Sunny self-portraits: A fun, creative way to connect with your kids
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my whole disclosure here.
This activity is a wonderful way to make your kids feel loved, boost their confidence, and share kind words about each other.
Materials
- paper
- black sharpies
- paint (or any other coloring supplies you have at hand).
Instructions
- Use a black sharpie to create a template similar to the one in the image below (on the left) for both you and your kids. It should look like a sun with 10 rays.

- Invite your kids to draw a self-portrait inside the “sun”, and do the same on your paper. (we used black sharpies)
- Use paint (or any other coloring supplies) to color the portrait, the sun, and the rays. Color the rays with many bright colors.
- After the paint dries, start filling in nice things about each other inside the rays.
- Here is how this works: You share one nice thing about yourself and invite your kids to share one nice about you, then write both of them inside the rays in your painting. For each of the kids, share one nice thing about them and invite them to name one nice thing about themselves, then add both of them inside the rays in their paintings (using “I” statements).
- Keep taking turns following these steps until you fill in all the rays in the paintings.
- Invite the kids to display their self-portraits in their room.
Connection tip: From time to time, re-read to your child the things written on their painting, then tell them a few additional things you like about them. This is an easy way to brighten their day and boost their self-esteem.
