Make a Window Collage
- Apr 19
- 2 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
In this playful window collage activity, children are invited to explore layering translucent recycled papers on glass surfaces using a simple spray bottle filled with water.
As they mist the paper and press it gently onto the window, the materials shift, overlap, and shine—creating a dance of colour, light, and texture. This open-ended invitation encourages sensory exploration and material experimentation, allowing children to discover how everyday items can transform into collaborative, living artworks. This activity is perfect for children aged 2 years and up.
What you need
Foil
Lightweight papers like tissue paper, newspaper, magazine scraps, cellophane and wrapping paper. Colorful plastic document holders also work really well in this activity.
Water spray bottle or a wet sponge
Scissors
A window
Set it up
Step 1: Collect lightweight paper from around the house. Your recycling bin is a perfect place to start. Old magazines, newspapers and junk mail are perfect.
Step 2: Use the scissors to cut the foil, paper and plastic document holder into smaller shapes such as triangles, circles and squares (pictured below). If you don’t have any scissors, just rip these materials into approximately 3 x 3 cm shapes. Older children can do this step themselves. Young children may need to be supervised when using scissors or an adult could cut the shapes for them.
Cutting up the foil and paper into funky, geometric shapes:
Step 3: Find a window, or shower screen, in the house that your child can stand in front of. If the window is too high, place a children’s step or stool in front of it. Place a towel below the window if you don’t want the floor to get slippery.
Step 4: Using the water from the spray bottle, ask kids if they would like to stick the foil/paper to the window. You may need to demonstrate how to use the spray bottle to younger children before they have a go.
Step 5: Let kids arrange the shapes on the window how they like. If some of the paper won’t stay up, you could suggest to kids that they soak it in water first. Try your best not to tell kids what sort of arrangement they should make, let them use their creativity and imagination as much as possible.
Play prompts
Ask open-ended questions such as ‘can you tell me about what you are making?’
Demonstrate how children can layer different papers/foil over one another to get different creative effects.
Tip 1: If you find the paper/cardboard shapes are not sticking to the window, let them soak in some water for a while. Lightweight papers, like printing paper, might need around 5 min of soaking and heavier papers, like cardboard, 30 min.
Tip 2: You can also use paintbrushes, or a cooking brush to apply water to the shapes.
Tip 3: Draw on or decorate the paper using crayons before you cut it up.
