Help! What to do with Kids' Artwork
Oct 24, 2023
I'll tell you what--as a mom to six kids, many of whom love art, we get overrun with papers, craft supplies, and projects. If we're not careful, they're everywhere! Being a creative personality myself, I love that they enjoy it as well, but it can be quite overwhelming. Like you, I wondered what to do with kids' artwork, so that's what we're going to discuss today. I have some fantastic ideas for you.
What Can I do With my Child's Artwork?
There are several things you can do with your child's art. As we'll talk about, you can display their artwork in really cute ways, store it, turn it into gifts, or even (gasp!) declutter it. When you have several children, you certainly can't keep everything. You don't want your fridge overrun with pictures either. Let's discuss the different options of what to do with kids' artwork.
How to declutter kids' artwork
Yes, you will need to declutter your kids' artwork. You can't possibly keep everything, especially if you have many art lovers like I do. Some things will need to be thrown away. Sometimes your child will draw or color a quick picture and then give it to you. I always be sure to thank them and tell them something positive about it. Sometimes I'll leave it on the counter for a bit then sneak it into the trash, while other times I'll hang it on the fridge for a few days before it goes to the trash. Some children like to hoard their creations, so I have a space for each of them to do that, but then periodically they have to weed it out.
If you're wondering what to keep and what to trash, try asking a few questions. How much time did my child spend on this? Was it a quick project or something they spent much time and effort on? Is it original, or a quickly colored coloring page? Is it a duplicate of a similar work they've done recently? What do they want to do with it? Answering these questions can help you know what to throw away in the near future, what to display, or what to store for a while. However, decluttering will need to be a periodic thing as well.
Kids' artwork display
I'd love to share some artwork display ideas, but definitely check out Pinterest for even more ideas. The creativity abounds!
You can use an artwork picture frame such as this to display your kids' artwork. You could have several of these lined up, or even one for each child.
There are definitely some
DIY artwork displays like the one shown here, but you can also buy them as well. It depends on how much time you have and how crafty you are to what will work best for you.
I absolutely love this sign! It's such a cute addition to a play room or hallway to display your child's artwork. What do you think?
What a cute idea! You could add this vinyl wall quote to one of the above ideas, or just put it over a corkboard and tack up your children's artwork.
How to store kid's artwork
As I talked about earlier, you can't possibly keep every piece of artwork that every one of your children makes. You will need to declutter much of their art, display some artwork for a while, and then find a storage solution. You will want to keep some of the best work or the child's favorites. It will be best to store your child's artwork in a file folder, an art portfolio, or some kind of storage container. At the end of the year, you will want to go back through what you have stored and keep only a few of the best and favorite art projects.
Another idea for how to store kids' artwork is to store it digitally. There are even apps you can use that are specifically made for storing pictures of your child's art, such as Keepy. You can also just keep the pictures with your other pictures, and it's a plus if you take the picture with your child holding their art.
How do I turn my kid's art into gifts?
Maybe you want to turn your kid's art into a gift for a grandparent or something fun for your child. You can have photos of your child's artwork turned into anything from mugs to blankets to jewelry to puzzles! There are so many ideas out there! Many online companies that print pictures or photo cards will also have photo gifts. Personally, I've been using Snapfish for years, so I just stick with them. They're always having great deals as well.
Children's Artwork Summary
There are definitely some helpful options for dealing with all the artwork that comes with having children. Definitely be ruthless about decluttering your kids' artwork as much as possible, but there are fantastic display and storage options as well. If you're trying to declutter your home, you will definitely want to try one of the digital storing options. What have you found to really work well in dealing with your kids' artwork? Please let us know in the comments.
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