The Impact of Glow and Light in Learning and Development in Children

In this blog, you will learn:

• What glow and light play is and some of the benefits.
• How glow and light can support learning and early development.
• Discover more about our education recruitment services.

Glow and light can have a profound impact on children, especially those in early years settings and those with SEND. The impact of visual stimuli such as glow and light is often overlooked in educational settings, however it can have a significant influence on engagement, wellbeing and emotional development as well as support cognitive skills.

Beyond being eye-catching and engaging, light plays a vital role in how children learn, focus and develop. 

This blog uncovers how glow, light and visual environments support learning and development for children and young people.

Whether it's exploring shadows, interactive light resources or sensory mood lights, we explore the impact of glow and light and the key benefits it can have on the development of young minds. 

What is glow play?

Glow play consists of glowing resources often used in dimly lit environments to provide a calming sensory experience without the harshness of bright lighting. 

Using soft, gentle, self-produced or light-absorbing illumination, glow play supports sensory learning, visual exploration and concentration while promoting a sense of calm and curiosity in early year settings. 

Resources such as glow sticks, light-up bricks and photoluminescent materials capture children’s attention and encourage them to explore.

What is light play?

Light play consists of activities and experiences involving light as a medium for exploration, creativity and development. It involves various forms of light, including projections, light boxes and the interaction of light and shadow. 

For children still learning how to focus, glow and light play can benefit cognitive, emotional and physical development.

What are the benefits of glow and light for children's learning and development?

The benefits of glow and light for children’s learning and development, include:

• Stimulating the senses.
• Improving attention span, concentration and memory.
• Sparking curiosity.
• Supporting emotional regulation.
• Opportunities to connect and communicate with others.
• Experiencing cause and effect.
• Encouraging early mathematical and scientific thinking.

Stimulating the senses

Glow and light play provides multi-sensory experiences and encourages children to explore through touch, motion and cause-and-effect interactions. 

Controlled lighting can help create a calming rather than overwhelming environment that supports sensory regulation and immersive learning. For many children, glow and light supports sensory development in an engaging way through visual elements such as glowing colours, changing light levels, reflections and shadows. 

Glow and light activities that incorporate resources, movement and sound through touch and motion can help children process sensory information more effectively.

Improving attention span, concentration and memory

Glow and light resources capture the eye, hold children’s attention and help them to practice tuning in. The use of sensory mood lights can help create a calming and visually appealing atmosphere allowing children to concentrate on tasks and improve their attention spans and overall cognitive development.

Glowing colours, changing light-levels, reflections and shadows help develop visual tracking, focus and depth perception. The more children practice and experience glow and light resources, the more they are able to concentrate and build their confidence.

As children remember what sparks their interest or memorise repeated glowing sequences or patterns, they can build associations and recall experiences. Repetition, sequences and consistency can help support memory and give children confidence.

Sparking curiosity

It is important to let children explore light and dark as well as glow to help develop divergent thinking, genuine creativity and foster natural curiosity about the things around them.

Exploring light and glow encourages children to ask questions, make predictions and experiment with shadows, colour, reflection and illumination.

Through glow play and light play children are encouraged to think differently, explore possibilities and discover new ways to learn through play. This allows children in early settings to follow their own interests and understand at their own pace by revisiting ideas and solving problems. 

These early experiences with glow and light create opportunities for wonder and help lay strong foundations that support independent thinking.

Supporting emotional regulation

Different colours and lighting can evoke different emotions and moods which can have an impact on experience and development. For children who may feel overwhelmed by too much sensory input, mood lights, shadows and a gentle glow can contribute to a calming atmosphere for learning, playing and development.

Specific lighting and resources that flash or change colour can stimulate sensory play and create a more interactive and engaging experience.

Even specific colours can contribute to the learning environment and the development of children, for example calming yellows or blues to support emotional regulation and enhance focus.

Opportunities to communicate and connect with others

During glow or light play, children are free to explore and collaborate with others. Children can work together to create scenarios, solve problems and communicate using shadows, movement and glowing or light-up resources. 

Toys such as glow pebbles and blocks inspire children to create interactive stories, build imaginary worlds and engage in role play independently or with peers. These shared experiences support the development of social skills, teamwork and empathy as well as provide meaningful opportunities for language and communication through play.

Children can be encouraged to build with their glowing resources and describe their creations to others, explain their thinking or narrate their own adventures. This allows them to share their joy and curiosity by exploring together.

For non-verbal children, children with SEND, or those who are anxious, glow and light play allows them to observe shadows, respond to visual cues and interact with resources. This means they can communicate non-verbally at their own pace in a safe, supportive environment.

Experiencing cause and effect

Cause and effect is an important concept for children to experience and understand as it builds cognitive skills, impacts social-emotional learning and fosters independence.

Glow and light can play a key role in cause and effect as children can press a button, see the light change and realise that they caused it. Glow and light supports learning and development by making the concept of cause and effect simple, immediate and fun for children to experience.

With every action and reaction, children begin to understand that their actions have impact and consequences as well as wonder ‘why,’ ‘what if’ and ‘how.’ Cause and effect also enables connection through shared experiences, exploration and joy. 

Encouraging early mathematical and scientific thinking

Glow and light play naturally supports early STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering Arts, and Mathematics) learning by encouraging children to explore concepts such as light, colour and reflection through cause and effect and hands-on experimentation.

Glow and light provides opportunities for children to learn about concepts like light, shadows and transparency because they are able to experience it through play. These experiences help build problem-solving, creative thinking and early technological skills, which lays strong foundations for future STEAM learning.

Introducing scientific or mathematical based vocabulary gives children the opportunity to not only learn through play but to begin to use everyday maths and scientific language by describing what they see. 

Glow and light can act as a pathway for exploring numbers, shapes, measures and spatial awareness as well as bringing science, technology, engineering arts and maths together.

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