packaged in a Resealable Bag (1 Pound)
No time to make your own playdough? These cans are an easy way to hand it out to lots of kiddos, and this set comes with 65 individual cans! Check out the outstanding reviews.
Play-Doh Ultimate Color Collection 65-Pack of 1-oz Cans, Includes Sparkle, Confetti & Color Burst, Back to School Classroom Supplies, Preschool Toys, Ages 2+ (Amazon Exclusive)
Here’s another super easy, low-prep activity basket for the kiddos. Just cut some black cardstock into strips (around 2″ x 6″ works great, but honestly any size is fine). Add a stack of colorful shape stickers to the basket and let the kids create their own mosaics, patterns, and designs.
Simple? Yep. But preschoolers love stickers…and the bright colors really pop against the black paper, which makes this one fit the light theme perfectly.
I love these colorful stickers and they are really affordable.
2016 PCS Colored Shape Stickers 10 Colors 6 Shape Dot Stickers Color Coding Labels for Classroom,Office,Etc(Round,Hearts, Stars,Triangle,Square,Rectangle)
This is pretty affordable card stock (there are thicker versions out there, but 75 lb is a good weight for this activity).
RYKOMO 100 Sheets Black Cardstock Paper 8.5 x 11 Inch Thick Cardstock 75lb 200 GSM Heavy Black Paper for Halloween Invitations, Thanksgiving Gift Cards, Christmas Craft Projects, Stationery Printing
Now for the easiest basket of all…Magnatiles! Seriously, just fill a basket with magnetic tiles and let the kiddos do their thing. Towers, houses, tunnels, rockets…they always come up with something fun.
If you can set this basket near a window, even better. The sunlight shining through the translucent tiles makes the colors glow and gives the whole activity a perfect light-themed vibe.
Ask around and you are likely to find magnetic tiles that you can borrow. This set is on sale at the time of posting and is another good option (with good reviews).
100pcs Magnetic Tiles Magnetic Building Blocks for Toddlers 3 4 5 6 7 Year Old Boys Girls Educational Magnet Blocks Christmas Birthday Gift Toys for Kids Ages 4-8 Sensory Toys 1-3
I don’t know about your kiddos, but ours absolutely love scratch art. There’s just something so fun about watching all those bright colors appear with every little scratch of the stylus.
Kids can create their own freestyle pictures and designs, or you can give them templates to follow for a little extra challenge. I’ve included a variety of templates in both PDF and SVG formats. And if you happen to have a Cricut, those SVG files can definitely come in handy!
Here’s the Canva Template for the patterns below. You can add more or download them in the format of your choice.
Let the kiddos create bright, colorful patterns with pony beads and chenille wires (or pipe cleaners if you’re old school like me!). Just give the end a good twist so the beads stay put, and preschoolers can usually do the rest all on their own. Just make sure you don’t have any kiddos that haven’t outgrown putting things in their mouths…safety first!
They can make patterns, bracelets, silly creations, or just enjoy the fine motor fun of sliding the beads on and off. Simple setup, super engaging, and all those bright colors fit the light theme perfectly.
Beadery B6262 The Sparkles Pony Bead Box – approximately 2300 beads
Lite-Brites never seem to lose their magic. I had SO much fun with mine as a kid. There’s just something about those glowing little pegs that kept me hooked. Add a stack of templates, a container of colorful pegs, and let the creativity begin! Bonus points if you can set it up in a slightly dimmer corner so the glowing designs really shine.
I’m still hoping to create some templates that highlight the message of Jesus to better keep this activity more on-theme. If I get the templates done, I’ll post them here. If not, Etsy does have a seller with some Christian templates. I may go that route.
Surely someone in your congregation has a Lite-Brite that you can use. If not, Amazon’s got your back.
Lite Brite Classic, Favorite Retro Toy – Create Art with Light, STEM, Educational Learning, Holiday, Birthday, Gift, Boys, Kid, Toddler, Girls Age 4+
Sometimes the simplest baskets end up being the ones preschoolers come back to again and again. Just fill a basket with a few sturdy board books about Jesus and/or light and let the kiddos explore.
You definitely don’t have to use the exact books I chose either. Chances are, your church library, preschool rooms, or even parents at church already have plenty of great options you can borrow for the week. Cozy, simple, and a perfect quiet-time activity basket.
If you are looking to beef up your library, here are a few options to consider…
These are the ones in my basket…cute little board books that are all about Jesus. I thought they were fitting as we explore who Jesus really is.
My Little Library: Stories of Jesus (12 Board Books)
Disclaimer: I have not read this book! I just loved the way the title and image connected. Also note that it is paperback, so probably better for older preschoolers.
Jesus, Our Faith and Light: A Christian Storybook for Kids about God’s Promises and Faith in Jesus
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