This post was supposed to be about multiple things children could create on a sticky easel but when the first idea – make a face – was such a huge hit with my daughter I knew this would stand alone as a great easel activity. Seeing how she expanded this from a simple easel activity into storytelling and pretend play was a highlight of my week . The benefits to this activity aren’t just the creative ones, there are also language, emotional development, fine motor, and even opportunities to count. Oh and it was really fun too!
Gather your materials. You will need some contact paper and collage materials. We used beads, gems,craft sticks,feathers, googly eyes, and grabbed some pipe cleaners mid-way through the activity. While we used an easel with a white board you could simply tape the contact paper to a table or wall if you don’t have an easel, using a regular marker for the outline.
Start by attaching your contact paper on the easel sticky side out.
Draw the outline of a face. I did ours on the white board but you can draw one right on the contact paper.
Set up the collage materials in the paint cup holders.
Time to invite your creative genius to the easel… and sit back and watch. I am amazed at what happened. I expected her to create a face but I wasn’t expecting the level of storytelling that happened in our playroom. She immediately started talking to the face who was also almost four and had lost her mom at the store. This storyline began because she used a craft stick for the mouth which gave the face a sad look and mentioned ( to the easel not me) ” You look sad what’s wrong?” As she continued to add little bits and bobs the story got deeper but she never stopped adding things…
eventually they were at a store looking for their moms and trying on earrings, make up, and beautiful hats.
Still more gems and eyes were being added. Only when they found their moms did the activity end. I sat in our book nook quietly taking photos and enjoying being a spectator to her imagination.
What she may not have realized is that while she was creating this story she was working on literacy development, practicing empathy, and fine motor skills too.
Faigie says
What a wonderful extension of collages. Perfect if someone wants to do a collage without the gue.
Robin DeLamaater says
Loved that you shared the storytelling part of this experience. What did you do with the piece of work when it was ready to come off the easel?
Allison McDonald says
It’s still up! She keeps playing with it so we’ve left it up! Soon I will ask her if she wants me to take some photos of her new creation and then ask her to help me take it apart. We use and re-use all those collage materials.
Theresa says
Does the materials come off the sticky paper
Allison McDonald says
Yes !
Tina says
To save it would you add more clear contact paper over it?
Allison McDonald says
You totally could!