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Be sure to include a lot of open-ended art activities when working
with young children. Collages are fun and inexpensive and allow
children to practice creative and problem-solving skills.
Here are a variety of collage ideas you can do successfully
with toddlers and preschoolers.
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PAINT COLLAGE
Here is a fun yet simple activity for preschoolers.
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Let your child help you cut or tear out small pictures from
magazines. |
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Then, lay out a large sheet of paper for your child. |
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Set out one or more colors of paint and let
your child cover their paper with paint. |
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Then, have your child place the small pictures
however he wants on top of the paint. |
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Let dry. The pictures should stick to the paint. |
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Hang collage up to admire. |
COLOR COLLAGES
You can use the collage idea above to make different color collages
with young children. |
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Choose a color and cut out small object pictures
of this color from magazines. |
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Have child paint this color on her paper. |
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Then place the color pictures on top of the paint. |
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Let dry. (I liked doing this activity if I wanted to emphasize
a specific color.) |
SELF-STICK PAPER COLLAGE
These collages are super easy for young children. Even toddlers
can do them successfully. You will need self-stick paper, such
as Contac paper. |
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Cut out a frame from heavy paper (approx. 12” x 18”). |
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Remove the backing from the self-stick paper and place the
frame on the sticky side of the paper. |
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Let your child place miscellaneous art materials on the sticky
paper inside the frame, such as; puzzle pieces, leaves, poms,
ribbons, cotton balls, small pieces of paper or material, etc. |
| VARIATION: Instead
of cutting out frames, just cut out 3” x 18” heavy paper strips
and place them on the sticky paper in a square to create an
instant frame. |
| GLUE COLLAGE |
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Set out collage materials and collage background paper. |
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Have your child brush glue across their paper. |
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Then, have them place collage materials on the glue. |
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Let the glue dry. |
VARIATION: Some
children prefer to use a small glue bottle and individually
glue each collage piece in place on their paper. |
WATER MOSAIC COLLAGE
You will need different colored 1” tissue squares for this collage. |
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Give your child a piece of plain colored background paper. |
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Have him brush water across his paper with a large brush
or sponge. |
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Then, have him create a design on his paper with tissue squares. |
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Let the collage dry and have your child remove the tissue
squares to reveal a dyed mosaic collage. |
WAXED PAPER COLLAGE
You will need waxed paper, some old wax crayons and small paper
shapes for this activity. |
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Set out a sheet of waxed paper for your child, wax side up. |
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Have her arrange some small paper shapes on one side of her
paper. |
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Then, help her grate some waxed crayons on top of her paper
design. |
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Next, fold the other half of her paper back on top of her
collage. |
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Finally, lay a cotton cloth on top of the paper and iron
across the cloth. The heat should melt the crayon pieces and
fuse them to the wax on the paper. |
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These collages can be cut into shapes, if you wish, and hung
on windows to catch the light. |
COLLAGE MATERIALS AND
COLLAGE THEMES
Here are some additional collage materials and collage themes
that children enjoy. |
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NATURE COLLAGE - Use small leaves, flowers and twigs. |
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BEACH COLLAGE – Glue on sand and small shells. |
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SHAPE COLLAGE - Cut out various sizes of different shapes
for your child to use to create a collage. |
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TEXTURE COLLAGE - Set out small scraps of textured materials,
along with cotton balls, felt pieces, sand paper pieces, tinfoil
squares, etc. |
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YARN COLLAGE - Set out 2” pieces of a variety of different
types of yarn. |
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SHINY COLLAGE - Set out small pieces of a variety of shiny
papers for your child to use. |
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MULTI-MEDIA COLLAGE – Let your children choose from a large
variety of papers and small objects for their collages. |
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