INTRODUCING COLLAGE TO YOUNG CHILDREN

(https://www.playfullearning.net/resource/introducing-collage-young-children/)

“My goal is to have the children feel so comfortable and confident with these materials that they are willing to
use them to speak about their innermost thoughts and feelings. I see materials as being as much the teacher as I
am.Children need a lot of time to explore the properties of any new material before they use it. If children are
to become fluent in communicating through these materials, we need to first give them time to explore without
the pressure of the product. We also need to expose them to these materials time and again so they can gain
mastery over them.”- Nancy Beal

Collage is a wonderful place to start, especially for young children because it nurtures their natural desire to
explore the world through their sense of touch. It also allows a certain level of flexibility. Children can make
decisions about which materials to use and can then manipulate these shapes of various textures, forms and
color until they are satisfied with their arrangement.

“Collecting and using materials of different textures, colors and patterns may help children to become the kind
of adults who respond sensitively to their surroundings. They may learn to see more than just a building; to be
aware that besides a structure they see complex relationships of rough, smooth, and shiny surfaces. They may
realize that a tree has a relationship of textures; the rough indented bark and the hard branches contrasting
with the smooth or soft leaves. Through collage children can be helped to see beauty in ordinary things and to
grow in resourcefulness by appreciating the possibilities of using simple materials for art expression. Selecting
materials for collage not only gives children intense pleasure but also gives them an opportunity to make
independent choices.” – Lois Lord

Collage, in its simplest form, is the glueing of materials to a flat surface.

You will need:

 glue
 a small brush
 format paper
 a wide selection of beautiful precut materials ranging in color and texture

The format paper is the background. Cardboard or cardstock works best. For the glue, it is recommended to
pour the glue in small jars and offer children a small brush to apply the glue. Glue sticks can sometimes get
children’s hands too sticky and take away from the tactile experience of the materials.

You can begin to collect a wide assortment of beautiful papers and fabrics from just about anywhere. You’ll
begin to notice the abundance of texture and color in everyday packaging. I like to look for variety in texture
and color. I keep a bin handy in the kitchen so when something catches my eye on the way to the recycling bin,
I toss it in. Later, I’ll spend time cutting small shapes from these materials. I also look to fabric from old
clothes, swatches from fabric stores, bags etc. Once the materials are precut, it is helpful to sort them in
categories.

I have sorted my collection of materials by colors, which are then separated into two categories, patterns and
solids. I use large ziplock bags and toss them into a big box for easy storage. When I’m ready to present
materials, I choose from these bags and place selected materials into trays or shoebox lids.
 When deciding what materials to put out, the focus can shift from warm colors to cool, shapes that encourage
symmetry and repetition, shapes with straight edges, curved edges, softer torn edges, rough textures, smooth
textures or any other combination you can think of. When introducing the idea of texture, it is helpful to offer
materials in the same color so children can really get a sense of the variation in texture within the same hue.
Textures found in nature, such as dried leaves, pine needles, twigs, seeds, etc., are also a great addition to any
collection.

Setting materials out in an inviting way encourages children to make more thoughtful choices. It is important
to give children time to sift through and choose what materials speak to them. This selection process alone
is an enjoyable experience for children. For younger kids or children just beginning to work with collage, it is
important to let go of any expectation. Let them feel and manipulate the textures in their hands. They need
time to do this. They may begin then to naturally create a composition or design. They may or may not glue it
down. They may glue their hands together and that is ok too. Eventually, they will find their way. There is no
need to make something specific. You can guide them towards symbolic representation by asking “How would
you use these materials to make a person or an animal?” It is also perfectly wonderful to let them experiment
with abstract designs and compositions.

For children that have had more experience with these materials, you can ask open ended questions to
encourage them to use this material to share their personal experiences.

 How can you use these materials to show your favorite place outdoors?
 How can you arrange these materials to show something you like to do with your brother, sister, mother,
best friend?

What skills can children develop? 

 Fine Motor Skills– There’s numerous opportunities when creating a Collage for children to develop
their Fine Motor Skills, working the tiny muscles in their fingers and hands that are needed for important tasks
like to learning to write. Picking up small objects, squeezing the glue and putting the materials onto the paper-
all require their Fine Motor Skills.

 Creativity- Collages really fuel creativity and imagination, as they can be anything. We created
everything from snails and fish to cars!

 Scissor Skills– Collages also provide a great opportunity for younger children to practise scissor skills
under supervision. With help and the correct equipment, they can cut out pieces of paper, tissue paper etc to
place on their Collage. When preschoolers are first learning to use scissors, they often struggle with opening
them all the way, and they might also struggle with moving their scissors forward while cutting. Thus the
snipping. The general act of “close, open, move, close, open, move” takes a tremendous amount of coordination
for learning hands, so often doing anything more than simple snipping can be very frustrating for preschoolers
who are new to using scissors. And that’s ok.