Last Updated on March 3, 2024 by Sheryl Cooper
Inside: This toddler shamrock art is perfect for young children because it’s open-ended, easy to set up, and fun to do. A great way to use recycled paper scraps!
Our toddlers love to paint, and painting with glue is no exception.
They don’t really care what they are pressing into the glue, they just love the experience.
This is why I love doing collages with them.
Easy, fun, and a great way to use scraps.
For our St. Patrick’s Day theme, I came up with a simple collage activity on paper shaped like a shamrock.
Tint the glue green, and there you have it!
No time to read? Pin and save for later!
Toddler Shamrock Art {Simple Collage!}
What we used:
- Paper cut in the shape of a shamrock (I’ve included a free template towards the bottom of this post)
- White washable glue
- Green liquid watercolors (or you can use green tempera paint)
- Scraps of paper that include the color green
Getting started:
Before I invited our toddlers to start creating their shamrock collage, I gathered them on our circle time carpet and read the book Lucky Tucker. During this book we watch Tucker have the luckiest day after rolling in clover.
I then called them to the art table where I had shamrock paper waiting, along with the tinted glue and paint brushes.
When we do glueing activities, I wait to hand them the collage pieces until they are finished brushing the glue onto the paper.
Adding the collage pieces:
This year I tried something new. (Yes, even after teaching over 20 years, it’s fun to find new ways of doing something.)
I have a paper sack for each child, cut in half so it’s a bit shorter (easier to get the hand in and out).
Prior to any collage activity, I place some small pieces in each sack. This makes it so much easier setting up the activity, and the children love having their own collection. (I save these sacks so they can be used again and again.)
After the glue is brushed on the paper, I remove the container and give them their sack.
Piece by piece is pulled out of the bag and pressed onto the paper.
We’ve been using glue for awhile now, since the school year is more than halfway over.
At first our toddlers had a hard time understanding that the pieces must be pressed into the glue in order for them to stay on the paper.
This is why I like tinted my glue. It’s easier for the children to figure out where the glue is, especially when the paper is white.
Plus, tinted glue gives the activity some extra color!
While some children might be content only adding a few pieces, others will use every piece in their sack.
Brushing glue and pressing pieces into it is also a great way to strengthen those fine motor skills!
When finished? No 2 look alike. Completely child-led. Just what I love!
Looking for a shamrock template? Download this free pdf:
More toddler St. Patrick’s Day activities:
Count the Coins St. Patrick’s Day Activity (with Free Printable)
Color Mixing Shamrock (with Free Printable Shamrock Outline)
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