Simple Leaf Collages

Be honest, did you put your children to bed and then eat their Halloween candy? Perhaps you started with just a piece, but then the Snickers was calling your name. And when was the last time you had an Almond Joy? I know, I’m with you, you had to do it. Make it up to your kids with a fun Fall art project! I love simple projects that are child-centered. Even your one- year olds will be able to work independently to create a leaf collage.

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WHAT YOU NEED FOR SIMPLE LEAF COLLAGES

contact paper
leaves
glitter

 

HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE LEAF COLLAGES

Let’s get started! Begin the project by heading outside to collect leaves (if you don’t have leaves, feel free to use flowers or grass). Let your children run around feeling the leaves crunch under their feet. Explore the different colors, shapes and textures of the leaves. “Look at the red lines in the orange leaf!” “Crunch, crunch, crunch. Listen to the leaves when you step on them.” “Hmmm, this leaf doesn’t grow on our trees. How do you think it got into our yard?”

After exploring the leaves have your child collect the favorites and bring them inside. Tape a large piece of clear contact paper (sticky side up) to a table or wall. Tip: Peel only a small portion of the contact paper backing at a time. Tape the two corners down and then slowly peel the rest of the paper. This will keep the paper from sticking together which will save yourself a big headache! Have your children stick the leaves on the contact paper. No glue needed! Remember, like with all children’s art projects it is important to focus on the process of the work, not the end product. If your child wants to place all the leaves in one corner go with it! “Look at the way you have placed four leaves on top of each other.” “I notice that some of your leaf stems point up and some point down.”

Time for some glitter! Our contact paper was on a wall so I moved it to a table for this part. Give your child a few containers of glitter. We chose gold and red. Shake the glitter onto the contact paper. This is a wonderful learning opportunity regarding different types of surfaces.

Help your child observe how the glitter sticks to the contact paper but not to the leaves. “Look! The glitter is sticking to the contact paper but I can brush it off the leaf. Why does that happen?”

When your child is done or in our case when the glitter runs out, take another piece of contact paper and beginning on one side slowly peel back the contact paper backing sticky side down, smoothing out the paper to stick the two pieces together.

Find a sunny window to hang your child’s new creation.

The perfect fall decoration! My children love looking at it!

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