It seems that every day children bring home a work of art, a paper with a perfect score, or something they made especially for you! What do you do with it? You want to encourage your child’s creativity and build their self esteem, but you know all that paper will overrun your household if you keep it. Here are a few suggestions that may help.
Display the item temporarily
on a refrigerator or bulletin board. Tell your child how much it means to you, but remind them that even though you love it, it’s important to recycle in order to have a healthy planet. This is true of course, but it will allow you to spare your child’s feelings and help him feel better about the fate of his creation when you take it down.
Create a memory box for each child.
Only keep the best and most meaningful, and let the rest go. Decide how big your container will be, and once it’s full, stop collecting, or reevaluate your earlier choices.
Take photographs.
For three dimensional objects and projects made with cereal, marshmallows or other perishable items, take pictures and create a photo album the two of you can look at together.
Create a scrapbook.
Instead producing new artwork at home, buy a scrapbook and encourage your child to arrange his favorite work on the pages. He can write comments and express his feelings about each piece leaving a more intimate and interesting view for future recollection.
Construct a collage
Another way to recycle artwork is to create a collage. When my kids were young this was a big hit. For about a dollar you can buy some poster board, grab a bottle of glue and a scissors, and your child can spend an entire afternoon arranging a mosaic of images. They might add photos, drawings, pictures from magazines, pieces of yarn, buttons, sequins, colorful feathers, or other crafting supplies to add interest and make the project more fun.
Use art as wrapping paper.
For Mother’s day, Father’s day, grandparents birthdays, or other gift-giving occasions, encourage your child to wrap their packages in something they created. It will mean a lot more to the recipient and be a source of pride to your child.
Create place mats from laminated artwork.
This will preserve the work and become something functional to enjoy at mealtime. It will also be a conversation starter and source of pride when your child has friends over for lunch.
Design an artwork calendar
Near the end of each year, go through your memory box and pick 12 drawings, project photos, writing samples, or school papers with a perfect score to be made into next year’s calendar.
Have a book made
with photos of each of the year’s best artistic creations, and then let the originals go.
Hang it
If you think your child’s art is exceptional, frame it and hang it in a prominent location in your home, or the child’s bedroom or playroom.
