Summer Collage
Level 1 builds self-expression skills.
- Framework: EYFS
- Unit: EYFS Summer Time
- Learning area: Social Emotional
- Level: EYFS 3-4
Objectives
- Express summer favourites
- create collage with intent.
Instructions
Materials
- Pre-cut shapes representing summer items like suns, flowers, and seashells.
- Assorted textures including tissue paper, felt scraps, and sandpaper.
- Child-safe liquid glue in small bowls with brushes.
- Large sheets of light blue sugar paper.
- Crayons and washable markers.
- Smocks for all children.
Learning Objectives
- Demonstrate fine motor control by manipulating and gluing small collage pieces.
- Express personal preferences by choosing specific materials for their artwork.
- Identify and name at least two symbols associated with the summer season.
- Practise sharing communal materials with peers during the creative process.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Gather students in a circle and show them a finished collage example to spark interest.
2. Lead a brief discussion asking students what they enjoy about summer to activate prior knowledge.
3. Distribute the blue sugar paper and place bowls of collage materials in the centre of the table.
4. Model how to use a brush to apply a small amount of glue to the back of a paper shape.
5. Encourage children to select their own materials and arrange them on their paper to create a summer scene.
6. Support students as they experiment with layering different textures, such as placing felt over tissue paper.
7. Circulate the room to provide verbal prompts, asking children to describe why they chose specific colours or shapes.
8. Allow time for the glue to dry fully before displaying the finished collages on the classroom wall.
Educator Tip
If a child struggles with the glue brush, provide glue sticks as a more manageable alternative to reduce frustration. To extend the activity for more advanced learners, encourage them to draw additional details like grass or clouds around their collage pieces to build a complete landscape.
Assessment
- Observe if the child can independently apply glue and place items onto the paper.
- Note the child's ability to verbalize a connection between their chosen materials and summer themes.
- Document whether the child engages in positive social interactions while sharing supplies with peers.
Assessment
Observe and note: ability to follow two-step instructions, use of new vocabulary in context, early problem-solving strategies, and sustained shared thinking episodes. Assess against Development Matters age-band expectations. Checklist: engagement, sharing, self-expression.