Labor Day Collage

Create Memories Celebrating Work and Relaxation

Jun 17, 2009

Labor Day began as a holiday to rest and appreciate the fruit of hard work. Commemorate the day with a work of art that celebrates both labor and rest.

Take time to praise each person for working hard at school, home, or an employed job. Chat about how proper sleep and rest refuels the body. Read about the history of Labor Day to understand why government enacted laws to protect workers and created this special day. Have fun creating a lasting memory that celebrates the day.

Photograph the Shots

A digital camera will be handy for this project. A few weeks prior to Labor Day snap candid shots of family members leaving for work, doing chores, resting and sleeping. Gather others pictures from photo albums and files.

Take outdoor shots of gardening, mowing the lawn, washing the car, lying in a hammock or lawn chair, resting on the grass. Snap indoor pictures of family members cooking, doing homework, computer work, napping, sleeping, laundry, vacuuming, sweeping, washing dishes, or cleaning the bathroom. Take a few close-ups with a snoring head on pillow or hands folding clothes.

Check and see if a friend who works with your spouse will snap a few shots at the office or drop by and take a few. Check your photo files for school photos or photos of children boarding the school bus or shopping for school outfits.

Gather supplies needed. Decide on size of the collage. A 12x12 inch one fits in most scrapbook albums. Larger ones can be framed and hung on a wall.

Make the Collage

On Labor Day gather the family and start placing photos on the background. If desired, make a border or header from play money or stamps that reflect work such as tools or school supplies. Create a design by trimming and cropping photos, cutting out shapes from prints, overlapping snapshots and turning pictures to different angles. Decorate the collage with stickers or cutouts related to rest and work, such as a car, pillows, bed, computer, and tools Dad of Mom may use at work.

Print a headline, such as "Our Family at Work and Rest." If desired, add caption or notes throughout the collage. Trace hands on acid free paper and write a note or prayer or thanks for the ability to work and the blessings of earning a living. Add the note to the frame or over of a section of the collage,

Extended Activities Using Artwork

Create other projects from the original, finished artwork. Take a photo of the collage or scan parts of the montage into the computer to duplicate the artwork. Print tiny name badge size pictures of the collage to make mini-family pins to wear. Print out various sizes to make cards, T-shirts, and other mementos for celebrating the day. If you do a photo calendar, use a copy for next September’s page. Crop a long slice of the collage to create bookmarks. Cut out full paper sized pictures and laminate them for placemats. Brainstorm for other ways to use the artwork.

Preserve the collage by placing it in a scrapbook sleeve, a frame with glass or plastic cover, or decoupage it. Each year, let the collage be a focus of Labor Day celebrations.

The copyright of the article Labor Day Collage in Holiday Kids Crafts is owned by Karen Whiting. Permission to republish Labor Day Collage in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.