Children's art work

[Eminado]

I use the term "art work" loosely; I mean random toddler paint splashes and stuck on bits.

I feel bad to throw it away . I love it and it seems rude to just bin.

How do you store it all or display it? Other than sticking it on the fridge door for a week. Thanks

[kelda]

Take photos
Then recycle.

[lozabella]

I file it....in the recycling bin.

I've got a big frame I shove anything which looks remotely "artistic" but the rest sadly goes to recycling. I've had pieces of paper with literally a tiny splatter of paint (DD is only 2.5). I will eventually do the take a photo and never look at it again

[Eminado]

Lol! Will try the photo idea 👍🏼

So where do you save all your photos then?

[BlueChampagne]

DSs have their best artworks up in thei bedrooms.

[lozabella]

I've seen some people put them into photo books for each year. But other than that I have no idea! I assume they just sit in the "cloud" for years until you eventually delete them for more storage

[Eminado]

Thanks Loza

Blue do you frame them? I don't want random bits of tatty paper up in my carefully decorated nursery

[ohidoliketobe]

I send it to Grandma's

[Fairylea]

There's a company called Barney and Wilf that shrink artwork into tiny little squares and make one huge artwork out of it - you could do it yourself with access to a printer with a shrink button.

[StringyPotatoes]

I, after seeing on here, file them away and use them as cards for fault and friends. Take one out in an emergency, back it on card if you're feeling particularly sophisticated, fold it in half and write inside!

[StringyPotatoes]

Family not fault, obviously!

[Eminado]

stringy, file them where/in what?

I have googled and googled but what can you keep them in? - a4, a3, stuck on sticks, glitter, buttons ....

[StringyPotatoes]

I just have an A4 document wallet that I keep on a shelf in the playroom. A box file would be better, though as it's starting to bulge.

I periodically go through and if I can't remember when or why he did something and I don't have an attachment it goes in the bin. He's nearing 4 now so it's also a bit more down to whether or not he cares and how much effort he's put into it (he's not a particularly arty type so things are still at an early stage of being recognisable)

[KimmySchmidtsSmile]

You could:
a) peg them on a 'washing line' somewhere in your house
b) regift to family/friends as cards, most tat looks decent mounted
c) photograph and open them an instagram account or blog them
d) photograph them then use a digital photo frame
e) photograph them and store in cloud until enough for a book
f) scrapbook them/cutting down to tiles if literally just scribble
g) take the best, mount on card and frame in cheap ikea frames
h) get a big plastic art student folder/cheaper A5 elasticated folder +store
i) get plastic pocketed postcard size walldisplay wallet for tiny copies
j) get the three/four slot frames and make the scribble into a masterpiece
k) use them as thankyous for doctor/dentist/teachers
l) use a company that converts pics of parents into metallic art
m) stick onto calendars designed for this purpose as xmas gifts
m) ditch the lot

I did the washing line for a while
I also did the scrapbooks
Have also sent calendars
Have also done three in one frame
and the plastic wallet display

but with three kids it gets harder so I am now more ruthless
my DD instagrams her stuff now and keeps an art book too

My only regret is not having really looked after some primary school pictures as framed they can look amazing/I did have at least three favourites (nothing extraordinary but I liked them: a neon paint welly print design/ an abstract shape print / a cherry blossom collage).
At the time frames were needed for other things then I was decluttering and made the mistake of not storing the above properly and all but one got damaged.
I also think the very first picture that recognisably is Mum/Dad are worth keeping...

[Eminado]

Great tips everyone - thank you!

[KatieKateKat]

I have a shoe box, actually a large boot box, for each child. Anything that's 'really something' (get a lot of random crap that looks like DC fell over with paint in their hands) goes in. The 'slightly not as good, but ok' might get a week stuck to the kitchen tiles. The rest - binned.

[Roomba]

I just take a photo then recycle most of DS2's 'art'work. If it's a particular work of genius I have a fancy shoebox that I keep special stuff in.

With DS1, ExP and I kept hold of everything, which was daft as most of it was just scribbles or splats of random paint that came home from nursery. The result is that ExP now has an enormous crate rammed full of the stuff up in his loft. He's going to photo it all and catalogue it one day, he says. Yeah, right! He's never even looked at it since he moved out years ago

[madmother1]

I used to make my kids a year scrap book until they got to big school. They are 15 and 19 years old now. We looked through the books the other week and they really enjoyed it.