Riley’s Rainforest: Your Inner Artist
“Send down ... from the clouds of Thy mercy the rains of Thy healing...” — Bahá’u’lláh
My art class is awesome! Today we painted whatever we wanted. I made a sunbathing wombat. It was so fun!
But my friend Krissa stared at her canvas and said, “Ugh—art stresses me out. I’m not creative.”
I just about dropped my paintbrush. “Everyone can be creative!” I said.
Creativity is like a superpower that can help you with lots of stuff. It can give you tools to solve problems, help others, and express yourself in fun ways, from painting to designing puzzles.
“You’re a wiz at computer coding, and that takes tons of creativity,” I said.
“Then why do my paintings look so bad?” she asked.
“I used to feel that way,” I said. “Art isn’t fun when I criticize myself and compare my work to other birds’ stuff. But when I get curious and play with art supplies, the hours just fly by. What makes you happy?”
Krissa perked up. “I do love coding. Maybe I could make art with computer code!”
She had a blast painting coding numbers and words in different colors all over her canvas. It was super cool! Each person is unique, and no one can create art like yours. Besides, life would be boring if we all had the same style.
Krissa and I made a list of ideas for boosting creativity. I hope they help unleash your inner artist!
Explore & Soar: Get Creative!
Be adventurous and try something new each day! Check out these challenges.
- In a pocket notebook, draw or write at least one thing every day. How many days can you keep going?
- Pick a song you love and write new lyrics that make you laugh.
- Read a new book, try a new food, or listen to a new type of music.
- Get creative with your space! Decorate it with colors and things that inspire you.
- Go for a nature walk and take pictures of patterns, colors, or other things that catch your eye.
- Write down a problem you’d like to solve. Ask family or friends to help you come up with nine actions you could take together to resolve it.
Curiosity Canopy
Did you know that creativity may make you kinder? Kids who take art classes are more likely to be interested in how others feel and want to lend a helping hand. The arts can boost communication skills, too! When we express our feelings through art, we may strengthen relationships with friends and family.
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Photo credits: Kid on log by vgajic/Getty, painters by SeventyFour/Getty
Riley112 Riley’s Rainforest49 Characters493 Health91 Art54 Arts84 Creativity295 Play and Create789 Growth18 Authenticity6 Be Yourself18