No lie, I have put off giving Jane any kind of glue. Not for any real reason either. It was something I didn’t feel like tackling… I guess I felt like she didn’t need it, or probably I was just being lazy. She’s 2.5 now and loves stickers, coloring, cutting, painting, and all things crafty, so I figured it was time I got around to introducing glue into her regular craft time.
And it was a great idea!
Glue is awesome for kids. It’s a regular everyday thing that we all use and don’t really think much about. But for toddlers, it’s so new and exciting!
Glue adds a whole new aspect to craft time.
- It’s a new texture for their hands to explore.
- It’s fascinating for them to learn the purpose of glue and see how it works.
- They’ll improve fine motor skills, getting the glue just where it needs to be.
Yeah, maybe it can be messy to clean up… but there’s no reason at all to put it off!
If you’re wondering where to begin, then this post is for you! so let’s get started.
This project is also in a reel on my Instagram, so make sure you go watch that too! It’s a cute one π
Introducing Glue: Where to start
Pick your glue
For me, this is a no-brainer. Glue sticks are the perfect starting point! But not just any glue stick, you gotta get the purple Elmer’s glue sticks. I will explain this further in a minute.
Start easy with glue sticks and worry about getting into liquid glue next time.
Pick a Craft
I came up with this fun butterfly mosaic craft that is PERFECT for first-time gluers. So let’s jump into how we did this craft and how to best let your kids discover the magic of glue!
Mosaic Butterflies
Materials:
- Elmer’s Disappearing Purple glue sticks
- White cardstock
- Tissue paper
- Popsicle stick (optional) (1 per butterfly)
- Googly eyes (optional)
Prep:
The prep is pretty minimal for this craft.
1: Fold a piece of cardstock in half and use a pencil to draw half a butterfly with the fold being the butterfly’s body. Cut along your pencil lines and when you unfold the paper it should look like a full butterfly.
2: Cut your tissue paper into small squares. They don’t have to be perfect, but about 1 inch by 1 inch. I did this by cutting the tissue paper into long strips and then cutting the strips into little squares. Put them all onto a tray, plate, bowl, or something that your child can easily grab from.
3: And finally, you can cover the workspace if you want to. I did put a big sheet of paper down on the table however the glue is washable so clean-up should be relatively easy if you choose not to lay anything down first.
Let your kiddo create!
This is about letting your kid discover and create with minimal guidance. You are introducing glue to their creative process, they are responsible for the rest.
Set out all the materials and sit your kid at the table within reach of everything. Show them the glue stick, tell or show them that it’s sticky. Then put one little dot on the paper so they can see how it works and tell them to put a square of tissue paper over it.
Only do it for them once, then hand over the glue stick and let your child try. You can remind them to be gentle with it, not to push too hard, tell them they only need a little bit for each square of paper. But try to remember that your job here is to observe and intervene as little as possible. Your child is learning! If they ask for help, jump in. But then step back again.
The reason I suggest the purple glue is because it allows your child to SEE exactly where and how much glue they have put onto the paper. With clear glue, they won’t know where to place the tissue paper or whether or not they need more glue.
Glue then paper. Glue then paper. Until the majority of the butterfly is covered. At some point direct your kid to do a line of glue down the center crease and place the popsicle stick there. Same with the eyes. Explain, but don’t do it for them unless they need your help.
Introducing glue really is that simple and so much fun for your little. This is a new experience for them that will make them feel like a BIG kid. We want your kids to feel like they can do anything!
Once it’s done, display it somewhere that they can see it. Jane’s butterflies are still hanging in her art corner and she points to them to show me her handiwork!
When it doesn’t go to plan
We all know that things don’t always go as expected and introducing glue is no exception. If things go off, just breathe. Calmly correct and move on. It’s all part of the experience for them.
To be completely transparent with you, there were 2 instances during this craft when Jane took the process into her own hands. Quite literally….
First, she tasted the glue. And honestly? I had no problem with this, I even chuckled about it a bit. The glue is non-toxic and, well, how else is she going to discover that it’s not a delicious snack? I know that sounds silly! And yeah, I could just tell her that it’s not food, but isn’t learning on her own more effective?
Second…. just look at the picture. I left her for just a moment so I could check on dinner in the oven and that was all it took for her to realize that the glue stick turned up and could come out.
And once again, she learned. Yes, it was a mess. Yes, I hated cleaning the sticky glue off of her hands. Yes, I was tempted to yell or just put an end to craft time. But she learned. She learned that glue doesn’t rub in the way lotion does. It doesn’t foam up like soap. Glue is sticky and messy and not super fun to have all over your hands.
We washed her up, got out a new glue stick, and finished the craft. Deep breaths all around!
It’s OKAY if it’s not a picture-perfect process. That’s why I’m sharing these photos with you, because I’m a real mama too and sometimes things get sticky!
Make sure you grab my FREE Dot Markers Number Worksheets while you’re here!
