One of our babysitters gifted the kiddos an easel a few years ago. Try as I might, the kids saw the easel more as room decor than a useful art tool. Which is to say they didn’t notice it much at all.

Note: my five-year-old can spy a salamander from across the yard. But a useful art supply? What is that? Why would such a thing earn noticing?

So, our artwork happens on the kitchen floor.

We don’t have pets, which means I sometimes manage to keep the floor clean enough for this activity. (Thank you, Dyson Cyclone! I’m most thankful on the days I only use you twice, instead of four, ahem, five times over the same 100 square foot area.) Other times it means we are swamp people, crawling on a dirty floor and collecting lint, dirt, and dust samples like a forensics team on a deadline.

Today the kids rolled out a long sheet of butcher paper, from one end of the kitchen to the other and began drafting their mural.

I guess murals tell a story. I guess they can be filled with absolutely anything: words, pictures, stickmen, wiggly lines. I guess they are sometimes colorful and sometimes not. I did no research whatsoever on murals and, subsequently, created zero expectations for this project.

This was an awesome activity for our little family. It was fun and sweet and had fewer rules than, say, a game of chess. The freedom in this activity welcomes room for peace, and we LOVE to make room for peace.

What brought you peace this week? Share the peace!

Ok, Ok, I did research murals after the fact and felt blown away by this! Note: Philadelphia is home to over 3,600 murals. Learn more below. Yay, Philadelphia!