Art Activities Designed To Accompany Our Picture Books.
Love is Forever...
Sometimes the ones we love can’t be physically present with us, but we can still feel connected to them. That is the message of our picture book Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs. Here are a few simple and creative activities to do with a child who might be experiencing separation anxiety or missing someone they loved and lost. We hope they bring comfort and reassurance to you and your little ones. |
Watercolor Resist Painting
We collaborated with A Window Between Worlds to design this Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs healing art activity to remind kids that they are forever connected to people they love. It has been used by hundreds of social workers and therapists to comfort children experiencing grief and separation anxiety. You will need a copy of the book, plus watercolor paints, crayons/or oil pastels and watercolor paper. |
Blow Kisses
Let the wind whisper I love you…with a pinwheel! We love these easy-to-make pinwheel templates. You can use one of their colorful designs, or decorate your own original pinwheel. Color both sides, or use one side to write the names of people you love and miss. Blow some kisses and watch the pinwheel spin! |
Xs & Os Art Project
We worked with a kindergarten teacher to create a simple but colorful project that encouraged children to use art and words to help express the love they feel for someone they were missing. This project also makes a wonderful card for a child to give to a friend or family member to remind them of how much they are loved. |
Creative Snacks
Make storytime even more delicious with a yummy Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs-themed snack, perfect for even the youngest chef. Round corn chips, cheese circles (a round cookie cutter makes this a snap) and orange slices all make a wonderful sun. Carrot sticks or pretzels are perfect for sun rays and making Xs. Sprinkle some cereal Os for extra hugs! Nourish your child’s body and soul with one simple snack that you can easily make together. |
Tree of Love
Honor loved ones you miss by creating a simple “tree” (a branch displayed in a vase filled with sand is simple and beautiful) and ornaments. Cut out simple shapes – hearts, circles, stars, squares, diamonds – and decorate with whatever supplies you have like paint, glitter, or crayon. Make a hole, thread a ribbon and voila. You can add new tags to the tree whenever you are feeling sad. Or create ornaments out of more durable weatherproof materials (ceramics, Shrinky-dinks, plastic or glass beads) and hang them on a living tree outdoors. |
Finding Love on a Nature Walk
Did your little one enjoy looking for the hidden Xs, Os and hearts in Sun Kisses, Moon Hugs? Take a nature hike or explore your backyard for more signs of love, like heart-shaped leaves and rocks, twigs crossed into X shapes, and interesting cloud shapes. You might even use this opportunity to find a branch to use for the “Tree of Love” project featured on this site. |
Make a Rainstick
We developed this beautiful “resilient rainstick” project with A Window Between Worlds, a wonderful organization that trains leaders to deliver art as a healing tool to cope with trauma. The rainstick offers a beautiful and audible reminder of things that make your heart happy and strong whenever there’s a storm inside. The attached lesson plan is suitable for group settings and classes, and can also be used at home with your family. |
Journal Pages
Often, just writing down what’s in our heart can help heal it. You can use the attached writing page templates, or any notebook or diary. Let your child write whatever they feel, or use the discussion questions at the end of the book for writing prompts. |
New Point of View
Did you notice Rhino’s bird friend? Bird is sitting on Rhino’s back when Rhino swallows the storm and can also be found hiding in many of the illustrations before reuniting with Rhino at the end. Go back through the book with your child and imagine what Bird is feeling and thinking. Ask your child to retell the story from Bird’s point-of-view, either through verbal storytelling or writing it down and illustrating with colored pencils or crayons. |
Take a Breather
“If you feel blue, the whale said with a spout / Remember to breathe, breathe in and breathe out!” Do a whale-breathing meditation exercise with your child. Sit or lie down comfortably, taking deep, slow breaths and letting them out with an audible whoosh. Listening to actual whale sounds can enhance the experience – there are many recordings of whale sounds available for sale and at your library, or tune into a YouTube whale song meditation like like the one below. Note: whale music could provide a soothing audio accompaniment to any of the art projects listed on our projects too! |
Embody the Storm
In The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm, Rhino “shook and shimmied and stomped in the muck / and just as he’d hoped, that storm came unstuck!” Moving your body (also called somatics) is a great way to shake out tension and express your feelings. You can move like Rhino – acting out what it feels like to have a storm trapped inside your body and then releasing it. |
My Beautiful World Collage
After Rhino lets go of the storm, "his vision was clear like the sky above" and he is once again able to look at his world “through eyes filled with love.” Encourage your child to think of things they love about their world (or things they loved and remember about a loved one who has died or moved away). They can then create an art piece about it, by drawing pictures or cutting out images and words from old magazines and make a collage. This could also be used as a "vision board"to imagine life as they would like it to be. |