A Lovely Mask

A little girl wants to make a clown mask, but no matter how she draws it, she isn't satisfied. She bursts into tears. Suddenly, the mask comes to life...

When Xiangxiang was a little over three, she made crafts in her art class. That day's theme was clown masks. The teacher made a very cute example, and the children were supposed to copy it. Xiangxiang didn't do a good job, and she still hadn't finished by the end of class. She thought her drawing looked ugly and was very upset. When it was time to share their work, I quickly helped her add a few random strokes and finish it (the cover image). Afterward, I encouraged her to draw boldly, not to worry about whether it looked good or whether she made mistakes. Children are natural artists. Their imaginations can take them places adults can't go, and they always notice cute and beautiful things. All of that is precious creativity. At this age, art lessons aren't about teaching you to draw things exactly as they look. They're meant to encourage you to observe and imagine, and to learn how to express yourself. That's what matters.

Xiangxiang is still taking art classes. Once, she told me her teacher had praised her for daring to draw and not being afraid of making mistakes. I told her she was wonderful.

Inspired by that mask-making experience, I made up this story for my daughter.

Theme: Encourage children's creativity and teach them to observe and imagine.