Children make art at a pace no refrigerator can keep up with. A single school year can produce hundreds of paintings, collages, clay lumps and glitter-coated paper plates. Keeping everything is impossible, throwing it away feels cruel, and stacking it in a closet just delays the decision. The answer is a simple system with a few good options for each kind of piece.
Quick answer: Wondering what to do with kids art projects? Sort them into four paths: display a rotating few, keep a small curated set of favorites in a labeled portfolio or box, photograph the rest to preserve them digitally, and turn some pieces into useful or giftable items such as cards, wrapping paper, calendars or photo books. Involving your child in choosing what to keep makes letting go easier and teaches them to value their best work.
Start With a Simple Sorting System
Before thinking about frames and photo books, set up a way to handle the daily flow. Without it, even the best display ideas get buried under new paintings.
- Pick an “inbox.” A single tray, basket or wall pocket near the door where all new artwork lands.
- Review weekly or monthly. Set a regular time to go through the inbox, ideally with your child.
- Sort into four piles: display now, keep forever, photograph and release, and reuse in a project.
- Act on each pile right away. Hang the display pieces, file the keepers, snap photos of the rest, and move reuse items to your craft supply bin.
Many families find that keeping roughly one or two pieces per month, plus anything with special meaning, results in a manageable archive by the end of the year.
It also helps to choose projects that produce something worth keeping. Our guide to art projects and DIY craft kits for kids at home highlights activities that end in a finished, giftable piece.
Display Ideas: Show Off the Current Favorites
Displaying artwork tells children their work matters. Rotating displays also make room for the constant stream of new pieces.
1. Clip-frame gallery wall
Front-loading frames, which open on a hinge so you can slide art in without removing the back, make swapping pieces quick. Hang a grid of identical frames in a hallway or child’s room and change the contents every few weeks.
How to: Choose a single frame size, such as 8.5 by 11 or 9 by 12 inches, to match standard art paper. Mark the layout on the wall with painter’s tape before drilling.
2. Wire and clothespin line
A length of picture wire, twine or a curtain cable stretched between two hooks, with mini clothespins or binder clips, creates an instant gallery. It suits odd sizes and three-dimensional paper pieces.
How to: Use screw-in eye hooks at each end and pull the wire taut. Leave a few inches between clips so each piece has space.
3. Magnetic or cork board wall
A large cork board, magnetic paint strip or sheet metal panel makes changing displays effortless. Children can rearrange their own work.
4. Artist of the month spotlight
Choose one standout piece and give it a proper frame with a mat for a month. Add a small handwritten label with the title, artist’s name and date, as a museum would.
5. Shelf display for 3D work
Clay sculptures, painted rocks, papier-mache and cardboard creations need shelf space. A floating shelf or picture ledge gives them a home.
How to: Rotate three to five items at a time and photograph each before it leaves the shelf.
Preservation Ideas: Keep the Best Pieces Safely
For artwork you want to keep long-term, a little care prevents fading, crushing and yellowing.
6. Art portfolio for each child
A large artist’s portfolio, a sturdy flat folder with handles, holds flat paper work up to poster size. Label one per child.
How to: Place sheets of acid-free tissue between pieces that have heavy paint, pastel or glitter to prevent transfer.
7. Labeled archival boxes
Flat storage boxes, one per school year, make it easy to find specific pieces later.
How to: On the back of each piece, write the child’s name, age and date in pencil. Store boxes in a dry, climate-controlled area, not an attic or basement.
8. Under-bed flat storage
Shallow rolling containers under a bed keep large artwork flat and out of the way.
9. Seal and protect special pieces
Pastel, chalk and charcoal drawings smudge easily. A light coat of spray fixative helps protect them. Painted paper can be sealed with a clear acrylic spray made for art, used outdoors with good ventilation and by an adult only.
10. Keep 3D work in shadow boxes
Deep frames with a glass front hold small clay figures, collages with bulky elements and mixed-media pieces while protecting them from dust.
Digital Ideas: Photograph and Preserve
Photographing artwork lets you keep a record of everything without keeping the physical piece. It is often the easiest way to let go of volume.
11. Build a digital archive
Photograph each piece against a plain background in natural, indirect light. Hold your phone parallel to the artwork to avoid distortion.
How to: Create a folder for each child and year. Name files with the date and a short title. Back them up to cloud storage or an external drive.
12. Take photos of your child holding their art
A picture of your child holding their artwork captures both the piece and the age they were when they made it, which can be more meaningful years later than the art alone.
13. Use an artwork-keeping app
Several apps are built for photographing and organizing kids’ art, often with features for tagging, sharing with relatives and making books. Choose one with easy export so you are not locked in.
14. Make a digital slideshow
Load artwork photos onto a digital photo frame or a TV screensaver. It keeps the work on display without using wall space.
Repurpose Ideas: Turn Art Into Something Useful
Some art is too nice to throw away but not special enough to archive. Giving it a second life is a great middle path.
15. Gift wrap
Large paintings and finger paintings make colorful, one-of-a-kind wrapping paper. Grandparents in particular tend to appreciate it.
16. Greeting cards and gift tags
Cut sections of paintings into card fronts or small tags. Glue them onto folded cardstock.
How to: Use a paper cutter or craft punch for clean edges, and choose the most interesting area of each painting.
