The best ways to enjoy and preserve your small artist's output.
Children are prolific artists, producing treasures at home, school and preschool every day for you to admire and display. Kids' artwork can start to pile up over time though, seeing bookshelves, fridges and walls overflowing with creative output of all shapes and sizes. If you're looking for new ways to display kids' artwork and stay on top of the mound of masterpieces, read on.
Make placemats
Laminate your kids' artwork made on paper and at the dinner table or craft area. A great way to use art every day, these will wear and age naturally with use, ready for the next lot!
Frame it
For the Peoples' Choice pieces, invest in professional framing so they're kept safely. Kids wall art can be expensive so why not get a good quality frame and hang it on your walls to tap into the steady supply your child is producing? Alternatively, affordable frames from IKEA or Kmart will suffice for some time.
Hang it
Kids wall art doesn't have to be a painting on paper. Get creative with a coloured garland and sparkly pegs to hang kids art from - whatever their creations! Double up several rows in your kids' room if you have the space, or line your walls with cork tiles or pegboard for an ever-changing pin-up gallery.
Store it
Use large folders and dedicated art binders to store your children's art away. This can include keeping certificates and reports in a safe place. Portfolio books – available from art stores in large formats, have bound protective sleeves and can be stored flat. Use plastic sleeves to slip in A4 and smaller artworks. Pop them on the bookshelf for enjoyment by you and your children in the years to come. Store chronologically or, if you're a keen scrapbooker or super-organised, you might add tabs with events or date dividers. Remember to cover the binder in a particularly fetching piece of art!
Digitise it
Phone apps such as Keepy allow you to organise, save and share your kids' artworks in digital form. Memories, artworks, photos and mementos can be stored and features added such as timelines, narration and web galleries. Look online for companies who provide a service where you can send your selection to be made into a hardbound book, or scanned and saved digitally.
Send it
Share the love and post your kids artwork creations to a relative or loved one who will appreciate some kids' wall art in their life. Package carefully or use a postal tube if needs be to roll it up and ensure it arrives safely.
Use it
Large pieces of kids' artwork make wonderful wrapping paper and is a lovely way for your children to contribute to gift-giving. Enlist their help to choose which artwork suits the recipient and carefully fold and wrap it around the gift. Tie with a matching ribbon and voilà! Smaller sized creations can be folded or glued to heavy cardboard to make gift cards.
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Article source: c21.com.au
Disclaimer: The opinions posted within this blog are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views of CENTURY 21 Australia, others employed by CENTURY 21 Australia or the organisations with which the network is affiliated. The author takes full responsibility for his opinions and does not hold CENTURY 21 or any third party responsible for anything in the posted content. The author freely admits that his views may not be the same as those of his colleagues, or third parties associated with the CENTURY 21 Australia network.