Making Mosaics with Kids

When making mosaics with kids, the keyword is “preparation” as you cannot eliminate risks but sensible precautions will keep everyone clean and away from harm. Children are likely to enjoy making mosaics as school projects but we should always keep in mind that there are supposed to be limitations as well as precautions when working with kids.

For example, how to use the adhesive is one of the problems that should be taken into consideration as children’s fingers can easily contact with the sticky glue. They had better dispense the adhesive through a disposable piping bag so that they can press the mosaic tile pieces into the adhesive. They will likely enjoy squeezing out the glue by keeping their hands clean. The adhesive can be piped onto figures preferably made by kids and then they press mosaics or vitreous glass tiles, which are precut and washed, into paste (Ultramastic) and grout them later.

To sum up, you should be prepared and organised when working mosaics with kids. You’d better let the kids draw their own design. This is important for their own self esteem and improvement. And you shouldn’t interfere with the colours. You should let kids choose a colour scheme as they have the best sense of colour. Later, you should make them wear safety glasses and gloves such as gardening gloves. If you let them break mosaic tiles, you should explain to them how to use the tile hammer and not to wave it around.They had better break the tile laying it on two pieces of wood.You can also cover the tile up in a rag to minimise the flying pieces.

Supervise kids closely but always let them do the work by themselves even if you think they are doing it wrong.