While most craft activities are designed for individuals, group projects such as murals offer a creative and practical alternative. A mural allows children to work together, producing a single, large-scale artwork that can decorate shared spaces and foster a sense of collective achievement.
Materials and method
The base material commonly used is freezer paper—tough, wide, and suitable for drawing and gluing. Children can apply finger or foot prints, cut and paste magazine images, and decorate with crayons, markers or stickers. Themes should relate to the group’s focus, such as camping for scouts or animals for preschoolers.
Preschoolers may need pre-cut images to select from, and glue sticks are preferred for ease. The mural surface can be secured to a table to prevent movement during the activity. A fall-themed mural, for instance, could involve painting tree trunks using forearm prints and adding leaf patterns with fingerprints in seasonal colours.
Benefits and thematic adaptability
Murals avoid the common problem of take-home crafts turning into household clutter. Instead, they create a visible, lasting display in classrooms or common areas. Craft ideas can align with educational topics or seasonal events, offering flexibility and relevance.
Advanced variation: themed group quilts
For older participants or adults, a quilt can serve as a more elaborate group project. Each person contributes a square reflecting the group’s identity or values. The completed quilt, once assembled, can be gifted or publicly displayed, reinforcing group bonds and shared purpose.
Group mural-making encourages creativity, teamwork and thematic expression, making it a valuable craft idea for a range of children’s programmes.