What To Do With Childrens Artwork
Guest post by Keris
My 6-year-old, Harry is currently a bit obsessed with drawing. He can sit for half an hour and then hand me ten pictures he’s crafted for me. It’s lovely, but if I kept them all, the house would soon be overflowing. Here are a few things you can do with your children’s art:
Bin it
I know, I know. It seems wrong and I did feel bad about it at first, but I?ve put a little test in place: if the picture makes me smile, I keep it. If not (and assuming my son?s not interested in keeping it himself, which he never is), in the bin it goes.
Scan it
If you really can’t bear to throw it away, what about scanning it into the computer? Once you’ve got a digital copy, you don’t need a ‘real’ copy, right? (If you don’t have a scanner, you can take a photo, the point is to have the picture online rather than on the wall.
Frame it
What’s wrong with a rotating display? Get a cheap clip frame and display the current drawing. When a new one comes along, the old one is thrown away.
Contain it
If your child really insists on all pictures being kept, how about using them to decorate the child’s room, rather than the whole house?
Pass it on
Just because you don’t want it doesn’t mean the grandparents won’t. They?ll probably be thrilled to receive an example of their little treasure?s prodigious talent.
My 19 month old is obsessed with drawing at the moment. In a week we have got through 2 drawing pads and on our second box of crayons (first lot have broken in half from vigorous scribbling!) don’t like to get rid of them but prob will as ts is only the beginning! Only so many you can keep or give away! But great ideas nonetheless x
I agree, if your child does not want to keep it, then you shouldn’t feel bad about getting rid of it. I actually think it’s good to set an example of not getting too attached to ‘things’.
I have to confess, unless its his first attempt at something, I tend to pitch the art work. My Gideon scribbles constantly. I would be overwhelmed.
I’m a primary school teacher and my kids in class are always drawing pictures for me. I bought a cheap A4 sized document display folder. I keep them in their until it is full then I recycle them. I told the kids I was being environmentally friendly! It seemed to work though.