Elementary students work together on a symbolic mural fostering creativity, connection, and a commitment to kindness.

Wendy Libby

As art teachers, we all recognize that art offers many benefits. It supports motor skills, language growth, decision-making, and creativity; fosters empathy and communication through a powerful nonverbal language; and strengthens connections between artists and viewers, creating a sense of belonging.

A collaborative project like a mural fosters a sense of belonging and unity, transforming individuals into a connected community.

Art is especially important for children. It builds confidence, academic skills, problem-solving, and fine motor development. Through art, children grow cognitively, socially, and emotionally while learning to process the world around them and connect with others.

Every year, I engage my students in creating a hallway mural centered on the theme of kindness (see my lesson “Lyrical Kindness” in the SchoolArts September 2025 issue). I use art as a visual catalyst to spark awareness, emotion, and connection. After selecting a theme and symbolic image, each student contributes an individual piece that expresses the idea of kindness.

Creating art around a common theme connects students through shared experiences. A collaborative project like a mural fosters a sense of belonging and unity, transforming individuals into a connected community.

This year, I chose the theme “Above All, Be Kind,” using a star as our visual symbol. Students learned about constellations and how ancient cultures used them for navigation, storytelling, and to mark seasonal changes. We explored how stars can be arranged to form shapes such as animals, people, and objects, stretching our imaginations.

Students from pre-K to grade three created their own constellations by drawing an outline and cutting a silhouette from 6 x 9" (15 x 23 cm) blue paper. They glued the silhouette onto 9 x 12" (23 x 30 cm) darker blue paper and added stars inside and around the shape. The edges of the paper were rounded, and the constellations were assembled onto an eleven-yard sheet of black mural paper.

In a separate art class, second-grade students created back-view self-portraits using black marker and crayons. This approach required them to focus on the texture and style of their hair from a new perspective. The portraits were cut out and mounted on 12 x 18" (30 x 46 cm) black paper, with stars added to the sky above the figures. These “stargazers” were placed along the bottom of the mural.

Large stars hang above the mural to represent each classroom, displaying the words “Above All, Be Kind,” along with studentsʼ signatures.

Artwork supports self-expression by providing a nonverbal outlet for emotions and experiences, especially for children who find verbal expression challenging.

Completing a project and making creative choices builds pride and confidence. Through the shared experience of creating a school mural, students become connected as a community.

This collaborative mural not only showcases students’ creativity but also serves as a daily reminder of the importance of kindness. It celebrates unity and encourages the members of our school community to practice acts of kindness every day.

Wendy Libby is an art teacher for the Bangor School Department in Bangor, Maine. aarrttyy19@msn.com

Above All, Be Kind: A Symbolic, Collaborative Mural