I started setting it up in the afternoon, not telling her anything. She just watched as I covered the floor in towels and brought out the colored salt (made by mixing it with sidewalk chalk - came out very pretty, even though it doesn't look it in the pictures). I turned the overhead light off, and pushed the light box one on. I let her pour the salt into a clear plastic tray. I had brushes on hand and showed her how she could make letters with them in the salt, but she went right in with her hands.