Artist's Story 3-4 years old Reading 5 min.

Brushes of Joy in Mr Oliver's Garden

Mr. Oliver, a kind artist, shares his love for painting with two children, Emily and Jack, teaching them about colors and the joy of creating art together in his beautiful garden.

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An elderly man, Mr. Oliver, with a large white mustache and round glasses, is sitting on a wooden chair in his garden. He has a warm smile and sparkling eyes, holding a brush in one hand and a palette of bright colors in the other, painting a picture of colorful flowers. Next to him, a 7-year-old girl, Emily, with long brown hair and a yellow polka dot dress, is painting a large smiling sun on a canvas. She looks enthusiastic, her eyes shining with creativity, leaning in concentration on her work. Nearby, an 8-year-old boy, Jack, with messy blonde hair and a blue t-shirt, paints a green tree with red apples. He proudly shows his painting to Mr. Oliver, who encourages him with an admiring look. The garden is filled with vibrant flowers of all colors, with butterflies fluttering around and a clear blue sky in the background. Majestic trees line the garden, creating a peaceful and joyful atmosphere. The main scene shows Mr. Oliver and the two children creating together, sharing laughter and joy, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the magic of art.

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Designed for 3–4 years: a simple, reassuring story suitable for preschool children.

The Artist's Garden

Mr. Oliver was an old man with a big smile and a kind heart. He lived in a cozy house with a garden full of colorful flowers. Every day, he sat in his garden and painted pictures. Mr. Oliver was an artist who loved to paint.

One sunny morning, two children named Emily and Jack walked by Mr. Oliver's garden. They saw him painting and stopped to watch.

"Hello, Mr. Oliver!" called Emily.

"Hello, little artists!" replied Mr. Oliver with a chuckle. "Would you like to see my paintings?"

Emily and Jack nodded excitedly. They loved colors and pictures.

Mr. Oliver showed them his paintings. There were pictures of big, bright flowers, tall green trees, and even the blue sky with fluffy clouds.

"Oh, wow!" said Jack. "These are so pretty!"

Mr. Oliver smiled. "Thank you, Jack. Painting makes me very happy. Do you like to paint?"

Emily clapped her hands. "Yes! I love to paint with my fingers!"

Mr. Oliver laughed softly. "Finger painting is fun! You can feel the colors, can't you?"

"Yes!" said Emily, her eyes wide with excitement.

The Magic of Colors

Mr. Oliver picked up a brush and dipped it in the yellow paint. "Look at this," he said. "Yellow is like the sun. It makes everything bright and warm."

Emily giggled. "And blue is like the sky!"

"That's right, Emily," said Mr. Oliver. "Blue is calm and cool, just like the sky and the sea."

Jack pointed to a red flower. "What about red, Mr. Oliver?"

"Red is bold and strong," said Mr. Oliver. "It can be like a happy heart or a juicy apple."

The children laughed. They loved how Mr. Oliver talked about colors.

"Do you know," said Mr. Oliver, "you can mix colors to make new ones?"

"Really?" asked Jack, his eyes wide.

"Yes," said Mr. Oliver. "When you mix blue and yellow, you get green, like the grass."

Emily clapped her hands. "And red and yellow make orange!"

Mr. Oliver nodded. "Very good, Emily! Orange is like a bright sunset."

Creating Together

Mr. Oliver handed the children some brushes and paper. "Would you like to paint with me?"

"Yes, please!" shouted Emily and Jack together.

They dipped their brushes in the paint and started to create. Emily painted a big, yellow sun with a smiling face. Jack painted a tall, green tree with red apples.

"You are both wonderful artists," said Mr. Oliver. "Art is about sharing how you feel and what you see."

Jack looked at Mr. Oliver. "Why do you paint, Mr. Oliver?"

Mr. Oliver thought for a moment. "I paint because it makes me happy. It's like telling a story without words."

Emily smiled. "I like stories!"

Mr. Oliver nodded. "And art is also about making others happy. When people see my paintings, I hope they feel joy."

The children finished their paintings and showed them to Mr. Oliver.

"These are beautiful!" he said. "You have great imaginations."

Emily and Jack beamed with pride.

"Remember," said Mr. Oliver, "art is everywhere. In the colors you see and the shapes you make. Keep painting and have fun!"

The children waved goodbye to Mr. Oliver and ran home, excited to paint more pictures.

As Mr. Oliver watched them go, he felt happy. Sharing his love for art with Emily and Jack made his heart feel light and full of joy.

And so, in his little garden with the bright flowers and tall trees, Mr. Oliver continued to paint, knowing that art would always bring smiles and happiness to those who stopped to see.

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The quiz: did you understand the story well?

Artist: A person who creates art, like paintings or drawings.
Colorful: Full of colors; having many different colors.
Excited: Feeling very happy and enthusiastic.
Imagination: The ability to create ideas or pictures in your mind.
Bold: Strong and vivid; easy to notice.
Create: To make something new.
Joy: A feeling of great happiness.

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Themes related to this story:

kindness share joy imagination garden home creativity happiness cheerful flower tree color art smile paint sun artist

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To read next in Stories of Artists for 3-4 years old

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Brushes of Joy in Mr Oliver's Garden

The Artist's Garden

The Magic of Colors

Creating Together

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