​There are many art contests that children can participate in.
However, some of you may be at a loss as to “what to prepare and how to prepare.”
Today, I will introduce a 5-step preparation guide that will help you prepare for a contest in a fun and systematic way! 😊

(The steps below are the methods I often use in my actual classes and personal work.)

1️⃣ Explore the Contest Timeline

First, check the overall schedule and topics.
Look through the contest information page and choose a topic that interests you.
A topic that you like and can express well is better than a topic that is too difficult or uninteresting!

2️⃣ Go to the Contest Page

Read the contest page you have chosen carefully.
Check the topic description, work specifications, submission deadline, and format (e.g. digital, hand-made, etc.) carefully.
If you know the criteria from the beginning, you will not have to worry about making changes in the middle.

3️⃣ Do a Little Research

Be sure to check out previous winning works. It is also very helpful to read the commonalities and judging criteria of past award winners on the official website, posters, YouTube, etc.
You can get a feel for what styles are popular and what messages are conveyed!

4️⃣ Create a Visual Collage

Create a visual collage that concretizes your ideas!
Gather magazines, internet images, color samples, textures, etc. and paste them onto one sheet.
Or you can express it through a drawing.
This process is like a compass that gives you direction. It is the best way to get rid of feeling lost!

5️⃣ Sketch & Reflect

Now, let's start sketching in earnest and think about the meaning of the work.
Organize in advance what materials you will use and what expression techniques you will use.
And if you briefly organize the story or emotion you want to convey in the work,
it will also help with the **Artist Statement**.

 Final Tips!

A contest is not simply a 'competition'.
It is an opportunity to express your thoughts and expand your creativity. If you follow these 5 steps, the contest will feel like a fun journey rather than a scary one!

🍓 Why The Strawberry Contest Is So Much Fun for Kids (and Grown-Ups, Too!)What do you get when you mix a little girl, a lot of strawberries, and a burst of imagination?
A story that's as sweet and surprising as a slice of strawberry shortcake!
The Strawberry Contest isn’t just about baking. It’s about the kind of creativity that only children can bring to life—where food becomes friends, contests are filled with encouragement, and every berry has a story to tell.
Here are some of the most delightful and fun elements from the book that kids especially love:

🍓 1. Living, Laughing StrawberriesEach strawberry in the story has its own personality—some are shy, some are bold, some even shaped like hearts or stars!
Kids love imagining what it would be like if their snacks could talk back, cheer them on, or join in a contest.

🍰2. The Magical Cake That Brings Everyone TogetherAt the heart of the story is Ruby’s strawberry cake.
But this isn’t just any dessert—it’s a symbol of creativity, teamwork, and joy.
Watching Ruby and her berry friends decorate and cheer each other on brings out giggles and warm smiles in every reader.

3. Adorable Dialogue and Cheerful TeamworkInstead of competition with jealousy, this contest is full of kindness.
Strawberries help each other sparkle. They say things like “You can do it!” and “What a beautiful shape you are!”
It's a beautiful way to model positive friendships and supportive play.

4. Drawn by a Real 8-Year-Old ArtistYes, you read that right! Some of the illustrations in The Strawberry Contest were drawn by a real 8-year-old child.
The result? Pure, unfiltered imagination and charm that professional art can’t quite replicate.
Readers (especially kids!) can feel the joy, playfulness, and sincerity on every page.

🌱 5. A Subtle Message About Growth and NatureThrough playful storytelling, the book gently connects children with nature.
Strawberries don’t just sit in a basket—they grow, dream, speak, and shine.
This encourages kids to look at fruits, plants, and even weeds a little differently—with curiosity and care.

🍓 Final ThoughtsThe Strawberry Contest is more than a cute picture book—it’s a joyful celebration of what happens when imagination meets nature, and when kindness wins over comparison.
Whether you're reading it at bedtime, in the classroom, or during a baking day, this book is sure to inspire both laughter and love.

We’re excited to announce the publication of a brand-new children’s picture book, Miro of Tree Park, a heartwarming and imaginative story about nature, friendship, and quiet courage.

