Displaying Children's Artwork

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

30 Apr 2006 05:28 AM

If your little artist consistently creates pictures and projects for everyone in the family, you will eventually run out of room to display these works of art. The fridge tends to get covered up pretty fast, and even the special box you and your child made for artwork may be filling up.

Here are some ideas for displaying children's artwork:

Clothesline

Screw a large mug hook into the wall or ceiling in one corner of your child's bedroom or playroom and then do the same in a parallel corner. String clothesline between the two hooks, knotting each end tightly. Add colorful spring-loaded clothespins along the line and use them to hang up works of art.

Create a Child's Gallery

Hang fabric or craft foam on the wall. You can use all one color or different colors, but each piece should be the same size and hung at the same height (lower than you would hang artwork in other areas of the home). Hang various pieces of artwork in the squares, and trade them out for new pieces from time to time.

A variation on this style of gallery is hanging a shelf to display artwork. Simply place framed pieces atop the shelf and lean them against the wall. A shelf is also a great place to display other types of craft projects your children make.

Create an Art Wall

Cover an entire wall with your children's artwork. This idea works great in a child's room, the family room, or as a fun way to dress up a hallway.

Make a Border

Another cool idea is to make a wall border from children's artwork. Tape off and paint stripes around the perimeter of the room at chair rail height or just below the ceiling. Instead of apply typical wallpaper border, fill in the space between the stripes with your children's art.

Decorate Furniture

Apply artwork to drawer faces or cabinet fronts to create a fun, unique look in children's spaces. Laminate artwork first, or attach with spray adhesive then lightly spray with a clear protective coat if desired.

*Test the protective coat on a small area to make sure it won't smear artwork.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

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Heather Long (16954) 30 Apr 2006 01:01 PM

Ooh, I like the border idea. We took a posterboard and made a collage out of her artwork at one point. She draws ALL the time. So sometimes we have stacks and stacks of creations. We'll choose the best ones and add it to the collage.

Sherry Holetzky (11404) 30 Apr 2006 02:17 PM

The border turns out really cute and makes a child's room feel customized.

Catherine Ipcizade (5617) 30 Apr 2006 04:35 PM

Excellent ideas! I have such a hard time getting rid of my kids' artwork, but I live in an apartment and there's only so much closet and refrigerator space. I look forward to trying these ideas out

Sherry Holetzky (11404) 01 May 2006 04:37 PM

Thanks! It is even harder to display their masterpieces when you have limited space. You might want to try a double border... one at the top and one near the bottom of the wall. Do them on poster board and staple into place, if you aren't allowed to paint, etc. This will also make it easier to update with new artwork.