What Do I Do With All This Art?

How do we appreciate, honor and manage ALL the artwork that comes home?

I’ll admit: I once tried to quietly recycle some of my daughter’s toddler art… (sorry, Lydia!) but she noticed it was missing and I felt awful!

After that, we started an end-of-year tradition: we’d go through her artwork together and she’d pick her absolute favorites (and I’d pick mine) and we’d display or store them. We’d photograph the rest and, when possible, repurpose them as gift wrap, tags, envelopes, or cards.

Here are more ideas for you to consider:

✨ Display It

Rotating Gallery Wall – Hang multiple clipboards (easy to change up the artwork) or frames that are easy open, or simply attach the artwork to the wall using washi tape (which peels off cleanly).
Art Wire & Clips – String a wire (like IKEA's DIGNITET or even sturdy twine) along a wall and use clothespins or clips to hang the art.
“Masterpiece of the Month” Frame – Choose one favorite to frame each month and let your child choose which piece!

Make Art Keepsakes – With your child’s favorite pieces, create a calendar, mug, plate, notepad, stickers, magnets, greeting cards and more! There are lots of great platforms for this—like PrintArtKids (a local business run by a friend of mine!) or more traditional options like Shutterfly.

📸 Digitize It

Photo Archive – Snap pics of their artwork & create a digital album before recycling to preserve the memory.

Make an Art Book – Create a photo book each year of your child’s favorite pieces. They can be small paperback flip-books or larger, hardback books.

Digital Stickers - Turn those photos into digital stickers—my adult kids just taught me how to do this You can use them in texts or digital scrapbooks!

♻️ Reuse It

Cards & Wrap – As mentioned above, save their art and turn it into cards, envelopes, tags, wrapping paper, holiday ornaments, etc.

Art Puzzle – Glue their artwork onto some cardboard and cut into puzzle pieces.

📦 Store It

Portfolio or Binder – Slide favorites into a large folder or binder with plastic sleeves.
Art Bin per Year – As mentioned above, label a bin or box for each school year, or each child, and date the artwork. IKEA has some great bins for under the bed that are large enough to store years’ worth of your kids’ art!

Whatever you decide to do, be sure to involve your kids in the process!

When we sorted artwork together, I was often surprised by which pieces my kids wanted to keep—ones that didn’t stand out to me at first glance were often tied to a new technique they had learned, a special memory, or a story they were proud of.

And it can be a fun event: put on their favorite music, set out a snack, and set a timer to keep it light and manageable. You can always come back and sort more another time!

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Art Fun in the Kitchen!