Check out these artworks ready to be returned to their creators, each with inspiring story behind it. We're celebrating the artists' creativity by reuniting them with their childhood art. Visit Crayola Campaign for Creativity
"In this picture I am (when I get older) thinking back on when I was young playing baseball, and soccer. When I get old I will always have these great memories."
Beauty Makes a Difference, 1997 Amanda — Destrehan, LA Age 8
"Beauty is a piece of love. Genie’s cast evil and good spells. The spell the genie is doing is very good. The gift of beauty goes upon the girl. She is now so beautiful because of her kindness and love."
Flying With Birds In My Hair, 1998 Barbara — Royal Palm Beach, FL Age 10 / Grade 5
"To wake up flying with birds in my hair."
The Proud Tiger, 2002 Langley — Oak Ridge, TN Age 9 / Grade 3 - Linden Elementary
"My tiger represents courage and pride. His stripes are a symbol of his never-ending courage. His roar stands for the pride he feels for himself."
Dragons, 1995 Zachary — Philipsburg, NJ, ST Age 6 / Grade K - Lopatcong Elementary School
"My dragon and my knight became friends."
Rainbow Land, 1991 Jennifer — Alpha, NJ Age 6 / Grade 1 - Alpha Public School
"My dream is that my stuffed dog grows large."
Hopes and Fears, 1993 William — Orlando, FL Age 10 / Grade 4 - Rolling Hills
"I want to be a cartoonist or a political cartoonist."
My Cultures - A Self Portrait, 1997 Kenna — Coplay, PA Age 12 / Grade 6 - Christ The King School
"I'm a competitive swimmer born in Korea and adopted as a baby by my American parents. Both cultures and my love of swimming make me who I am."
Space Flight, 2003 Angelica — Medford, OR Age 10 / Grade 5 - Grace Christian School
"Swirling through space we reach for the stars."
Lonely Robin Madison — Irvine, CA Age 9 / Grade 4 - Tarbut V. Torah Elementary
"The robin wants to share the beautiful sunset with a girl bird of a different breed."
The Mysterious Castle, 1997 Krystal — Allentown, PA Age 9 / Grade 4 - Hiram W. Dodd Elementary
"The knight is the guard. The princess wants to marry him but he’s just a statue. The unicorn belongs to the princess. His name is Rosie. Rosie is going to put the rose on top of the knight’s head to make him come to life. The princess will be happy and give the unicorn a big hug."
"One day I had a dream of going deep into the forest. I saw a tiger and got on his back. He took me deeper and deeper into the forest. We had a great time with the birds and the animals. I didn’t want the dream to end."
Proud Happy Animals, 1991 Selena — Muncie, IN Age 10 / Grade 5 - Sutton Elementary
"To let animals roam freely. May they march proudly in the streets. I wonder how the world would be if animals could make the laws and run our country."
Cheeks, 1997 Kevin — Jenks, OK Grade 4 - Jenks West Elementary
"This is a picture of my bird named Cheeks. We named him that because of his orange cheeks."
Friends Forever, c. 1990 Debora — Roundup, MT Age 8 / Grade 3 - Flatwillow School
"One day I will have a lawn full of puppies."
The Happy Clown, c. 1999 Caleb — Little Rock, AK Age 5 / Grade K
Life in the Jungle, 1996 Kailey — Orchard Park, NY Age 8 / Grade 3 - Ellicott Elementary School
The Snail Race, 1997 Christian — Rockford, IL Age 5 / Grade K - Keith Country Day School
"The snails are having a race and whoever wins will become a new color"
Untitled, c. 1990 Brett — Royersford, PA Age 9 / Grade 3 - Royersford Elementary School
"There are a lot of things I want to do when I grow up. I will always reach for the stars just like the ones on my shirt."
Rainbow Lake, 1995 Kristen — Solon, OH Age 9 / Grade 3 - Lewis Elementary School
"My drawing shows a person painting a rainbow with the fish helping him. It means that animals are important too. They can be very helpful."
My Teacher, c. 1990 Yajaira — Newark, NJ Age 5 / Grade K - Wilson Avenue School
Flying to Cat Land, 1989 Margaret — Lawrencville, NJ Age 6 / Grade 1 - Slackwood School
"My Dream is that I wish I had 4 cats that were magic so I could fly on them to cat land."
Jungle Boogie, c. 2005 Samia — Warwick, RI Age 6 / Grade 1 - Park Elementary School
"The animals are all having a party and they’re doing line dances. They're having fun."