17. Bookmarks
Strips of painted paper, laminated or covered with clear packing tape, become durable bookmarks. Add a ribbon tassel through a punched hole.
18. Placemats
Laminate artwork to create placemats that are both functional and personal.
19. Collage and mosaic projects
Cut old paintings into shapes and use them as material for new collages. Children often enjoy remixing their own work.
20. Painted pots and planters
Instead of more paper, have children paint terracotta pots and fill them with herbs or succulents. They become gifts, and they last. Our guide to the best paint for clay pot designs covers which paint types hold up on terracotta.
Book and Keepsake Ideas: Compile the Highlights
21. Yearly art book
Upload photos of a year’s artwork to a photo book service. Many families create one book per child per year. A shelf of these books takes much less space than boxes of paper.
How to: Include the child’s age, school grade and a short quote from them about some pieces.
22. Custom calendar
Choose twelve pieces and turn them into a calendar. It makes a popular holiday gift for relatives.
23. Printed products
Some print services can put artwork on mugs, tote bags, pillows, puzzles or T-shirts. It is a fun way to celebrate a standout piece.
24. Bound scrapbook
For hands-on families, a large scrapbook with artwork pasted in, alongside notes and photos, becomes a treasured keepsake.
Sharing Ideas: Give Art a New Audience
25. Send it to relatives
Grandparents, aunts and uncles often love receiving artwork in the mail. It also teaches children that their work can make others happy.
26. Donate to care homes or hospitals
Some senior living communities, children’s hospitals and community centers welcome cheerful artwork from children. Call first to ask about their guidelines.
27. Hold a home art show
Set up a family “gallery opening” with snacks, labels and a guest book. Afterward, let family members choose a piece to take home.
28. Make a time capsule
Choose one piece from each year and seal it in a box with a short letter from your child, to open at a milestone birthday or graduation.
How to: Use an acid-free box, slip each piece into a clear archival sleeve, and store it somewhere cool and dry. Write the “open on” date clearly on the lid.
29. Turn a drawing into a fabric keepsake
Iron-on transfer paper or a print-on-fabric service can move a favorite drawing onto cotton for a pillow, tote or quilt square. A quilt made from a year’s worth of drawings becomes an heirloom.
30. Create a “then and now” pair
Keep one self-portrait or family drawing each year and display two from different ages side by side. Seeing how a child’s drawings change over time is often more striking than any single piece.
Comparing the Options at a Glance
| Option | Space needed | Effort | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotating frames and wall displays | Wall space | Low | Current favorites |
| Portfolio or archival box | Closet or under-bed | Low to medium | Keepsakes |
| Digital archive | None | Medium | High-volume artwork |
| Photo book or calendar | One shelf | Medium | Yearly highlights |
| Gift wrap, cards, bookmarks | None after use | Low | Colorful but non-essential pieces |
| Donating or gifting | None | Low | Sharing cheer |
How to Let Go Without Guilt
Most parents find the letting-go part hardest. A few strategies help make it feel natural.
- Involve your child. Ask them to pick their top favorites. Children are often less attached than parents to everything they make.
- Keep the story, not just the object. Write a note on the back or record your child talking about the piece.
- Photograph before recycling. A digital record keeps the memory.
- Recycle discreetly. Discarding artwork when your child is not around avoids hurt feelings.
- Set a limit. A single box per year or per child gives a clear boundary.
Not every piece is meant to last forever. The experience of making it often matters more than the result.
Make Future Art Easier to Manage
A little planning upstream reduces clutter downstream.
- Use consistent paper sizes so storage and framing are simpler.
- Choose projects that become something useful, such as painted pots, decorated boxes or bookmarks.
- Try process-focused activities like painting on a reusable water mat or easel chalkboard.
- Pick kits that produce a finished object, such as birdhouses or jewelry boxes, rather than piles of loose paper.
Good paint matters for keepers too. Paper crafts last longer when the paint is suited to the surface; our guide to the best paint for paper crafts explains which paint types resist cracking and fading on paper.
If you are looking for new, more purposeful activities, our roundup of art projects and craft kits for kids at home highlights options that create keepsake-worthy results.
FAQs
Should I keep all of my child’s artwork?
Most families cannot and do not need to. Keeping a curated selection, along with photos of the rest, preserves memories without overwhelming your space.
How do you store kids’ artwork long term?
Store flat in an artist portfolio or archival box, with acid-free tissue between pieces. Keep it in a dry, temperature-stable area and label each piece on the back.
How do you display kids’ art without damaging walls?
Use removable adhesive strips, a wire and clip line, a cork board or magnetic strips. Front-loading frames hung on a single nail also minimize wall damage.
What can I make with old kids’ paintings?
Gift wrap, greeting cards, gift tags, bookmarks, placemats, collages and photo books are all popular ways to reuse old paintings.
How do you photograph kids’ art well?
Use natural, indirect light, a plain background and hold the camera parallel to the artwork. Crop the image afterward to remove background.
At what age should children help decide what to keep?
Many children can help choose favorites by preschool age. Involving them early builds pride in their work and makes the process easier.
Next Step
A simple inbox, a regular review, and four clear paths (display, keep, photograph, repurpose) turn piles of kids’ artwork into a manageable, meaningful collection. Pick the ideas that suit your space and your child’s interests, and adjust as they grow.
For fresh projects that create pieces worth keeping, browse our guide to creative DIY kits and art activities for kids.
