Tearing and Gluing Paper

Kids learn to tear paper into shapes and glue them down to make colorful pictures and collages.

Reading is good — doing is better. Practice Tearing and Gluing Paper as an interactive lesson.

Definition

Tearing and gluing paper means using your fingers to rip paper into pieces and then sticking those pieces onto another sheet to create a picture or design. No scissors needed — your fingers do all the cutting!

Remember the rule

Pinch, pull slowly, press firmly — tear it, place it, glue it down!

Key words

Tear: To pull paper apart with your fingers to make a new shape or edge.
Collage: A picture made by gluing many pieces of paper (or other things) onto a background.
Background: The big bottom sheet of paper that you glue your torn pieces onto.
Glue: The sticky stuff that holds your torn paper pieces in place on the background.
Overlap: When one piece of paper is placed partly on top of another piece.
Texture: The way the edge of torn paper feels and looks — bumpy and rough instead of straight.
Press: To push down firmly with your fingers so the glue sticks the paper tight.
Layer: One piece of paper placed on top of another to build up a picture.

Worked examples

You want to make a red apple. How do you start?

→ Tear a big curved piece from red paper by pinching with both hands and pulling slowly. Then glue it onto your background sheet by spreading a thin layer of glue on the back and pressing it down. · Pulling slowly gives you more control over the shape than pulling fast.

You want to make green grass along the bottom of your picture.

→ Tear several thin strips from green paper. Glue them side by side along the bottom edge of your background so they look like blades of grass. · Torn strips have bumpy edges that look more like real grass than straight-cut strips.

You want to make a fluffy white cloud.

→ Tear a piece of white paper using small pinches all around the edges to make it bumpy and soft-looking. Glue it near the top of your background. · Many small tears around the edge make the cloud look fluffy instead of flat.

You want to make a yellow sun with rays.

→ Tear one round-ish yellow piece for the sun's body, then tear several thin pointy pieces for the rays. Glue the rays first, then glue the big circle on top in the center. · Gluing the rays first and then covering their ends with the circle makes it look neat.

Your torn piece keeps lifting up at the edges after you glue it.

→ Put a little more glue near the edges of the piece and press each edge down firmly with your finger for a few seconds until it sticks. · Edges need extra glue because they curl up the most when paper dries.

You want to show a blue lake at the bottom of your picture.

→ Tear a wide, wavy piece of blue paper and glue it along the bottom of your background. The natural wavy torn edge looks just like water. · Torn paper edges are perfect for things in nature that are not perfectly straight.

Common mistakes

Using too much glue — a thick blob makes the paper wrinkle and takes forever to dry; use a thin, even layer instead.
Pulling the paper too fast — fast tearing makes the paper rip in the wrong direction; go slow and steer with your fingers.
Forgetting to press down — just laying paper on top of glue is not enough; you must press firmly for several seconds.
Not planning before gluing — sticking pieces down without thinking first can leave no room for important parts of the picture.
Giving up if the shape is not perfect — torn paper is supposed to look rough and natural; wonky shapes often look the most interesting.

FAQs

Why do we tear instead of using scissors?

Tearing builds finger strength, and the rough edges you get look more natural and interesting in art. It also means very young kids can make art without needing sharp tools.

What kind of glue works best?

A glue stick or white school glue (like Elmer's) both work well. Spread it in a thin, even layer so the paper lies flat and dries quickly.

What if I tear the wrong shape?

That is okay! Torn shapes do not have to be perfect. You can tear a little more off to fix the shape, or turn the piece around and use it in a different part of your picture.

Can we use magazine pages or newspaper instead of plain paper?

Yes! Colored magazine pages, tissue paper, and newspaper all tear and glue well and can add fun colors and patterns to your collage.

How do I know when the glue is dry?

Touch the edge of the paper gently. If it feels cool and the paper does not move, it is dry. If it still feels wet or slippery, wait a few more minutes.

Why does my paper wrinkle when it dries?

Too much glue causes wrinkling. Next time use a thinner layer. You can also gently press the finished picture under a heavy book while it dries to keep it flat.

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