Mister Rogers plays with a dump truck. He fills it with blocks then dumps them. He builds and proclaims the benefits of practice. Mr. McFeely arrives with a portrait of Mrs. McFeely. Mr. McFeely and Mister Rogers visit Bob Trow, who is working on a portrait of Mr. McFeely. Bob Trow describes the process of portraiture and praises practice. Back home, Mister Rogers advocates art, then does some fingerpainting. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Robert Troll is painting a portrait of King Friday holding his bird Mimus Polyglottos. Lady Aberlin compliments Robert Troll and the king asks him to do another as he holds his other bird. The king suggests that everyone in the neighborhood copy the painting. Robert Troll and Lady A. retort that copying a painting is not art; real art comes from inside. King Friday orders everybody to do a painting of him. Lady A. spreads the word and reports that the others will try. Robert Troll says it is the trying which counts. The King can’t get enough and wants more.
Mister Rogers shows a “Neighborhood” flip book followed by paintings by Picasso. Later he visits Brockett’s Bakery to watch a group of Spanish musicians. Mister Rogers is inspired to make a homemade rain stick. Lady Aberlin is painting King Friday XIII’s portrait in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe. X the Owl and Henrietta have made a flip book featuring a dancing King Friday. Lady Elaine gives a painting by Picasso as her portrait of King Friday.
Mister Rogers shows a toy airplane made out of wood, and makes one out of wood blocks. He reads a book about airplane travel and explains the ins and outs of airports. He recalls seeing a pilot performing skywriting. The pilot explains skywriting, gives a demonstration, and recounts her early interest in flight. Mister Rogers recommends playing about things before doing them. Mister Rogers talks about the importance of imagination and the many types of artistic expression, and many ways to show somebody that you love them. He says that loving is the most important part of being alive. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Handyman Negri is doing a musical portrait of King Friday. The king is nonplussed at first but Handyman demonstrates. He explains the musical notation. Mayor Maggie and Chuck Aber arrive with an artistic offering. Chuck is wearing a pilot suit. The King retrieves his bass and accompanies Handyman on his musical portrait. Maggie and Chuck sing along then present a mosaic of the King and his bass. Chuck sky-draws a picture of King Friday.
Mister Rogers plays with modeling clay and then goes to see potter, Bill Strickland at work. Later, Mister Rogers says that art can be used to express feelings. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Miss Paulificate has a portrait of King Friday that has been done on a jean jacket. Lady Elaine Fairchilde measures the castle and then uses her Boomerang-Toomerang-Soomerang to cover it in play clay.
Mister Rogers shows a painting of a blue tree. He explains that artists can draw and paint things any color or shape they want. He shows some slides of paintings – Lascaux caves, Mona Lisa, Women of Tahiti by Gaugin, Red Poppy by Georgia O’Keefe, and Number 4 by Jackson Pollock. Mister Rogers talks about learning from experiencce. He shows a book about a dog who gets a baby sister. He then visits with the author, Eric Hill. Eric explains the process of book composition. He draws a picture of Spot and talks about drawing as a child. In the Neighborhood of Make-Believe, Lady Aberlin is removing clay from the portraits. Lady Elaine refuses to help. She claims that it’s art. Robert Troll visits Daniel S. Tiger. Daniel fears that his portrait is the wrong color. Robert explains that in art any color is okay. Robert Troll shows Daniel a portrait which he made of Lady Elaine. At the castle, King Friday is dismayed at the disorder and at Lady Elaine’s disinterest in cleaning it. Robert Troll arrives with Daniel’s portrait. He then unveils the picture of Lady Elaine. She is pleased that somebody cared about her. Lady Aberlin explains that she should have simply asked. Lady Elaine casts a cleaning spell and offers the use of the Museum-Go-Round to display the portaits.