Create a mixed up turkey collage that will help your young artist to puzzle out shapes and patterns. A picture of the holiday bird can be turned into a Picasso-esque jumble of imagination. This mixed up project will help your child to learn about shapes, colors, and of course—birds!
What You Need:
- Construction paper
- Scissors
- Clear-drying, non-toxic glue or a glue stick
- Markers or crayons
- Cardboard (try reusing an old box)
- Paint and paint brush (optional)
What to Do:
- Cut a rectangle, at least 8" x 10", out of a cardboard box. This will be the background or base for the collage.
- Optional: Use tempera paints and a thick bristled brush to paint the cardboard. Try a Thanksgiving inspired color such as orange, yellow, or brown.
- Draw a picture of a turkey onto a piece of construction paper. This can be realistic or cartoonish. Look through books or online for pictures of turkeys. Here are a few examples with simplified lines to copy.
- Use the scissors to cut the turkey into many different pieces. These will be put back together, so try to make the pieces medium sized. Pieces that are too small may get lost, and large pieces may not have the same effect.
- Have your child help you arrange the cut up turkey pieces onto the cardboard. Try rearranging them to look like an out of order puzzle. For example, place the wing near an eye or a foot near the beak.
- Glue the rearranged pieces of paper onto the cardboard.
- Set aside to dry.
- Display!
This project is perfect for preschoolers and even older kids. Little learners can brush up on cutting skills while they name shapes and body parts. Older children may enjoy learning about the history of collage and collage artists or may get more into the whole creation and design process.
By Erica Loop
Erica Loop has an MS in Applied Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh's School of Education. She has many years of teaching experience working in early childhood education, and as an arts educator at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh.
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