Parent tip
Set out construction paper and stickers before inviting your toddler in so the first minute feels smooth.
Sticker Scene Creation
Create scenes by placing stickers on paper or windows.
Activity details
Instructions
- Provide a sheet of paper or use a window/glass door
- Give them a page of stickers (large stickers work best)
- Show how to peel and stick
- For younger toddlers, you peel and they place
- Create a theme: 'Let's make a garden!' or 'Animal farm!'
- Talk about what they're creating
- Display the finished scene
- Window stickers can be reused and rearranged
What success looks like
Messy hands and a child who doesn’t want to stop. The artwork doesn’t need to look like anything — the process is the point.
A focused, quiet activity perfect for building fine motor control and creative expression. Peeling stickers off a backing sheet is surprisingly challenging for small fingers and strengthens the pincer grip needed for writing later on. Children also practise spatial planning as they decide where each sticker goes, and the finished scene gives them a real sense of pride.
Why it helps
Peeling stickers strengthens the pincer grip that is essential for holding a pencil later. Deciding where to place each sticker develops spatial planning and creative decision-making, and the finished scene builds a sense of pride and accomplishment. The EYFS framework highlights this kind of hands-on work as essential for building the grip and control children need before they can hold a pencil.
Variations
- Use window clings on a glass door so stickers can be peeled off and repositioned.
- Draw a background scene first — a garden, ocean, or sky — and add stickers to it.
- Give themed sticker sheets and ask your toddler to tell a story about what they create.
Safety tips
- Choose stickers large enough that they cannot be swallowed.
- Watch that backing paper does not go into the mouth.
- Avoid stickers with small detachable parts for younger toddlers.
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