Spring Collage

Spring is in the air! Celebrate the change of seasons by helping the kids make a Spring collage.

Grab a few materials that you probably have in your craft stash and get creative!

You will need:

• A4 canvas panel on hardboard
• Craft paint
• Craft/popsicle sticks
• Pink Crepe paper
• White pom poms and a white pipe cleaner
• Small googly eyes
• A small bit of pillow stuffing or cotton wool
• A dry branch from the garden
• Empty matchbox
• Glue

What to do:

Let the kids paint the background first, use bright blue for the sky and different shades of green. Explain that on a clear spring day, they will notice that the foreground in a landscape will be darker and the background, in the distance will be a lighter shade of green.

Construct the house/barn while the paint for the background dries by laying two horizontal popsicle sticks, about 3cm apart, on the table, and glue seven sticks vertically onto the horizontal pieces. Once dry, cut the sticks (you can use scissors) to shape the roof and paint the barn. You can give it a weathered look by painting the walls dark grey first, and then dry brushing with a lighter grey.

Construct the fence in the same manner by layering the vertical pieces over the horizontal pieces. Glue two horizontal pieces together before you glue the vertical pieces.

Once the background is dry, use yellow paint and dot onto the background to represent the dandelions. Use a slightly darker shade of green, and add a brush stroke here and there to give the illusion of leaves.

Tear small pieces of pink crepe paper, roll roughly into balls and glue them onto your dry branch to make the peach blossoms. Cut and paint a matchbox to make a container for the tree.

Make the sheep by joining a small pompom to a larger pompom. Cut a white pipe cleaner to construct the ears and legs. Glue the eyes and use a marker pen to add detail to the face and feet.

Now, put it all together. Glue the puffy clouds onto the sky area. I found that pillow stuffing is easier to work with and gives a better effect than cotton wool.

Next, glue the barn in place. Add the tree and container so the branches and blossoms are in front of the house. Finish the picture with the fence and sheep in the foreground.

And there you have a lovely Spring collage to add to your seasons collection! Have you checked out the Autumn collage yet?