There are plenty of reasons it’s impossible to keep every single piece of artwork our children create—let alone hang them proudly. Every closet would be full, every wall would be covered, and no one would be happy with that level of clutter. So, in an effort to save our sanity and their prized creations, we turned to the experts and asked: how can we show off our kids’ creativity without turning our home into the world’s messiest art gallery? Jean Van’t Hul of The Artful Parent wholeheartedly agrees, because there are developmental benefits, too. “Displaying your children’s art around your home shows them that you value their creativity and adds to their self-confidence. It’s also a wonderful way to add whimsy to your walls!” If you’re incorporating your child’s artwork into a pre-existing gallery wall, pop it into a simple frame that doesn’t detract or compete with the work itself. That way, it’ll help the piece blend in with the rest of your more grown-up prints and pieces. “Do your kids love making perler bead shapes? Mount them on a board and hang them together!” Similarly, if you have a child who is more about collecting than creating, you can turn their trinkets and keepsakes into a special display. “This works well for things like stones and acorns,” said Handmade Charlotte. It’s also great for “painted beads, sculpted clay shapes, or even small drawings.” If you want to ditch the frames entirely, The Artful Parent recommends using art display wires and rotating the work out as the wire fills. Similarly, you can also give old artwork “another life as a jigsaw puzzle! Glue the paper onto cardboard and then cut into puzzle shapes. Store it with your board games for a fun handmade keepsake.” The Artful Parent had similar suggestions. Depending on the medium, art that’s not quite worth saving can easily be re-used as wrapping paper, seasonal decorations and ornaments, and DIY stationery. With a dedicated space where your littles can literally draw on their walls, they’ll feel like they’re in charge of what stays and what goes. Jean also covers this in her book, The Artful Parent: Simple Ways to Fill Your Family’s Life with Art and Creativity, and one thing she strongly recommends with temporary works of art is taking and saving photos so that even if the art is lost, the photo remains. “We now have two containers mounted near our art cart that holds new paper and finished artwork,” explained Rachel. “[There are] more to hold art supplies, as well. The magnetic board attaches easily to the wall with 3M tabs and the containers are removable. I find that having a holding place such as this drastically decreases our room clutter.” Every few weeks, the drawers get a clear-out, and the kids’ know they can start their collection anew.
