Torn Paper Collage Art for Toddlers

Colorful paper — construction paper, magazine pages, tissue paper, wrapping paper scraps

Glue stick

Cardstock or heavy paper for the background

Gather colorful paper from around the house. Construction paper, old magazines, tissue paper, and wrapping paper scraps all work beautifully.

Show your toddler how to tear paper by holding it with both hands and pulling in opposite directions. Start with a small snip to give them an edge.

Let your toddler tear as many pieces as they want into a pile. The tearing itself is half the fun and half the skill-building.

Spread glue stick across a piece of cardstock. Let your toddler help with the gluing — even if the coverage is uneven.

Help your toddler press torn pieces onto the glue. Overlapping and layering creates beautiful depth.

Keep adding pieces until the background is covered in a colorful mosaic.

Let the collage dry completely, then hang it up. These torn paper collages genuinely look like fine art.

Tearing paper uses both hands working together in opposition — a bilateral coordination skill that develops throughout toddlerhood.

Thin paper like tissue paper tears easily, which is great for younger toddlers. Thicker paper like magazine pages gives more resistance, which is good for building hand strength.

Pre-tear a few pieces to get the pile started if your toddler gets frustrated before they have enough to collage with.

Try a themed collage — all blue paper for an ocean, all green for a garden, warm colors for a sunset.

Glue sticks are cleaner than liquid glue for this age. The stick format is easier for little hands to control.