My Place in Time, 1991 Marlene — Shickshinny, PA Age 8 - Garrison Elementary
"In the future, the people have three eyes and all cars have trees painted on the tires. The people are green and they have yellow eyes."
The Tightrope, 1997 Jason — Portland, OR Age 11 / Grade 6 - Ventura Park Elementary
"I would love to be on a tightrope looking down at the crowd wondering if they think I will fall, knowing that I won't."
Nicole Kidman, c. 2000 Rachel — Temple, TX Age 11 / Grade 5 - Kennedy Powell Elementary
"My dream is to be successful in many areas. I love art but I also like music and acting. Nicole Kidman is talented in many areas."
Crockman of Steel, c. 1995 Pedro — Dallas, TX Age 11 / Grade 5 - Gilbert Cuellar Elementary
Up Close, c. 1998 Sarah — Dallas, TX Age 8 / Grade 3 - Episcopal School of Dallas
"This is a picture of my two favorite birds that live in the jungle. I wish I could see them up close, and that is why I drew them."
Martha, The Famous Clown, c. 1999 Bianca — Dallas, TX Age 10 / Grade 4 - Cuellar Elementary School
Copy Cat, c. 1989 Nyssa — Milwaukee, WI Age 8 / Grade 3 - Milwaukee German
"This is a picture of my cat, Copycat. She sleeps with me every night. She follows me everywhere I go..."
Skip to Shore, 1997 Adam — Milwaukee, WI Age 11 / Grade 5 - Maple Dale School
"Dream what you or anybody else wants to dream and let there be peace in all of the land."
My City Underwater, 1993 Brittney — Milwaukee, WI Age 8 / Grade 3 - Indian Hill School
"My dream is to be able to live underwater and to be able to see the fish deep in the ocean. I would like to see what it would be like to live underwater."
My Family Gallery, c. 2001 Tommy — Sanford, FL Age 7 / Grade 2 - Bentley Elementary School
"I wanted to show how much fun my family is."
Me and My Famous Works of Art, c. 2002 Emily — Sanford, FL Age 10 / Grade 4 - Bentley Elementary School
"I hope one day to be in an art gallery or in a famous museum."
SSSSSSSNAKES, c. 1989 Marianne — Philadelphia, PA Age 10 / Grade 4 - McKinley Elementary
"SSSSSOON YOU WILL COME TO ME. YOU WILL SSSSOOOON SSSSEEEE ME. YOU WILL SSSEEEE DOTSSSSS ALL AROUND ME. YOU WILL SEEEEE SQUARESSSSS AROUND ME. YOU WILL SSSSEEEE ME."
A Nice Quiet Evening, 1997 Meredith — Omaha, NE Age 9 / Grade 4 - Swanson Elementary School
"I think more people like me need a quiet day in the park after a long day."
Me and My Monsters, c. 1999 Meredith — Redlands, CA Age 7 / Grade 2 - Kimberly Elementary
"My monsters are always hiding in my closet... I say “stop” and they all go back."
Where The Green Grass Grows, c. 1991 John — Wauwatosa, WI Age 11 / Grade 5 - Christ King School
"We are all part of the world and the world is part of us."
Jade The Bird Ate Two Dozen Shrimp, c. 1996 Dasha — Oak Ridge, TN Age 9 / Grade 3 - Linden Elementary
"To never die, to never die is my dream. Jade will never, ever die..."
Draw Your Wings Back and Fly, c. 1998 Mason — Oak Ridge, TN Age 9 / Grade 4 - Linden Elementary
"We must all learn to care for and protect our environment. Draw your wings back and let your character fly."
Spanish Flute, c. 1998 Briana — Oak Ridge, TN Age 8 / Grade 3 - Willow Brook ELementary
"Keep your eye on jazz."
It's My Birthday!, 2003 Robert — Honolulu, HI Age 7 / Grade 2 - Manoa Elementary
"My mom gives me a special cake every year. I wish I had a birthday everyday with a rainbow cake and candles. It would be so exciting. I’d feel like dying."
Girl in Sunday Hat, c. 1996 Sarah — Oak Ridge, TN Age 10 / Grade 4 - Willow Brook Elementary
"I'm always happy when I can wear my Sunday hat."
A Family of Snakes, c. 1999 Sarah — Oak Ridge, TN Age 8 / Grade 3 - Linden Elementary
"I wish every family in the world would be like a family of snakes that love each other. Being a family means forever love and care and respect."
Gear Bike, 2003 Tripp — Kinston, NC Age 9 / Grade 4 - Arendell Parrott Academy
"I wish I had a bike with 10 gears so that I could ride farther and faster than all my friends."
