Create an illustration featuring two children sitting cross-legged on a gradient background. 

1. **Characters**: 
   - Instead of the current hairstyles, give the boy short, curly black hair and the girl long, straight blonde hair.
   - Change their facial expressions to be cheerful, with big smiles.

2. **Clothing**: 
   - Replace the brown robes with bright-colored tunics (like teal for the boy and lavender for the girl).

3. **Pose**: 
   - Instead of hands placed together in a prayer position, portray them with their hands raised in a wave.

4. **Background**: 
   - Use a soft blue gradient instead of the current warm tone for the background.

This design can create a more joyful and playful atmosphere while maintaining a similar layout to the original.