In the peaceful forest of Tree Park, a kind oak tree named Miro lives happily—until one day, he is cut down by a worker. A kind man sees this happen and secretly follows the worker, who takes Miro to a pollution factory. Just before Miro is destroyed, the man rescues him and brings him to a magical potion master. With a little magic and care, Miro comes back to life.
But the danger hasn’t passed—many other trees are still at risk. Miro, his wise owl friend Olly, and the kind man work together to rescue the forest and return it to peace. Together, they celebrate their victory under the open sky.

This story gently teaches children about environmental awareness, teamwork, and bravery in the face of challenges—all through beautifully imagined characters and illustrations.

Written and illustrated by 7-year-old Miro Cheng as part of the Children’s Author’s Picture Book Series, this book is a tribute to a child’s voice and creative spirit.

👉 Available now on Amazon

Let’s support young creators and share this inspiring story with readers of all ages!

For the past two years, I’ve spent each summer leading a special project with my child and other young students--a collaborative picture book creation workshop. What began as a small creative experiment has grown into a meaningful and empowering journey for everyone involved.
In this project, children participate in every stage of bookmaking: from brainstorming and storyboarding to sketching, coloring, and even understanding the basics of layout and editing.
The most remarkable part? Their stories don’t just stay in sketchbooks—they are transformed into real books, published and available to readers around the world through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform.
As children develop their stories, they learn how to give form to their ideas and how to visualize narratives in meaningful and artistic ways.
They are not only storytellers, but artists, thinkers, and problem-solvers. Each child becomes the author of their own world, and that realization is powerful.
This is far more than a simple art class—it’s an educational process that nurtures creative expression, critical thinking, project planning, and a sense of achievement.
Through storytelling, children express their thoughts and emotions, connect with others, and learn how to communicate with the world in a sincere and imaginative voice.
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To date, we have completed 10 books, and 9 of them have been officially published on Amazon.
This is not only a creative milestone, but also a reminder that children—when guided with patience and belief—can produce meaningful, tangible results that they’re proud of.

Writing a book is more than just a creative task.
It’s a declaration: "I have something to say."
And completing that process gives children the confidence to see themselves as voices that matter.
This experience has shown me the transformative power of publishing as a tool for growth.

I plan to continue this journey—helping more children discover the joy of storytelling, and the pride of seeing their dreams take the shape of a real book.
Because in the end, it’s not just about making a book.
It’s about giving children a way to find their voice—and share it with the world.

The reason I place equal importance on blogging and publishing books as I do on drawing is simple: to me, all of these are acts of art—each a process of creating something from nothing.

Whether it's a single line drawn on a page or a sentence typed on a screen, I believe that every act of making is infused with the breath of creation.
Much like drawing, writing allows me to pull thoughts and dreams from my imagination and bring them into the tangible world. I take what doesn't exist—what no one has imagined quite like I have—and shape it with my own mind and hands. That process, the pure act of making, is what truly captivates me.

That's why I love all kinds of creative activity born out of imagination--they are like seasonings of creation that bring life to what once was empty. It feels like exploring a new world, or even rediscovering myself in the process.

I’m always imagining, dreaming, and generating new ideas. Even when there is no immediate outcome, that time spent imagining is, in itself, a form of art.
This is exactly why teaching art to children brings me such deep joy.

Children don't censor themselves. They create instinctively, without worrying about outcomes, and they share what they've made freely and generously. Their spontaneous creativity and willingness to share is the purest form of art I know. Being with them always reminds me of why I fell in love with creating in the first place.

In that sense, I deeply resonate with the words of Joseph Beuys, who said, “Every child is an artist.”
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Children are born with their own internal worlds, and they have no hesitation in expressing them. Every time I teach, I see that same fire—the spark of creation—still burning in their eyes.
I want to keep drawing, writing, and imagining with children.
I want to keep planting small seeds of creativity into the world.
Because that is how I live, and that is what being an artist means to me.

