Leo is a wonderful seven-year-old boy. He likes to learn new things and play with his friends at school. Sometimes, Leo enjoys doing things in a special way, like lining up his pencils perfectly or repeating certain words that make him feel safe and happy.
Today is Tuesday, and it’s time for art class, one of Leo’s favorites! In art class, students get to be very creative. They can draw, paint, or make sculptures. Mrs. Davis, Leo’s art teacher, always has exciting projects. Sometimes, Leo likes to make his artwork just right, which means carefully lining up all the colors in his art box or drawing the same circle many times until it feels perfect to him.
Today, Mrs. Davis announced, “We are going to paint colorful butterflies! Each butterfly can be different and special, just like each of you.” She showed them beautiful pictures of butterflies with all kinds of patterns and colors. Leo looked at the examples. He thought about making all of his butterflies exactly the same, with the same two colors and the same shape, just like he sometimes likes to do with his drawings.
Sometimes, Leo might feel a little bit worried if his art isn’t exactly the way he planned it in his head. He might feel a little tight in his tummy if his pencils aren’t in a straight line or if he can’t say his favorite repeated word a few times before starting. These feelings can make him want to stick to what he knows best, even if it’s a new activity.
Mrs. Davis walked around the room. She noticed Leo looking carefully at the paint, almost ready to pick just two colors. She smiled at him. “Leo,” she said softly, “I wonder what amazing, colorful wings your butterfly will have today? Maybe a little red swirl here, and a big blue dot there?” She pointed to a picture of a butterfly with many different colors.
Leo paused. He looked at the bright red paint, then the shiny blue, and the happy yellow. He thought about how wonderful it feels to try something new. He remembered that it’s okay for his art to be different each time. It’s okay if a line isn’t perfectly straight or if his butterfly isn’t exactly like the one he saw. Taking a deep breath, Leo picked up a brush. He put a splash of yellow next to a swirl of red. Then, he decided on a big, happy blue dot. He painted with careful, gentle strokes.
Leo felt a warm, happy feeling spreading through him. His unique, colorful butterfly was beautiful! It made him smile. He looked around and saw other children’s butterflies, each one unique and special. He realized that trying new colors and shapes felt really good, even if it was a bit different from his usual way. Changing things up can be fun and exciting, and trying new things helps us learn.
At the end of art class, Mrs. Davis held up Leo’s painting. “Look at Leo’s wonderful, colorful butterfly!” she said. Leo felt proud. He learned that even when he likes to do things in a special, repetitive way, it can also be wonderful to try something new and different. He knew his feelings were important, and trying new things could bring even more joy.