Activity Idea: Colorful Nature Collages

HeadStart QuickSource® reminds us that Creative Arts Expression engages children's minds bodies and senses by allowing for creative and imaginative expression in music, art, creative movement, and drama. "The arts invite children to listen, observe, discuss, move, solve problems, and imagine using multiple modes of thought and self-expression. The creative arts provide ways for young children to learn and use skills in other domains. In the domain of Creative Arts Expression, programs need to ensure that children who are dual language learners can demonstrate their abilities, skills, and knowledge in any language, including their home language."

Here's an activity called Colorful Nature Collages that gives children the opportunity to express their creativity and explore color with materials from nature. For this activity, you will need natural materials such as leaves, berries, tree bark, grass, and seashells. You'll also need poster board, constuction paper or No Glue Collage Boards, glue, paper bags, and markers.

Materials Needed:
Fall Fabric Leaves - 200 pieces (LEAFY)
Wood Craft Rounds - 50 pieces (WOOD50)
Medium Sea Shells - 1 pound (MDSS)
No Glue Collage Boards - set of 24 (NOGLUE)
Economy Weight White Poster Board - 50 sheets (EWB)
12x18" Colorations® Heavyweight White Construction Paper - 50 sheets (12W)
Colorations® Washable School Glue - 1.25 oz bottle (SCWG)
White Paper Craft Bags - set of 100 (WHBAG)
Colorations® Super Washable Chubby Markers - set of 256 (256CHB)

Write the name of a color with a matching marker on each of the paper bags. Select colors that children will find in nature – brown, green, red, gray, black, etc. Invite each child to select a paper bag. Explain to the children that they will go on a nature walk to find materials in nature that are the same color as marked on their bag. Encourage the children to collect leaves, twigs, rocks, berries, tree bark, etc. and put the materials in their bag. Let's Get Started: 1. After the children return to the classroom, invite them to share some of the materials they found on their hike with the other children. 2. Give each child a piece of construction paper or poster board and glue. Or, you can use collage boards. 3. Invite the children to create a colorful nature collage using the materials they found on the hike. 4. Once the children have finished gluing their materials to their poster board, construction paper or collage board, allow the collage to dry and hang in the classroom. 5. Be sure to label the collage as Sarah's Red Collage, Jimmy's Green Collage, etc. Furthermore.... Most likely the children will have extra collage materials. Put all of the leftover materials in a pile and encourage the children to make another collage. Invite the children to create a collage of similar textures, shapes, or sizes. If using POCET™, this activity corresponds with the devlopmental guidelines shown in CA5: Explores Drawing, Painting and Modeling with Different Materials and Media.