Finding toys that don’t clutter up the house is a great way to manage the chaos, but if you ask any parent, children’s art is something that can quickly take over — and it’s not something you’d want to just toss out. Kids’ art is beautiful and meaningful, but sometimes it seems to be everywhere! Art should be enjoyed, not hidden away, so I’ve been looking for creative ways to display my kids’ artwork and keep the pieces we choose meaningful.
Think about the amount of artwork a homeschooling family with six kids can produce in just a single day. All those papers, science projects, art class masterpieces, doodles, and notes need a home! My kids have an uncanny ability to sense when I’ve thrown something of theirs away, so I had to come up with a better way to manage all the art.
Our family has made efforts to minimize clutter, but we’re not trying to wipe out every trace of the kids’ creativity. In fact, I’d much prefer to have original and meaningful art on our walls than store-bought decorations. Kids’ artwork is what makes our home truly ours!
I haven’t found the perfect solution yet, but here are some ideas we’re trying:
One fun option is to make a homemade art book. It’s a simple hands-on project that’s perfect to do with the kids. You can store the book in a plastic sleeve or leave it out for family members to flip through and enjoy.
Another option is to create a professional art book. There are several services that offer this, but I think Mixbook is an easy and affordable choice, which is important if you have more than one child. It’s a great way to gather a lot of art into a compact, professional-looking book. Since I already make a photo book for the kids as a gift each year, I’m planning to include photos of their favorite art pieces as well.
For those holiday-themed masterpieces, an art wall that changes with the seasons is a great idea. Each time your child creates a seasonal or holiday-specific piece, frame it in a small frame. It’s good to have extras on hand so they all match. You can rotate different sets of artwork throughout the year.
We also love frames that work like display cabinets for kids’ art. They fit most styles of decor and open easily from the front, storing up to 50 pieces of art! You can buy single frames or more elaborate gallery sets.
If your little ones create lots of small doodles, notes, or drawing parts, a collage could be a fun option. Bonus: You can combine many little pieces into one that’s easy to display. A collage frame provides a polished look if a glue-and-scissors project isn’t your thing.
Some artwork truly stands out. For these special pieces, a hanging wall display is an easy and cute option to showcase favorites. These displays allow you or your child to swap out art, keeping things fresh. You can DIY by stringing thin wire and using clips to hold the art, giving a vintage photography vibe. Pre-made displays are also available and easy to assemble.
Once in a while, a drawing stands out enough that you might want to turn it into a stuffed doll. There are services that can do this, but I found a tutorial so you can make one yourself. It’s pretty straightforward — just examine the drawing and decide how it could be recreated with fabric. The charm is in its imperfection, so basic sewing skills are all you need.
Those small drawings made on large sheets of paper are perfect for transforming into greeting or thank-you cards. Have your child write a note, or help them, and send it to a friend or family member. The kids feel accomplished by sharing their art, the recipient feels appreciated, and you’ve found a use for one more piece of art!
While these ideas work for the favorite pieces, what about all the practice drawings or the ones that are just a single dot? Kids often want to keep everything, and parents might be tempted to save each piece, but it’s important to set limits. Ask your child whether they want to keep or recycle their art. Remind them they can’t keep everything, encouraging them to think about which pieces truly matter to them.
Decide on a reasonable amount to keep. Maybe you’re okay with one art wall, but anything extra needs to be recycled or replace a piece already on display. This helps kids learn to make decisions and take responsibility.
Getting rid of unloved art is usually tougher on us parents! Once you involve the kids in deciding what to keep, they’ll start getting used to the idea that they can’t keep it all. Remember, you’re helping them learn an important skill for life!
What are your top tips for saving and showing off kids’ art? I’d love to hear your ideas!