Look I'm Picasso, c. 1997 Emily — Knob Noster, MO Age 9 / Grade 3 - Knob Noster Elementary
The Starry Night, c. 1990 Christopher — Knob Noster, MO Age 6 / Grade K - Knob Noster Elementary
"I was outside looking at the moon with my twin sister, Caroline. I asked her why the moon was so shiny."
One of my Best Friends, c. 1990 Mica — Knob Noster, MO Knob Noster Elementary
"This is my friend in her colorful room."
Horse, 1993 Maegan — Knob Noster, MO Age 5 / Grade K - Knob Noster Elementary
"His name is cookie. He lives at my house. I get on him and he doesn't make me fall off. He can take me home or in any place I want to go."
Picasso Portrait, c. 1999 Brandy — Knob Noster, MO Age 10 / Grade 4 - Knob Noster Elementary
"Picasso can inspire children like me to create artwork that is unusual. Without artists like Picasso our world would not be nearly as interesting."
Yes Ma'am, c. 1998 Matthew — Rockford, IL Age 10 / Grade 5 - Keith Country Day School
"This is the lady down the street. I try to always show her respect."
Untitled, c. 1993 Harry — Miami, FL Age 12 / Grade 6 - Charles R. Drew Elementary School
"This is a surrealist portrait of the future. The futuristic people can live in the outer space city because they have adapted to the pressure."
Hold Still, I am Trying to Count Your Spots, 1999 Zoe — Rockford, IL Keith Country Day School
"My Iguana has a lot of spots"
My Dream Horse, 1993 Heather — Maple Park, IL Age 9 / Grade 3 - Kaneland Elementary School
"This is me when I grow up. I am going to have a horse like this one. I will name my horse Cinnamon. Cinnamon and I live on a farm."
A Walk Around the Block, c. 1999 L. Michelle — Omaha, NE Age 9 / Grade 3 - Kinterland Elementary School
"One sunny day mommy, my sister, and I talked and we walked around the block."
Camel, c. 2000 Scotty — Oak Ridge, TN Age 9 / Grade 3 - Willow Brook Elementary
"If I were a camel I would live in the cool forest where there was plenty of water instead of in the hot desert."
Peacocks, c. 2001 Savanaha — Oak Ridge, TN Age 7 / Grade 2 - Willow Brook Elementary
"I would like to be a peacock and always be dressed as brightly as the flowers."
Friendly Fire Face, c. 1999 Tanner — Oak Ridge, TN Age 8 / Grade 2 - Linden Elementary
"I was just experimenting with color and I had to make both sides match... This face makes me happy that I created it."
Joker Hat, c. 1996 Tambra — Oak Ridge, TN Age 10 / Grade 4 - Willow Brook Elementary
"I would like to joke around and make people laugh with my funny joker hat."
The Lucky Duck, 1997 Jake — Omaha, NE Age 11 - Bancroft Elementary
"When I drew the picture of the duck on the log, I was thinking of a duck that had lost his family and he stumbled on a forest filled with trees, hills and water that flows through paradise."
Wild Wilderness, c. 2001 Jaeda — Omaha, NE Age 10 / Grade 5 - Grace Abbott Elementary
Untitled, c. 1989 Logan — Anchorage, AK Age 9 / Grade 2 - Abbott Loop Elementary
"To draw kids having fun!"
Colorful Life Underwater, c. 2000 Kaylee — Omaha, NE Age 11 / Grade 5 - Grace Abbott Elementary
"My drawing is called 'Colorful Life Underwater' because it shows lots of living and non-living things underwater. I also called it this because of the colors in this picture."
The Friendly Dragon, 1997 Paul — Victoria, BC Age 11 / Grade 6 - Saint Michaels University School
"This rare species is found in the trauma land, and eats tofu and veggie burgers. Its job is to give away samples of dish washing detergent."
Friendly Bugs, c. 1999 Katie — Tulsa, OK Triangle School of Art
"These are the friendliest bugs. They wave at everyone and they want to crawl in your pocket."
The Cat, 1997 Kye — Roberts, WI Age 9 / Grade 4 - St. Croix Elementary School
"This is a cat that likes the Green Bay Packers football team. He is angry because his friends think he stole something and he didn't."
Merrel #2, c. 1988 Chris — Stowe, VT Age 11 / Grade 5 - Stowe Elementary
"The name of it is Merrel II. It works by jet powered engine and helicopter. It can go at 1,000 miles per hour since it has plungers on the bottom it can walk up walls."