​I still vividly remember the emotions I felt when I first wrote my blog, when I published my first book, and when I attended my first exhibition reception.
Those moments were not just events to me, but were thrilling and heart-warming moments, as if a seed that I had nurtured with care for a long time was sprouting.

When I first posted on my blog, it was a careful way to put my thoughts and feelings out into the world. Even with the anxiety that no one might read it, I wrote each line with sincerity. When those words first reached someone, it felt as if my heart had been touched as well.

My memories of when I published my first book are even clearer.

That book was not just a collection of sentences printed on paper, but a small world filled with my time, worries, and passion. Putting that world out into the world required courage and faith, but at the same time, I was filled with excitement and excitement.

And when I attended the reception for my first exhibition. When I first saw my paintings framed and hung on the wall, and people looking at them—I felt an emotion that I can’t express in words.
It wasn’t so much the joy of recognition as the sense of connection with myself and the deep communion I felt sharing my heart with someone through art.

All of these moments had one thing in common: “time built up little by little from nothing.”

As if I were carefully building blocks one by one, I walked my path with a calm and quiet mind.

Even on days when no one applauded, I wanted to be true to myself and be faithful to what I loved.

I believe.
If you do that work silently, steadily, faithfully, and with all your heart, regardless of who is watching--
that effort is never in vain.
That time will bear fruit, and that fruit will embrace you warmly in ways you never expected.

And when you encounter that fruit, you will know for sure.
That all that time from the beginning was love. That it was creation. And that it was me.

If all your efforts were aimed at simple success or quick profits,
even if you achieve what you want, the results will not make you truly happy.
Instead, you will gradually dislike yourself,
and you will begin to have cautious doubts deep in your heart.
Life will become more and more boring,
and you will not even know where you are headed as you keep running forward.
Of course, competition will become more intense,
and it will become more and more difficult to protect yourself in it.
This is because all your efforts were aimed at only the result of success.

Sometimes, I look around and find myself unconsciously becoming competitive.

I feel that way even when I teach children.
In these days when even education has become a place of competition,
even children compare themselves to each other, and parents are burdened with the burden of having to be ahead.

Rather than the joy of learning something,
the pressure to do better has entered children's daily lives.

And this is no different in the world of art. Art should originally be a space filled with comfort, freedom, and joy, but
often even within that space, it is shaken by competition, titles, and the standards of evaluation.

Sometimes I talk to people who only emphasize the name of the school they graduated from,
and do not ask any questions about the painting itself.
To them, art may be a decoration that makes them shine,
or a means of packaging themselves.

But art is not like that.
Art is not for showing, but for feeling.
From a single painting, a single line, or the resonance of a color,
an indescribable emotion blooms,
and through creation, one heals oneself and comes back to life.

That beauty and joy is a world
that only those who have experienced it can know.
For some, a single painting, a single verse of music, or a quiet moment of work
may become the only light that holds on to life.

That is why I hope. May art be not a tool for competition or success for some, but a true comfort, joy, and a source of inexhaustible energy.

Art is already sufficient in itself.
If we can truly connect with it,
we will eventually meet ourselves again in the purest form in art.

​I sincerely hope that we will have more opportunities to experience and understand the world of art in some form.
I hope that an era will come when everyone can feel the joy of creation and naturally share the power of creation in their lives.
And I feel that such an era has already arrived.
Technological advancements, the diversification of creative tools, and above all, people’s interest
are now making creation a daily sensation rather than a special talent.

I enjoy participating in art competitions with my students, including myself.
Some people may find this ironic.
You may ask, ‘Why do you participate in competitions if you don’t like competition?’
But for me and our students, this experience is not simply about competition.

Of course, our children often receive awards.

But they also experience failure just as often.
As all these experiences accumulate,
Students gradually become less obsessed with success or failure,
and gain the strength to enjoy the act of drawing itself and raise their level one step at a time.

Participating in competitions is not simply about the results. In the process, we receive new stimulation by looking at other people's work,
and become humble by objectively reflecting on our own positions,
and above all, we gain an opportunity to connect with more diverse topics and a wider world.
And a very important change occurs.

