Turn colorful paper scraps into a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. This simple activity encourages children to explore shapes, colors, and textures, with plenty of room for their own ideas.
Materials
- Construction paper in assorted colors
- A sheet of cardstock for the background
- A glue stick
- Child-friendly scissors
- Optional crayons or markers
Adults should supervise cutting; younger children can tear their paper instead.
How to make your collage
- Choose your picture. Try a garden, a rainbow, an animal, or an abstract pattern. Keep the design simple so there is room to experiment.
- Make your shapes. Tear or cut the colored paper into circles, strips, triangles, and other pieces. Mix large and small shapes to add variety.
- Arrange before gluing. Place the pieces on the cardstock and try different layouts. Overlap colors and shapes to see how the picture changes.
- Glue everything down. Lift one piece at a time, apply glue, and press it onto the background. Start with the larger pieces, then add smaller details.
- Add the finishing touches. Use crayons or markers to draw stems, faces, patterns, or a border. Let the glue dry before displaying the artwork.
Adapt the activity
For younger crafters, offer large, pre-cut shapes and let them explore freely. For older children, try a challenge: create a landscape using only torn paper, or make a picture using three colors.
Classroom extension
Invite each child to make one collage square, then arrange the finished pieces together as a collaborative display.
The featured image shows collage inspiration using a variety of craft materials, not the exact paper project described here.