Tiffany the Skater, 1997 Tiffany — Winfield, KS Age 10 / Grade 4 - Whittier Elementary School
A Dream House, 1989 Igra — Union City, CA Age 7 / Grade 2 - Delaine Eastin Elementary
"I see a big big house in the clouds, and it has beautiful roses and sunflowers planted in its gardens. This pretty house is like no other. It has so many windows that the sunlight shines in every morning. Did you know that it is the biggest house in the world? Our school is the size of this mansion. People from all of the countries would like this house because it even has a rainbow. My friend Chris says 'I believe that this colorful house looks like a fairy tale palace'. Everyone in my family should live in this mansion in the clouds. What a dream house!"
First Smile, 2003 Sara — Warrensburg, MO Age 8 / Grade 2 - Ridge View Elementary
"My dream was about my little sister's first smile when she was about one week old. I was seven years old then. Her face looked different than compared to now."
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An Old Me, 1997 Justin — Ravenna, OH Age 11
Now an adult, who's not balding like his artwork predicted, Justin has married the woman who grew up four houses down. Together, they have two kids: an 8-year-old son and a 5-year-old daughter. Justin owns his own dentist practice where he uses his creativity to craft beautiful smiles.
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Beauty Makes a Difference, 1997 Amanda — Destrehan, LA Age 8
Amanda, who grew up bonding with her father through various creative pursuits, now aspires to be a similar creative role model to her two sons and newborn daughter. As an OBGYN, she sees a strong theme of female empowerment both in her career and in her painting as a child. Amanda prioritizes creative time, whether painting for herself or engaging her sons in creative moments.
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Flying With Birds In My Hair, 1998 Barbara — Royal Palm Beach, FL Age 10 / Grade 5
At 10 years old, Barbara’s dream was "to wake up flying with birds in my hair." The piece means more to Barbara today than when she created it because it shows her bond with her late mother, whose love for birds inspired the concept. Today, Barbara’s kitchen is a canvas for her creativity. She recalls how her love for cooking blossomed in her childhood through shared experiences with her mother. Now, she delights in sharing this with her two sons. She views each dish she creates as a tangible act of love.
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The Proud Tiger, 2002 Langley — Oak Ridge, TN Age 9 / Grade 3 - Linden Elementary
As a child, Langley switched schools an astounding 10 times. One of those schools was in Oak Ridge, TN, where he wrote at only 9 years old, "My tiger represents courage and pride. His stripes are a symbol of his never-ending courage. His roar stands for the pride he feels for himself." Langley went on to exemplify that courage himself by joining the Navy. Langley has since become a Marketing Project Manager at a tech company, where he feels he has more of a creative outlet. He continues to use creativity in weekly trivia pursuits, gardening and beekeeping. He resides in San Diego, California with his wife Laura, a middle school science teacher, and his beautiful daughter, Birdie, who is almost two years old.
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Dragons, 1995 Zachary — Philipsburg, NJ, ST Age 6 / Grade K - Lopatcong Elementary School
At the age of 6, Zachary paired his drawing with the phrase, "My dragon and my knight became friends." Today, he finds himself drawn to the castle in the background, a testament to his lifelong fascination with architecture. As a child, he busied himself constructing intricate cardboard cities, sketching floor plans with crayons, and mastering design software by 8th grade. Nowadays, he channels his passion into his career as a real estate developer, all while enjoying flipping houses as a side hobby.
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Rainbow Land, 1991 Jennifer — Alpha, NJ Age 6 / Grade 1 - Alpha Public School
When Jennifer was 6 years old, she wrote, "My dream is that my stuffed dog grow large." Regrettably, her stuffed dog did not undergo any growth spurts, but she did go on to nurture creativity in six-year-olds, much like her dog-dreaming self. Today, she is a kindergarten teacher, alongside her role as a devoted mother to three children, ages 2, 5, and 7.
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Hopes and Fears, 1993 William — Orlando, FL Age 10 / Grade 4 - Rolling Hills
At only 10 years old, William had decided he wanted "to be a cartoonist or a political cartoonist." Now, William works as a lawyer and even owns his own practice. He reflected on his past, noting that creativity and art have always been a safe haven for him, getting him through rough points in childhood and adulthood. Today, William still draws for himself, but he also makes it a point to encourage his two children’s creative endeavors. He even encouraged his son’s most recent pursuit—the drums, a testament to William’s parenting patience.
