◷ 35 minutes◎ Ages 6–11✦ Crafts
Quick start

A collage is a picture assembled from separate materials. Build a skyline from paper rectangles and add original details with smaller shapes.

Finished example for Build a colourful paper-collage city
Inspiration image: one possible finished result. Your artwork should be your own.
Your creative mission

What you will learn

Collage builds pictures by arranging and attaching materials.

Skills: Spatial arrangement, shape construction and storytelling

Jump to picture steps ↓

What you’ll need

  • Scrap paper
  • Glue
  • Safety scissors with supervision
  • Large backing sheet

Get ready: Prepare safe scrap-paper pieces and a large backing page.

Six-frame visual journey for Build a colourful paper-collage city, ending in a colourful creative variation
Visual journey: use the numbered guide below for complete instructions. The final inspiration image is one imaginative variation, not a required result.
Follow along

Make it, one picture at a time.

Look at the picture, try that step on your paper, then move to the next. Follow the numbered stages, then choose your own colours and details.

  1. Stage 1 of 5: Cut several rectangles for buildings and narrow strips for roads.
    STEP 01

    Cut several rectangles for buildings and narrow strips for roads.

  2. Stage 2 of 5: Make windows using small squares. Create roofs with triangles or folded paper.
    STEP 02

    Make windows using small squares. Create roofs with triangles or folded paper.

  3. Stage 3 of 5: Place the tallest buildings at the back of the sheet before gluing anything.
    STEP 03

    Place the tallest buildings at the back of the sheet before gluing anything.

  4. Stage 4 of 5: Add a street, a tree and one unusual building, such as a library shaped like a rocket.
    STEP 04

    Add a street, a tree and one unusual building, such as a library shaped like a rocket.

  5. Stage 5 of 5: Glue the shapes in place, then describe who lives or works in the city.
    STEP 05

    Glue the shapes in place, then describe who lives or works in the city.

Make it your own

Try reusing magazine paper or clean packaging. An adult should supervise cutting where appropriate.

Talk about it: What makes your city different from a real one?

Help a young artist learn

These practical notes are for parents, carers and teachers. Children can follow the picture steps above.

For parents and carers — teach together

Start together

Prepare safe scrap-paper pieces and a large backing page.

During the activity

Move buildings around without glue until the child likes the composition.

Afterwards

Ask: What makes your city different from a real one?

For teachers — classroom adaptation

Learning focus

Spatial arrangement, shape construction and storytelling

Demonstrate and guide

Organize a shared materials table; teach layering before gluing.

Observe, do not grade the artwork

Ask learners to describe one choice they made and one thing they would try differently.

Make it easier or take it further

Make it easier

Use only three rectangles and triangle roofs.

Extra challenge

Add a map showing where a person would walk in the city.

Keep creating

Make animals using circles, triangles and squares

An easy drawing challenge that shows how complex pictures begin with simple shapes.

Make a movable paper character

Create a simple character with arms and legs that can be moved for storytelling.

Activities are suggestions, not assessments. Adapt materials and supervise as needed.