Is your refrigerator full of your kid’s artwork? Are your countertops overflowing with stacks of art projects? If so, you’re not alone. This is the scene in most homes of toddlers and school-aged kids. Displaying kid’s artwork doesn’t have to be complicated.
Us moms know that all of those precious art pieces are one-of-a-kind. It can be hard to know what to do with them all. So naturally, all the art ends up accumulating into a messy pile in your kitchen.
Related: We store our art supplies in our art cart.
The reality is that a fridge overstuffed with art projects with nowhere to put that birthday party invitation you just got in the mail is really just that…a mess! Although the purpose of saving every art piece is a mama’s best intention, it is not doing much aside from creating a heaping stack of your kid’s artwork that you have no idea what to do with, hence the pile continues to grow.
I’ve got a solution: find ways to display your kid’s artwork with intent!
Displaying kid’s artwork doesn’t have to mean painting murals in every hallway. Here are 5 ways to simplify displaying kids’ artwork at home in creative and special ways will not only preserve them, but your child will feel so special seeing their artwork displayed in your home in a way that highlights their hard work.
In this article, I will be sharing my best-loved ways of displaying your kid’s artwork so that not only the artwork shines, but your child does too. Psst, art can be as simple as a name poster or as detailed as this rainbow weave for kids.
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Making Art is So Important for Young Kids!
As parents, we know that finding new storage hacks to organize and display the countless toys is a constant algorithm. Your kid’s artwork is no different. Finding creative and aesthetically pleasing ways to organize, re-home, and showcase your kid’s artwork is important to honor your child’s hard work.
Creating is arguably one of the most foundational elements of development in children. Experts suggest that many essential skills can be explored and practiced when young children are exposed to making art.
- Cognitive development
- Communication skills
- Fine motor skills
- Language skills
- Math concepts
- Personal preferences (likes and dislikes)
- Pride and self-awareness
- Problem-solving skills
- Self-expression
Related: Here are 20+ art supplies we LOVE!
What Happens After the First Art Project
Needless to say, encouraging your child to participate in and explore art activities can be one of the most influential skill sets you can offer your child from a young age.
Feeling not sure where to start? Check out my 50+ Art Activities for Kids for many fun, easy (and yes, messy) ideas you can do with your child at home!
After your child starts creating art, it will likely not slow down. So, with so many pieces of art piling up, it can feel overwhelming to organize, display and showcase your kid’s artwork.
There are so many creative and innovative ways to display all those paintings. Whether you want to repurpose them around your house or compile them all into an easy-to-view book, there is an option for everyone and every home.
Related: Not sure where to begin? Here is my guide how to paint with kids to get you started!
What Kind of Art Should You Be Doing with Your Kids at Home?
Art is art. There is no right or wrong. No better or worse. Teaching your child about the fundamentals of creativity and exposing them to art is a lifelong gift you are giving them. With that said, art-focused ideas, supplies, and themes are at the top of my personal teacher-minded list!
Painting for kids is one of my favorite fun (and messy) ways to get your little one interested in art. Kids love mess and anything sensory. So painting is a favorite in our home.
Even though painting can sound overwhelming (between the supplies, the prep, the clean-up, and the possible cringeworthy accidents), it offers so many benefits!
- Freedom
- Imagination
- Mixing colors (AKA magic for kids)
- Quiet time
- Sensory play
- Shape awareness
- Therapeutic
If you’ve put painting on the back burner, I strongly encourage you to give it a go.
One of my favorite (weather-permitting) ways to let my kids paint is outside! The best part of painting outside is that you can simply just wait for the next rain to come to clean up any lasting paint marks on your deck.
Although it can seem like a lot, painting offers a level of focus, concentration, and intent, which in turn may actually calm any chaos and transfer any pent-up energy into a therapeutic experience for everyone. Displaying kid’s artwork doesn’t have to be an art in itself.
Looking for some easy painting ideas? Check out my go-to Easy Painting Activities for Kids. If you’re looking to get into the holiday spirit, this Fingerprint Christmas Painting for Kids is fun for any age and requires almost no supplies (except paper and paint).
One thing that will help YOU stay sane throughout all that art MESS is some sense of organization. Because let’s be honest, every mom needs a storage solution. Keeping your kid’s art supplies organized and simplified with this Art Cart will keep everyone a little more sane.
5 Ways for Displaying Kid’s Artwork
Displaying all of that art is an algorithm, just like all the toy storage hacks we moms crave! Finding ways to maintain and highlight your kid’s artwork in ways that work for your family is a storage solution in and of itself. The good news is there are countless creative ways to highlight your kid’s artwork out there!
Here are my top 5 favorite ways I like to showcase my kid’s artwork at home.
Art frame
Hands down, my favorite way to display my kid’s special pieces is with this Artwork Picture Frame. This frame can be hung in the portrait or landscape position and switched back and forth quickly. It opens smoothly, like a hinged door, making it easy to change out pieces whenever you want. It also has elastics inside to store previous pieces. Most importantly, your child will love having their own frame meant only for their most special artwork!
Magnetic wooden hanging frame
I love these Magnetic Frame Hangers that are quick to assemble, easy to change artwork, and so simple to hang on the wall. The minimal design of this frame especially shows off your child’s artwork.
Design an artbook
If the artwork is starting to pile up, consider making a book of all your favorite pieces. You can simply place the artwork in a binder with sleeves to help preserve the pieces to keep everything in one easily organized place.
Or, for a fancier option, consider using a service like Plum Press to help compile all of the artwork into a high-quality, beautiful table book that takes up almost no space at all and puts everything in one spot!
Wooden Hangers
This is a cute and fun way to use up any extra child-sized hangers you may have lying around.
And if you don’t have extras, try these Wooden Pant Hangers to hold and show off that sweet painting from school. Displaying kids’ artwork couldn’t be easier!
Repurpose into a gift
Need a gift idea for the grandparents for the holidays? If you have a favorite piece of art, rather than showcasing the piece itself, consider having it repurposed into something useful. Services like Shutterfly can take your kid’s artwork and turn them into items like mugs, pillows, mouse pads, puzzles, and even blankets. This is a great way to share or gift your kid’s artwork to the family for the holidays!
Don’t Just Save Your Kid’s Artwork; showcase It!
Your kid’s artwork is precious. But if we’re being totally honest, all the artwork can start to pile up and become less of a special project and more like a folded-up piece of paper in the stack. There are many ways to showcase and display your child’s creativity. Make your child feel proud of what they have made by framing, repurposing, and highlighting your kid’s artwork!
Five Easy Art Projects
- DIY Crayons
- Glue the Fall Leaves
- Paint Elmer the Elephant
- Tissue Paper Ornament Poster
- Tree Recycle Art
Frequently Asked Questions
Creativity is a skill that is essential to a child’s development, imagination, and freedom of self-expression. Exposing your child to different kinds of art (drawing, painting, playdough, etc.) is a fun and exploratory way for kids to be creative, build confidence and engage in sensory play simultaneously.
Art is a form of internal expression and imagination. Allowing your child to play, learn and create using various mediums of art supplies is an excellent and safe way of letting them follow their own path, interest, and preferences. When kids create art, they exhibit commitment, dedication, and hard work in something they feel proud of.
Displaying your kid’s artwork is an important part of their creative process. When your child sees their artwork displayed mindfully in your home, they will feel excited, proud, and confident. Rather than creating a countertop pile, sticking everything on the refrigerator, try showcasing their artwork in a frame or making a book with all the most special pieces.
