What Can I Do With My Child’s Artwork?
I know there are tons of ideas for this. I’m hoping that I’ve got some clever readers who can help.
My kids bring home their brilliant art projects from school every day. I adore their art work and would love to preserve ALL of it, but … I’d have to buy a bigger house in order to do it.
So, what can I do with my kids’ artwork? Any ideas for presentation or preservation? 
Let me have it.
July 9th, 2006 at 4:01 am
It’s hard to throw away these things (trust me, I know!) but reality is you can’t keep them forever. So instead of just stacking them away somewhere where they’re never seen, choose your favorite 3-5 pictures and have them framed.
July 25th, 2006 at 6:01 am
You could choose a few of the best drawings and laminate them into placemats!
August 18th, 2006 at 5:41 pm
I have the same problem and ended up with 5 big boxes of stuff they made. I told them to pick out what they liked best, like 10-15 items for the year and that’s it. Then anything they made that has their footprint or handprint I save in a special box for myself that I plan on giving to them when they get older or have children of their own. These are priceless and it shows how much they’ve grown through the years.
August 31st, 2006 at 9:14 am
Here’s an article from Club Mom
Beyond the Fridge: Saving Your Kids Artwork
By ClubMom Member Krista, Richland, WA
A frequent problem for parents is what to do with all the artwork their kids produce. We all love it, but let’s face it: There just isn’t enough room on the refrigerator. Here are some suggestions I share with parents of my art students:
Laminate art at a copy or print shop to use as place mats or bookmarks.
Buy a blank craft calendar and add a piece of artwork each month to make a unique Christmas gift for a relative.
Store the favorites in a portfolio your child makes using a pizza box that you let them decorate (your local pizza parlor may donate a new one to you).
Scan your child’s work into your computer to print out your own note cards. Don’t forget to put the artist’s name and title on the back of the card.
Devise a rotating art gallery. Each relative interested in participating gets to have a piece of art for a month, then it rotates to the next recipient.
Be creative! The most important thing is to let your child know you look forward to seeing them express themselves through art.
Find more great tips and advice like this when you join ClubMom for Free. Click here to join ClubMom today!
October 21st, 2006 at 3:45 pm
If the artwork is done by an older brother or sister, frame it and display it in baby’s nursery. What a great way to quieten a little sibling rivalry. Point out the drawings to all the visitors that come to see the new baby. This will allow an older child to be included in all the hoopla surround the new addition to the family.
This is a super way to decorate the nursery wall for very little money!
November 5th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
Great ideas.
Here’s another one – especially with the holidays coming – use their artwork on cards – you can cut it up into pieces and create holiday cards. Share the artwork!
Another idea – take photos of the artwork, make a collage and scrapbook them. That way you keep a record of what they’ve made. They will enjoy looking back at this through the years.
Or, if you’re crafty – make paper jewelry beads – cut the artwork into strips, roll them up, protect them with glue and string them for a lovely bracelet or necklace. Keep the art close to your heart.