5 Clever Ways to Display Kids' Crafts

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We have a no-magnet rule on our refrigerator, which means my kids’ arts and crafts projects need to find a home somewhere else in our house. If I try to trash them, my preschooler ends up in tears. (I’ve waited two weeks to dump paintings before, figuring she forgot about them—only to have her request her prized creations the following day.)

Here are some creative ways to showcase your children’s talents, while not overwhelming your home with water-colored, construction paper masterpieces.

Clotheslines

Supplies: Nails, heavy twine, wooden clothespins

Construct your own decorative clothesline by placing nails three to four feet apart in a straight, horizontal line (if you go too much longer than that your line will sag). At each nail use additional twine to tie a small bow to mask the nail head. Secure your child’s art using wooden clothespins every four inches or so. If the artwork is flimsy, clip heavier matte paper behind it.

Optional: For an added touch, purchase small wooden shapes, paint them with acrylic paints, and write your child’s name in permanent ink on the shapes. Glue each shape onto the front of a wooden clothespin. You can also create "gallery tags" for the art: On another piece of paper, about the size of a business card, write something about the picture: "Kara’s family tree" or "Justin at the park."

Clipboards

Supplies: Three or four plain clipboards (find them at an office supply store), nails

Hang a clipboard every two to three feet in a horizontal line on the wall. Use the clipboards to showcase your child’s creations. The best part of this display is that it’s interchangeable.

Optional: Purchase wooden shapes and magnet strips (this works for metal clipboards). Paint each shape and glue a magnet to the back of the shape. Add something fun to the shape using a permanent marker ("Jared’s first Kindergarten project" or "Ashley’s butterfly"). The magnet will stick to the top of the clipboard. You can let your child help you create these magnet descriptors.