First things first
* When presenting the children with opportunities to investigate 'sticking', it is important to provide a wide range of interesting tools and materials for them to explore freely, rather than creating a predetermined end-product.
* Allow time for the children to investigate the feel of glue before moving on to using glue applicators.
* Always start with something familiar, such as using glue spreaders to apply PVA glue, before introducing exciting new experiences, such as using contact adhesive to create a transparent window collage.
* Encourage the children to suggest how to use materials and, whenever possible, try out these ideas and talk about what works well and why.
For a purpose
Encourage children to discover how materials are joined for different purposes.
* Paste, for sticking paper and card. Commercially produced cold-water paste designed for children's use is ideal, but ordinary wallpaper paste can be used provided it has no fungicide added. Alternatively, create your own paste, with the ratio of half a cup of flour to three quarters of a cup of water. Mix the water into the flour slowly so that no lumps form, and boil for a few minutes until thick. Add some peppermint essence or oil of cloves as a preservative, and store in an airtight container in a fridge.
* PVA glue, for sticking materials such as fabric, wood and boxes. Colour the glue with powder paint and have fun mixing the colours. Add glitter or sand to create textured glue.
* Tape, for joining material paper or card. Stick small strips of coloured tape to other materials to create patterns.
Tools of the trade
* Apply glue with glue spreaders, lollipop sticks, cotton wool buds or fingers.
* Use paste brushes to apply different kinds of paste.
* Use squeezy bottles to drip, dribble and squirt the glue on to the surfaces and to draw glue pictures.
* Put small quantities of glue in trimmed yoghurt pots or small foil dishes.
On the surface
Encourage the children to experiment with different sticking agents and materials.
* Paper is suitable as a base for light materials such as tissue and glitter. Provide a supply of old wallpaper, newspaper, scrap computer paper, used envelopes and coloured paper of varying thickness, shape and size.
* Card is suitable as a base for heavier materials such as cones and fabric. Try different colours and thicknesses, and improvise by using paper plates or the front and backs of recycled cereal boxes to create a flat surface to work on.
* Recyled boxes, of different sizes and thicknesses.
* Plastic containers and lids.
* Wood, such as small logs, small branches and flat offcuts.
Time to experiment
Use shallow storage trays to display a selection of objects and materials for the children to stick to bases of their choice.
* Catalogues and magazines Invite the children to cut out pictures and stick them to different kinds of base.
* Stamps Stick used stamps to old envelopes in your mark-making area or role-play post office.
* Kitchen delights Raid the kitchen cupboard for herbs, spices, tea bags, drink powders and salt to sprinkle over glue to create textured, scented pictures.
* Collage fun Attach exciting collage materials such as sequins, glitter, coloured sand, confetti, lace, wool, string and ribbon to a brightly coloured base.
* Natural materials Try adding puffed wheat, popcorn, leaves, small twigs, tiny stones, shells, pasta, grains, dried flowers, cones, seeds, wood shavings and grasses to a natural base, such as a piece of wood, to create a three-dimensional sculpture.
Extending ideas
* Stained glass windows Spread a sheet of transparent contact adhesive on a table with the sticky side uppermost and invite the children to attach transparent scraps, such as coloured acetate or cellophane and sweet wrappers. Lift the sheet up carefully and press it against a window so that the light shines though.
* Twinkling mobiles Cut out strips of coloured cellophane and invite the children to glue sequins, glitter, foil and sweet wrappers to both sides.
Hang the mobiles on a window and watch as they twinkle in the sunlight.
* Spaghetti whirls Cook some spaghetti, adding a tablespoon of oil to stop the strands from sticking together. Invite the children to dip a strand into some coloured PVA glue and arrange it in a curly shape on a plastic board. When the strand has dried, peel it from the board and tie some threads to one end. Hang the strands outdoors and watch them twist and turn in the breeze.
* Sticky snacks Invite the children to spread crackers with soft margarine or cream cheese and have fun sticking chopped vegetables to the surface.
* Party cakes Celebrate a special occasion by icing small fairy cakes and sticking hundreds and thousands and small sweets on to the wet surface.