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My Cultures - A Self Portrait, 1997 Kenna — Coplay, PA Age 12 / Grade 6 - Christ The King School
Kenna created her portrait with her mother Janet, who doubled as her elementary art teacher, when she was 12 years old. Kenna grew up to swim D1 in college, where she studied law. She now works as a lawyer, but is also the co-owner of a gas station, three auto body shops, and a convenience store. She uses her creativity to crochet and plan fun travel adventures in her free time.
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Space Flight, 2003 Angelica — Medford, OR Age 10 / Grade 5 - Grace Christian School
Angelica graduated from high school with a diploma in the arts, participating in drama and choir for all four years. She went on to pursue a career in nursing and now works as a licensed practical nurse (LPN). Despite her busy career, she keeps her creative spirit alive by doing experiments with her son, creating custom cakes for her family and friends, and writing her first fantasy novel. We hope you keep reaching for the stars, Angelica!
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Lonely Robin Madison — Irvine, CA Age 9 / Grade 4 - Tarbut V. Torah Elementary
Madison's career journey lead her to utilize her creativity as the manager of an original documentary series at one of the world’s largest streaming services. Alongside her professional success, she is embarking on a new chapter of her life — parenthood — with her newborn baby boy.
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The Mysterious Castle, 1997 Krystal — Allentown, PA Age 9 / Grade 4 - Hiram W. Dodd Elementary
Given her imaginative story, it's no surprise that Krystal pursued creative ventures. She became a caricature artist, launched her own hair accessory line inspired by her daughter, and, most recently, opened a photography studio. She attributes her creative journey to her art teacher, Cindy, who served as her inspirational role model and mentor.
Chantel's days as a library director are a whirlwind of activities. She not only manages the library's social media and marketing but also spearheads the children's creative programming. She has two children, a 15-year-old and an 11-year-old daughter. When we connected with Chantel, she told us that her eldest daughter has found a passion in photography, so Chantel is nurturing that creative spark and learning with her. She is teaching her daughters to find joy in the process and embrace the fact that in creativity, "mistakes can be beautiful."
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Proud Happy Animals, 1991 Selena — Muncie, IN Age 10 / Grade 5 - Sutton Elementary
At age 10, Selena’s dream was "to let animals roam freely. May they march proudly in the streets. I wonder how the world would be if animals could make the laws and run our country." Now a mother of four boys, Selena channels her creativity into their sporting events, organizing team dinners, and excelling in her profession as a marketing product manager. She creates creative moments with her boys by spending time with them on school projects, as well as passion projects, like decorating their sports lockers.
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The Happy Clown, c. 1999 Caleb — Little Rock, AK Age 5 / Grade K
When Caleb was 5 years old, he was asked to draw what he wanted to be when he grew up. He drew a doctor that looked like a clown. His mom, Angie, said that from the time Caleb could walk, he was pushing his medical cart around the house, pretending to be a doctor. Unbeknownst to Caleb, his mother reached out to Crayola to surprise him with his art for his white coat ceremony. Caleb said, "it was probably one of the most special gifts I have ever received."
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Life in the Jungle, 1996 Kailey — Orchard Park, NY Age 8 / Grade 3 - Ellicott Elementary School
Before becoming a mother, Kailey worked as a mental health clinician, offering therapy to unaccompanied migrant children. In her role, she employs creativity by involving her clients, many of whom do not speak English, in drawing or crafts. This approach helps them feel at ease and provides opportunities for practicing English communication skills. At home, Kailey's 2-year-old son is a constant source of creative fuel. Whether drawing in the driveway with chalk or transforming a simple box into a vehicle, Kailey is driven by the importance of providing resources that develop her son's imagination.
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The Snail Race, 1997 Christian — Rockford, IL Age 5 / Grade K - Keith Country Day School
Although Christian's art may look similar to those hanging in high end galleries, Christian at the early age of 5 had a very specific inspiration behind his art: "The snails are having a race and whoever wins will become a new color." Today, Christian likes to spend his time camping and hiking with his dog. We like to think he spends a portion of this outdoor time conducting snail races, but this has yet to be confirmed.
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Untitled, 1990 Brett — Royersford, PA Age 9 / Grade 3 - Royersford Elementary School
When Brett was 9 years old, he drew himself in a starry, snazzy sweater and wrote, "There are a lot of things I want to do when I grow up. I will always reach for the stars just like the ones on my shirt." With the help of social media, we reconnected with Brett and his mother. Despite many obstacles, Brett used creativity as an outlet. He channels that creativity into his career as a house painter, bringing color and life to homes just like he once imagined doing in his artowrk.
