Hang Your Children's Artwork Carefully

As an art teacher, I know the importance of hanging student work, (even when I taught from a cart and had to beg the classroom teachers to put things up in their rooms).  Kids can't help but react proudly when they see their work mounted and up on a bulletin board.  It looks different.  More official somehow.  As a parent, I am always taping something up to the cupboard door and found that to be fun on its own.  The kids can then point out their work to each other and chatter relentlessly about it to any unsuspecting soul who wanders into our kitchen.  (Side note: I make sure to have the kids sign their work on the front (have you even been in an art gallery and lifted the painting to look on the back for the artist's name? Nuh-uh!), although for Wyatt this is a purely symbolic exercise.)

Made with stamp sets from Dwell Studio

Wyatt's strategy right now is to carefully cover every inch of his paper.  He's quite dedicated.

However, I made a decision last week to dedicate a frame (or something fancier than tape) to the work done by the kids, and also to make sure it was a part of our main living space, not stuck in a hallway somewhere.

The crane was actually a gift for the baby, it's a place holder for now.

Right next to our downstairs bathroom and just outside our main living/dining rooms.  I hung the frame
about halfway up the wall so it is easier for the kids to see.

Response from kids: immediate interest.  Ava: "Mom you put my horse in a frame.  That looks so nice up there!"  I think there might have even been a "thank you" in there.  Wyatt: "I colored that!" (repeat, repeat, repeat.)  Success!  I think this is also a good way to reinforce that some art work we work extra hard on, and some we do just for expression and the fun of playing with the media, because (call me whatever kind of lazy you want) I am not swapping out those pictures every time my kid colors a page from a coloring book!