The fourth item on my kitchen list was assorted macaroni, peas, dried beans and lentils. These can be used to make wonderful collages which can be left plain or painted. 
A collage is a work of formal art, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new whole. This is an interesting bit of information to share with children while they are busily creating just that. Again, you can see that it is important for you to be present both physically and mentally so that you can have “familiar conversations” with your children.
A collage may include newspaper clippings, ribbon, bits of colored or hand-made papers, portions of other artwork, photographs, a piece of moss, and other found objects, glued to a piece of paper or canvas. Here are some artist that have done collages; Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Juan Gris, Henri Matisse, and Cecil Touchon.
So how can you use this in your Spark Station? Gather a wonderful assortment of dried beans, macaroni and so forth. They can be in separate jars or bags or be mixed together. These would be in a box or tub along with very stiff paper or paper plates. It works best to provide tacky glue which holds
better than school glue and dries more quickly. Allow children to create in whatever way they want.
The next day they could paint their creations. You could also add books of art work with large colored pictures. Find those which are collages. Talk about why they are different from other art works in the book. Have a book on Picasso who was a famous Spanish painter.
On another day you could have some pictures of modern art works made with newspaper clippings, ribbon, bits of colored or hand-made papers, portions of other artwork, photographs, a piece of moss, and other found objects. Have a box of assorted stuff that your children can turn into this type of collage.
When I googled “children’s collages” a magnificent array of great work by children came up. It would be worth printing some off in color to show your children what wonderful things can be made.
On another day empty frames could show up in the closet and you could help your children frame and then hang their art work. Children 8 and older will love measuring walls and hammering nails to get the job done. All they need is a bit of supervision.
I might mention here the need for parents to let children “do”. We are usually so invested in how it looks when all is said and done that we do too much for our children. We want the pictures on the walls so that they are ascetically pleasing. Your child may not care about that. Maybe she wants it at her/his eye level or in an odd place. If it is his or her room I would let that go. Are you interested in being in “House Beautiful” or allowing your children to think, decide and experience.
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