At first, the competitive field that was tense and burdensome,
but at some point, it no longer feels like competition.

It becomes a space for me to test myself,
a training space to go a little further than who I am now,
a living stage for growth.

I believe this is really important.
Now that the whole world is in the midst of overheated competition,
if our children can learn how to stay centered without being shaken through this experience,
quietly build up their skills, and grow both inside and out,
it will certainly be the most powerful asset for them to live their entire lives.

The sight of children growing while drawing
is like being in a mock test field where they practice reality in advance. Just like real life, there are moments of joy, trembling, and sometimes falling apart,
but in those moments, we learn how to get back up and how to move forward.
Through this process, children become stronger little by little,
and above all, they learn how not to lose their true selves.

Once, when my son was in high school,
he came home from school and said this.
“The teacher said that competition is bad… He said that we should share instead of competing.”

I nodded and thought that was really true.

But what my son added resonated deeply in my heart.

“But… flowers also compete fiercely to attract bees and butterflies.

But to our eyes, they just look beautiful.”

I truly sympathized with those words.

Those words were not just a metaphor,
but a profound truth that any adult who has lived can understand.

The world is fierce.
We all live in competition, whether we want it or not. But even within that,
it is important not to lose yourself and to grow in your own way.

And I think that is the role that art should play in life.

Art is an inner language that keeps us warm even in the midst of fierce reality,
and sometimes an invisible compass that keeps us centered so that we do not waver.
And we are relearning that language of art every day.

​America's Field Trip is a nationwide student competition hosted by America250 that commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and gives students the opportunity to express their thoughts on the topic, "What is America?" through artwork or essays.

​Participating in contests like this isn’t only about making beautiful art—it’s an opportunity for intellectual growth, emotional expression, and civic engagement. Here's what students gain from this experience:

This contest is a rich opportunity for students—not just those interested in art, but anyone who wants to think deeply, create boldly, and reflect meaningfully on their identity and values.
Art becomes more than decoration. It becomes a voice. And that voice matters.

When preparing students for high-level art contests or creativity-based competitions, it’s important to understand that success goes far beyond just being able to draw well. These competitions require students to think deeply, express unique perspectives, and translate abstract ideas into visual language. To help students succeed, educators must offer multiple pathways for brainstorming and encourage an environment that supports free thinking, experimentation, and exploration.

The first step is to introduce quality examples and references. Visual inspiration through samples—whether past contest winners or master artists—can spark imagination and guide students to think critically about composition, theme, symbolism, and color. These examples are not for imitation but serve as visual prompts that broaden students’ perspective and inspire their own creative responses.

Next, it’s essential to create a safe and supportive space for discussion. Many students hesitate to share their thoughts out loud, fearing they might be "wrong" or "not creative enough." A teacher's role here is to listen attentively, validate ideas, and guide students to explore further with thoughtful, open-ended questions. Encouraging students to freely express their opinions leads to rich brainstorming sessions where ideas are layered and evolved collaboratively.
Once ideas have surfaced, the educator helps students organize and deepen their concepts. This might involve providing reference images, guiding symbols, or creative prompts that support conceptual development. These tools function like pieces of a collage—visual elements that students can combine and transform into a final piece that’s truly their own.

Equally important is expanding the range of materials and techniques available to students. Moving beyond traditional sketching and painting, students are encouraged to explore collage, air-dry clay, cellulose-based paper, washi tape, recycled materials, and other engaging formats. Introducing new textures and forms boosts curiosity and leads to unexpected, creative solutions.

In this process, the emphasis is not just on producing a final artwork, but on the act of exploration itself. Students learn to visualize their ideas, respond to materials, and craft their own visual narratives. Brainstorming, remixing, and layering ideas allows them to build a visual language that is both personal and meaningful.
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Ultimately, this approach nurtures not only artistic skill, but also critical thinking, emotional expression, problem-solving, and storytelling. It transforms contest preparation into a deeply rewarding educational experience that empowers students to see art not just as a task, but as a tool for discovery and identity.