Arts and craft is a powerful medium for children to express their thoughts, emotions, and ideas. There are many forms of art, each offering unique ways for children to communicate and explore their creativity. One art form that our preschool tamariki (children) particularly enjoy is collage art – a process where children glue or tape various materials onto paper or cardboard to create their own masterpieces.
Creating a collage provides a wonderful opportunity for children to explore their creative potential while developing essential skills like problem-solving, concentration, and experimentation. Through this medium, children not only engage in the creative process but also explore key art concepts such as design, composition, and dimension. Most importantly, collage
allows children to visualise and express their thoughts, ideas, and emotions in a tangible way.
Benefits of Arts And Crafts for Children
- Creativity & Problem-Solving: By choosing and arranging materials, children learn how to make decisions and work through challenges.
- Concentration & Focus: The process of layering materials and crafting designs helps children strengthen their attention span.
- Artistic Exploration: Collage invites children to experiment with different textures, colors, and shapes, fostering an understanding of art principles.
Safety First
As with any art activity, safety is essential. When creating a collage, it’s important to supervise children closely and ensure that the materials used are appropriate for their age. Avoid using small objects that could pose a choking hazard. Also, provide age-appropriate tools, such as
child-safe scissors, for cutting materials.
Arts & Crafts Tool Kit
Selecting the right materials is crucial for keeping children engaged and allowing them to express themselves. To make the collage experience more meaningful, consider incorporating materials that align with a child’s current interests. For example, if a child is fascinated by nature, materials such as leaves, sticks, or flowers can be incorporated into their artwork. If they have an interest in recycling, materials like bottle caps or cardboard tubes could be used.
Preparing
- Apron: To keep clothes clean during messy activities.
- Wipes and Towels: For quick clean-ups.
- Craft Tray or Table Mat: To protect surfaces and keep materials contained.
- Storage Bins: Keep materials organized and accessible for little hands.
- Rubbish Bin: To dispose of offcuts
Do you have these 15 essential arts and craft items in your child’s tool kit?
- Scissors
- Glue & Adhesives
- Tape
- Brushes & Paints
- Markers & Pens
- Pencils & Erasers
- Paper
- Fabric & Felt
- Clay & Modelling Materials
- Stickers & Stamps
- String & Ribbon
- Natural Materials
- Recycled Materials
- Mini Shape Punch
- Stencils
Download our free arts and crafts toolbox checklist according to your child’s age below:
Providing a spacious work area with separate containers for each material allows children to make independent choices while creating their collages. This encourages them to think creatively and select materials that resonate with their ideas.
Incorporating Natural and Recycled Materials
Collage art is an excellent opportunity to teach children about sustainability and caring for the environment. Using natural materials, like leaves and stones, or recycled materials, such as cardboard and old magazines, not only sparks creativity but also reinforces the importance of reusing and recycling.
When collecting natural materials, introduce children to the concept of kaitiakitanga—guardianship of the earth. Discuss how we can responsibly collect resources from nature without causing harm. Similarly, using recycled materials provides a valuable lesson on reusing items and reducing waste, all while encouraging children to think about how they can protect the environment through their creative choices.
Art is About Fun and Creativity!
Ultimately, art is about exploring, experimenting, and having fun. Collage offers endless possibilities for self-expression and learning. So, gather some materials, let the children’s imaginations run wild, and see what beautiful creations emerge!
Click here to get more arts and craft toolkit ideas from the Artful Parent.
