Colorful Collage Acorn Craft for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Inside: This colorful collage acorn craft is a great way to introduce toddlers and preschoolers to squeezing glue. A fun way to work on fine motor skills!

November is all about leaves, squirrels and acorns!

After exploring acorns at the science table, I decided to invite my 2 and 3 year olds to make a collage on an acorn printable.

The best part? They got to squeeze the glue from glue bottles. Tinted glue!

This acorn craft was so loved that I will be adding it to our November art table for years to come.

Colorful Collage Acorn Craft

My two’s class loves to squeeze glue.

I started it earlier in the school year with this group because they didn’t love painting with paintbrushes as much as my previous classes have.

(Every year is so different, as I am constantly saying in my YouTube videos!)

I decided to pull out the individual glue bottles to switch things up.

I’m so glad I made this decision because they gravitated to these bottles immediately!

When I filled out my November planner, I knew we would still want to use glue bottles.

So, I decided to try a collage on an acorn shape.

This was such a fun activity!

Collage Acorn Craft Supplies

• Individual bottles of white glue
• Collage pieces
• Acorn printable (I’ve included a freebie towards the end of this post)

Preparation

• Make enough copies of the acorn printable so that each child has one.
• I printed mine on heavy (card stock) paper for durability.
• Cut out the acorn shape.

Tinted Glue

Then, you can tint your glue. This is optional, but something I love to do.

I put a few drops of brown tempera paint in each glue bottle. Easy!

More: Why Squeezing Glue Is Important

Collage Pieces

Next, decide what collage pieces you want to use.

I used scraps of torn paper in different bright colors that were leftover from another activity.

I also added some pieces of string for texture as well as small pom poms.

Go through your art supplies and see what you have available!

You can find more of my collages here:

• Fall Colorful Collage
• Pumpkin Collage
• Snowflake Collage
• Valentine Collage Art
• Shamrock Collage

Set Up

I placed trays at our art table, and then placed a glue bottle and a paper acorn on each one.

Next to each tray I provided a container of collage pieces.

These are my favorite trays!

Start Creating!

Once we started free-choice centers time,  I opened our art table.

Since our two’s already had been introduced to squeezing glue, they knew what to do.

However, if this is new for your children, you will want to demonstrate how to use a glue bottle.

Using a Glue Bottle

Show your children how to hold the bottle upside down using both hands.

Then, they will need to squeeze the glue so that it lands on the paper.

I tell my students to make their glue “dance”.

That means, make it move around!

Otherwise they will hold the glue bottle in one spot, creating a nice puddle.

A few reminders now and then might be necessary, by the way.

Adding the Collage Pieces

Show your children how to press the collage pieces on top of the glue.

At first, they might be frustrated that the pieces won’t stick because they didn’t press them into a spot with glue.

Simply remind them to look for the glue and press the piece on top of it. (This is another reason I love using tinted glue, because it’s easier for them to see.)

Let them add as much as they want!

Some children will be minimalistic, while others will want to add as much as they can.

Just make sure it’s on top of glue so it sticks!

Note About Toddlers

When I first introduce collage work to my two’s, some will want to pull the pieces off the glue right after pressing them on.

In fact, I’ve had some collage artwork end up just being tinted glue with no pieces attached because that’s how they wanted it.

I don’t force them to leave the pieces on, nor do I ask them to put them back on once they’ve been pulled off.

You can ask them if they want to put the pieces back on, but if they say no. let it be.

This is their artwork.

In my experience this only happens during our first collage piece (sometimes the second). Eventually they want to leave the pieces on.

More to read: Our Favorite Process Art Activities

When they are finished, let dry.

Simple enough, right?

Free Acorn Printable!