One of the most memorable moments from my childhood was the giant ‘Art Gallery’ my parents had for my sister and me in the laundry room. From floor to ceiling on the longest wall was all of our best writing assignments, drawings, tests, and projects organized by both grade and date. I didn’t realize until much later how hard it is to find creative ways to display kid artwork. And how much effort goes into making something that special.
The Art Gallery my parents made for us was a lot of effort, but it was a wall that boosted my confidence and self-esteem. Now it’s become a big priority for me to create that same feeling of joy and pride in my boyfriend’s son’s life, too.
A full-length ‘Art Gallery’ isn’t feasible for our apartment home, but we’ve found other ways to share Austin’s best tests and sketches. Regardless of the size of your home, if you’re looking for simple, yet special ways to show off your child’s skills and schoolwork, here are a few creative displays I’ve both used and seen.
1. A Off-Center Frame Collection
When it comes to saving kid artwork, one of the hardest things in the world is determining what to keep and what to toss. Especially when your children are younger, everything is special! The reason I like this creative display option is because it forces you to really think about choosing the best. Of course you can, and will, savor all that your child creates. But when it comes to sharing something with the rest of the world, you can choose your favorites or ones that match a specific color scheme.
This framing idea works well to have the style of your home stay intact, while still recognizing the beauty and hard work of your child. When you put up the frames in an off-center pattern it also gives visual appeal, making the display interesting and fun. You are free to swap out the art anytime you want, but because you’ve chosen the best of the best, you won’t have to do it too frequently.
2. A Versatile Easel Display
If versatility is your thing, or if you’re the type of family that’s always switching things up, then this easel might be the perfect option. All you need is a cute standing easel, some coloring supplies, and rolls of paper.
Then as your child creates, you can either leave the roll up to display his or her artwork, or use the clip at the top to add a few more notable papers and drawings.
3. A Vertical Clip Hanger
Relatively simple, but one of the easiest creative ways to display kid artwork is a vertical hanger. This can be put virtually anywhere in your house and takes up the least amount of space. Depending on how many clips you want to add is up to you, but the nice thing about this display is that you can easily DIY-it with leftover, painted wood and glued clips.
If you’re not into the DIY and would rather purchase something easy, you can easily get a vertical hanger like this and make it your own!
4. A ‘Kid Space’ or Art-Friendly Bulletin Board
Something we created for Austin at the start of this year was a space that could be uniquely his. I wanted him to not only be able to show off his schoolwork, but as he started to get into sketching and tracing of Fortnite characters, a place to share those, too.
After we moved into our new home in Ocean Beach, San Diego, I joined a ‘giveaway’ Facebook group with locals and found that someone was giving away a huge bulletin board! (I’m not kidding, this thing is about four feet long and two feet tall!) We cleaned it, spray painted it lime green to match his room (Austin got to help, too!) and decorated it with all his favorite projects, notes, and art.
It’s now his own little space in his room and I think it gives him a lot of pride to not only share and show off what he wants but to have had a part in the creation of it. Plus, it cost nothing, which for mammas is the best part!
5. A Clothespin Art Wall
Honestly, this is probably my favorite way to display art and schoolwork. It’s so cheap, too—all you need are clothespins and hanging twine! But it’s an easy way that you can change up as often as you’d like. Plus, because it’s so transportable, you can move it from different areas in your house as you’d like. For example, in front of a window, over the sink, down a hallway, etc.
If you’re not into the DIY thing, you can also purchase a clothespin art display for relatively cheap, or even opt for a fancy ‘Every Child Is an Artist’ wooden board with clothespins.
Have Other Creative Ways to Display Kid Artwork?
There are always new and fun ways to show off what your kid(s) are creating. If you have other ideas you want to share, things you created yourself, or products you want to advertise, feel free to leave a comment or send us an email!