The Language of Collage & Birthday Gifts

Collage: A Process of Layering

As part of our birthday tradition at St. John's, gifts are created for the children. This work supports the learning and development of empathy, perspective taking, cooperation and collaboration, accomplishing a project, and embracing process,  along with the establishing a foundation of relationships upon which we will build and grow as we co-construct our learning together.

The language of collage was chosen for our birthday gifts. This was with the intention of appreciating slowing down and taking our time with our work as we value and embrace the importance of process, layer by layer. 

Georgia and Lou Lou are presented with an assortment of bases to use for Cully's birthday collage gift.

A base is chosen and agreed upon.

Materials are thoughtfully set up and change for each experience.

Georgia and Lou Lou approach the selection of various papers and other materials.

Exploring the materials is part of the process.

Creating the collage

Eliza begins adding layers of paper to the collage base.

Eliza is joined by Adeline and Cully to work as a birthday committee on Pierce's birthday collage.

The work progresses, piece by piece, layer by layer.

​Composition, rhythm of shapes, and balance are a few design elements inherent in collaging. 

Happy 3rd birthday, Pierce!

Setting up for our first birthday committee work in preparation to create Lou Lou's gift.

"My favorite color is pink. ...I like circles."
                                                                  ​-Lou Lou

Win and Zoe share the company of the studio space and get to know each other through their interactions while working on Lou Lou's collage.

Win playfully explores a piece of paper.

Getting to know each other.

Lou Lou was our 1st birthday collage gift recipient. We know she loves dinosaurs!

"I cut it to make it smaller." -Zoe

                            Getting to know the materials.

Zoe and Win observe and explore different paper.

Adeline also plays and explores the paper!

"Glue is for sticking." -Eliza

          Making it all come together, together.

A work in process!

The finished gift is given.

Happy 3rd birthday, Lou Lou!