14.4 Mindful Creative Art Activity Visualization: Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles

Activity: Imagine and Draw Your Special Place

In this mindful creative art activity, kids will practice using their imaginations to travel to a "special place" in their minds, that is an actual real place!

Today's visualization is: Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles.

First, we’ll start with our Heart Circle breathing practice—a simple, soothing technique to help everyone feel relaxed and centered.

Next, kids will close their eyes and listen to a guided visualization, where they'll explore a real place in their imagination.

Afterward, they'll get to draw the place they pictured in their minds, capturing all the details they saw, heard, and felt. This activity encourages creativity, mindfulness, and the joy of bringing inner worlds to life through art!

At the end, it's great to show  kids a picture of the real place so that they can then compare it to their imagination!


Intro/Outro music by Jef Shadoan

Transcript

Griffith Park Observatory

**Hello there! Welcome to Big Belly Breathing!**

My name is Vanessa Hutchinson-Szekely, and I’m excited to share a fun drawing activity with you today! We’ll take a quick moment to settle in and breathe, and then I’ll describe a magical place for you to draw. Then, when you’re done listening, it’s your turn to use your pencil or art materials to draw what you imagined in your mind. Are you ready? Let’s get started!

To begin, find a cozy spot in your classroom or at your desk where you can relax. Maybe you want to sit up straight or lean back comfortably. Close your eyes and take a deep breath in through your nose, filling your belly like a balloon. Now breathe out through your mouth, letting any worries float away like fluffy clouds. Let’s practice our Heart Circle Breathing: Place your hands gently on your heart. As you inhale deeply, move your hands in a circle, and then reverse the circle as you exhale. Let’s do this together a few times, feeling calm and ready for adventure.

**Activity:**

Now that you’re feeling relaxed, I want you to picture Griffith Park Observatory in your mind. This is a very special place in Los Angeles, California, where you can look at stars and learn about space. Let’s imagine it together!

First, visualize the observatory itself. It’s a big, beautiful building that looks like a white castle sitting high on a hill. The roof is shiny green and shaped like a dome, just like the top of a giant ice cream cone! Surrounding the observatory are tall trees and bright flowers in every color you can imagine—red, yellow, blue, and purple!

Now, imagine the path leading up to the observatory. It’s a winding trail made of smooth stones, and you can hear the crunch of leaves beneath your feet as you walk. Along the path, you might see little butterflies fluttering around and listen to birds chirping sweetly in the trees.

As you get closer, you see the grand entrance of the observatory with large doors inviting you inside. Inside, there are fascinating exhibits about space, with shiny models of rockets and glowing stars hanging from the ceiling. Picture a giant planetarium where you can sit back and watch shows about the stars twinkling in the night sky.

Now, let’s step outside to the observation deck! Take a big breath in, feeling the fresh air fill your lungs. The sky is bright blue, and fluffy white clouds are drifting by. You can see the city of Los Angeles below you, with tiny cars and buildings that look like little toys. 

As you look around, imagine the sounds of the day: children laughing, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, and the soft buzz of bees visiting the flowers. You can feel the warmth of the sun on your skin, and everything feels alive and exciting!

And guess what? From here, you can even see the famous Hollywood Sign in the distance, perched on the hillside! It’s big and bold, saying “HOLLYWOOD” in giant white letters, a symbol of the magic of movies and dreams.

Now here’s where you can add your special touch! Imagine that as you look up at the sky, you can see the sun shining brightly, surrounded by playful clouds. Picture how the light reflects off the observatory's dome, making it sparkle like a jewel.

Once you’ve captured all these wonderful details in your mind, it's time to grab your drawing materials! For the next 15-20 minutes, draw what you imagined at Griffith Park Observatory. Remember to include the big white building with its green dome, the winding path, the colorful flowers, the busy city below, and of course, the Hollywood Sign in the distance. Don’t forget to add the bright blue sky with fluffy clouds and the joyful atmosphere around you!

When you’re finished, you can look up real pictures of Griffith Park Observatory and compare it to your drawing. How did your imagination compare to the real thing?

Thank you for joining me on this creative adventure! Enjoy your time creating, and remember to breathe and have fun!

And, if you want to send me your drawing- I’d love to see it!

Take BIG Care, see you soon, and remember the BBB motto:

Breathe Move Eat Rest

Respirer Bouger Manger Se Reposer

Thank you! Bye! Ciao!