Image from Artful Parent
There are many ways to display your kids’ artwork and turn those stacks of projects into something you love to look at every day. If you’re like me, you stockpile your kids’ art! Maybe you even keep it in a bin at home, under your bed, or in a drawer. You might even have some favorite pieces taped to your wall. The problem is deciding what to do with the volumes of art you’ve collected over the years so they don’t end up feeling like clutter or getting buried in the corner of your closet. You don’t want to stress about it. You want to enjoy it!
Here are some great ideas for displaying and preserving your kids’ art:
1. Install an art gallery in your home.
Purchase a few frames of different sizes. Thrift shop for fun and inexpensive options. Get creative with different colors and styles, or choose one frame type for a unified look. Every few months, change the art you have on display. If your kids bring home season-specific artwork, use it to decorate your house. Frame flowers in springtime, rainbows in summer, pumpkin art in fall, snowflakes in winter. You get the idea!
You may not want to tape or tack art to your walls which can damage the wall surface as well as the art. Command strips are easy to stick and remove. I personally like removable putty. It’s fast and works on non-smooth wall surfaces.
2. Create a keepsake book of your child’s art.
Artkive will turn your kids’ art into a hardcover book of art. You can send them digital images or mail a box of art for them to photograph. This is an awesome way to preserve your kid’s art, and would make a great coffee table book! With Plum Print, you can even send 3-D art for them to digitize. Think popsicle stick projects and macaroni necklaces your kids brought home from school or camp!
3. Use art as wrapping paper.
Create one-of-a-kind packaging for birthdays and holidays. This is a great way to re-use all that extra art you’ve been collecting over the years. You could also make special gift tags with the leftover pieces. Turn some into homemade notecards, a unique alternative to store-bought. These are great for birthday cards or to use as very special thank you notes. Invite your child to participate in choosing which art to use. Be sure it’s not on your A-list for displaying!
4. Turn your coffee table into a piece of art.
Layer your kids’ art on the coffee table and cover it with a piece of glass. This will protect the art and showcase your child’s creativity at the same time. Family members and guests will enjoy this sentimental conversation piece.
5. Laminate art for custom placemats.
Your kitchen table will look colorful and creative with art placemats. Your kids will get a kick out of their personalized placemats. Laminating means they’re easy to wipe clean too!
6. Display your kid’s art on lasting keepsakes.
Have your favorite pieces of art reproduced on durable and collectible personalized products. You can create an account with SilverGraphics Art to upload your art and have it printed on over 60 custom products. You can even purchase quilt blocks and sew them together to create an heirloom quilt featuring your child’s art!
7. Decorate your kid’s room with an art banner.
This is so easy to do! Just clip artwork to a wire or string stretched between a couple of hook-eye screws. This allows you to switch out the art as your children continue to grow and create. Rotation is easy and clothespins won’t damage artwork. You can find mini clothes pins at most craft stores.
8. Turn your child’s art into a stuffed animal.
Budsies will turn your child’s drawing or photo in a stuffed animal. Art turned cuddly sounds like a great idea to me!
9. Reduce clutter and store your artwork digitally.
If you want to reduce piles of artwork, but still capture your child’s special drawings, consider storing art digitally. Apps like keepy can help you easily organize and save your artwork.
The main thing is to enjoy, preserve, and treasure your child’s art for years to come!
Rosemary Bishop
SilverGraphics blogger
[email protected]
More Resources:
https://theartofsimple.net/what-to-do-with-kids-artwork/