Make an Architecture Shape Collage

Help your young child learn about the "building blocks" of math and
architecture in this simple collage activity. Let your preschooler's imagination
run wild as she creates simple structures, massive monuments, and pretty
palaces.

This activity will encourage your child to build important pre-math skills
such as understanding the "part to whole" relationship and recognizing geometric
shapes, while along the way creating a unique work of art.

What You Need:Construction paper
Glue
Scissors
Markers or crayons (optional)

What You Do:
Go on a walk around your neighborhood to look at some different types of
architecture. Ask your child to look at the houses and buildings and name parts
of the structure (i.e., roof, door, window, porch, column). If this is not
possible, you can look for some building or architecture based picture books and
read about building while discussing the illustrations or photographs.
Help your child cut out basic shapes such as squares, rectangles, and
triangles from the construction paper. Vary the sizes and widths. These will
become "building blocks" of each structure she will make.
Allow your child to first play with the shapes, building new and different
creations. A triangle may turn into a roof, rectangles in a row may turn into
columns, or a square may become a window.
Have your child make a collage by gluing the shapes onto the construction
paper sheet to form a building. This can be repeated for multiple
buildings.
Optional: Your child can embellish the building by decorating it with a
markers or crayons.
The architecture collage can even serve as the beginnings of a whole shape
city if your child likes. Discuss the appearance and uses for different
buildings (form and function) with your child to emphasize why architects are
important. Remind her that she is a junior architect creating some of her very
own special structures!