An Introduction to Collage

Collage work by Isa.

Collage work by Eloise.

Collage work by Benji.

Collage work by Nadia.

Early examples of collage work in the Brown Room, all created during our first two weeks together. 

I can keep adding more! - Thomas

From our first day together, the Brown Room children have been drawn to the glue and scissors at the Message Center. Organically, almost every child has produced a collage during our first two weeks in the classroom. 

Dahlia and William collaborated on this collage at the Message Center. While William added glue, Dahlia added materials. 

At morning meeting on Monday of this week, we introduced the term 'collage' to describe the children's work in the Message Center. In small groups, children came to the Studio to explore and use the elements needed to create a collage - a base, adhesive, collaging materials and scissors. 

The collaging provocation that the children found in the Brown Room Studio.

There are almost endless learning concepts to be gleaned from collage! Children practice one-to-one correspondence by placing one piece atop one dollop of glue, sequencing from the consistent process of gluing and sticking, hand-eye coordination through small piece selection and placement, spacial awareness from determining whether a material is too big, too small, or just the right size for the base - all while practicing flexibility by familiarizing themselves with new textures and processes!

"I'm ready for my scissors to cut." -  Dahlia 

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​Betsy and William use scissors to cut larger materials into small enough pieces to fit onto their base. Just out of frame, Noah problem-solves how to add a large strip of paper to his collage. 

Using scissors is a crucial skill that hones fine motor control and opens doors to the use of a wide array of materials. Our friends have delighted in the precision and collection aspects of cutting. As the children continue to gain mastery over this skill, we highly recommend having a pair of scissors available to your child at home! 

Below, please find a compilation of documentation around our recent collage experiences. 

That's my collage! - Benji

As a school inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, we aim to reflect the children's journeys throughout our classroom environment via documentation. Physical representation of this kind encourages children to feel ownership over the classroom, and leads to a feeling of belonging and citizenship. One such example of this is the addition of children's collages to their portfolio baskets. When you're next in the classroom, take a look! 

Our portfolio baskets, now featuring collage work.