Tissue Paper Crumple Art for Baby

Tissue paper in 2-3 bright colors

Clear contact paper (shelf liner works great)

Tape to secure the contact paper

High chair with tray

Tear tissue paper into small pieces — roughly two to three inches each. Use bright, contrasting colors like red, yellow, and blue.

Cut a piece of clear contact paper and tape it sticky-side-up onto the high chair tray. Make sure the edges are secured so it does not curl up.

Place baby in the high chair and demonstrate how the tissue paper sticks when pressed onto the contact paper. Make a surprised face when it sticks.

Hand baby a piece of tissue paper. Let them explore it first — crumple it, scrunch it, wave it around. This is the fine motor work.

Gently guide baby's hand to press the crumpled paper onto the sticky surface. The satisfying stick gives instant feedback.

Keep handing baby new pieces and let them work at their own pace. Some babies will methodically place each piece. Others will slap them down with gusto. Both are perfect.

Name the colors as baby works. "That is the yellow one! You stuck it right in the middle."

Contact paper is the secret ingredient here. It gives baby a no-glue way to make art that actually holds together.

Supervise closely if baby mouths the tissue paper. It is not toxic, but small wet pieces can be a choking concern.

When finished, press another sheet of contact paper on top to seal the collage. It makes a beautiful suncatcher for the window.

If you do not have contact paper, spread a thin layer of yogurt on cardboard as a taste-safe glue alternative.

This activity builds the grasp-and-release pattern that is foundational for later skills like stacking and self-feeding.