As a parent, how many drawings or kids’ papers have you thrown away? (Probably millions!) Oh, we know a good thing when we see it, and sentimental parents probably save the best of the best for a baby book, or box of keepsakes. But one single child can generate 20 pieces of trash a day, at least: coloring book pages, drawings, or school papers. As parents, we may praise the child (mainly for effort) and may silently trash many creations deep in the throws of the can after the child is in bed. After all, you don’t want to trash their feelings but you can’t save everything, right? Right.
Have you ever had a small child find their drawing in the trash? Oh boy. That is a whole other heart breaking ball of wax, perhaps white lies and a little drama. But there are things you can do to honor your child and their art or awards that will lift the esteem of everyone in the house. These ideas showcase art and awards and can put your child in the driver’s seat to determine the best of the best. Being reminded of victory is critical to success (especially with so many days that don’t feel victorious.) So let’s get creative.
Awards
Designate one frame in your home for awards and display one at a time. Use it for Honor Roll Certificates, “Happy Grams”, teacher’s notes, or whatever your child is particularly proud of. Rotate awards in and out weekly, or biweekly. Children glow, among siblings when their award goes up. Also, when you have company, it also allows your guests to take note and you can feel your child’s confidence soar! And finally, every time you pass it, you will be reminded of your child’s victories, which can be a direct reflection of your good parenting (priceless for days you feel like the worst parent ever – which can happen to the best of parents.)
So, next time your child walks through the door flashing a page in front of your face, say, “Wow! Let’s put it in the frame right now!” (After all, a fridge can only hold so much!) And there needs to be a holding place for the best of the best besides a box in the basement they won’t look at for 30 years!
Also, to take it up a notch, a frame can be customized for this purpose. Flat wooden frames can be easily personalized with unique lettering, or quotes you select from a company called Uppercase Living. Uppercase allows you to pick size, color and font of your expression. Costs vary by size and number of letters ordered. Check out their website for great ideas! http://www.uppercaseliving.com/
Art: Studio Wall
Making a studio wall is a great way to showcase children’s art. Simply designate one wall in your home, usually in the kid’s room. Buy 5 – 9 of the same frame (sizes may vary). Great, inexpensive solutions are studio frames found at Michaels Craft. They basically don’t have a frame, but are more like glass with metal clips. By not selecting a “frame” you are not detracting from the art, saving wall space and yet coordinating the finished look with glass protection.
Spotlight on the Sport
Perhaps you have a child that is not artistic. It doesn’t mean they don’t have wonderful things to showcase! Boys can fall into this category fast, especially if you have a sport on your hands. Don’t worry; there are so many ways to display their sports “stuff.” For example, if they play on a baseball team have the whole team sign a ball each year and save them in a ball rack. Other great sports showcases can be found on Displaygifts.com or Goinprosports.com. Don’t miss a chance to honor victory on and off the field!
Scrapbook on a Budget
Scrapbooking has overtaken the nation from home parties to store in the mall. Most craft stores have aisles and aisles dedicated to this one thing. But, showcasing kid’s art can be a lot cheaper. A simple binder from Wal-Mart with plastic sheet covers will do when collecting 7 year old drawings. Buy a limited number of pages and fill them up. If your child wants to add a picture, try phrases like, “If we put this picture in, we will have to take one out! Do you want to help me pick, because we want to save the best of the best.” This will limit saving every little thing. Be sure to keep the book in a special place up high so your child realizes the book is worth keeping safe. This will add to the “showcase factor,” and it will make them feel like their “art book” is really special (because it is!)
Customize a Book : The Artist, or Photographer
For a more polished look, which can be great for a special occasion such as a Birthday or Holiday, you can create a hardback book of your child’s art. Art you have collected can be scanned into your computer and uploaded as a picture to a photo website, such as Walgreens Website. They offer hardback books in the $20 price range that are very user friendly to create. To see your child’s art in a hardback book, which also allows you to create text (making special notes, or adding your child’s age) can be a great way to honor what they have done in a standard format that consolidates a mess of papers. Obviously, this would work for photos your child has taken, or is particularly proud of too! Or…combine both ideas adding pictures of your child drawing and their art.
Spotlight the Writer
If you have a poet or writer in your brood, Walgreens Photo Books also allows text only pages. You could create an entire book of peoms. Also, explore LuLu.com. Lulu will send you a draft of a book starting at $5 (+ S&H.;) It’s cheap and relatively fast, with the ability to self publish! It is definitely worth looking in to for blossoming writers.
Remembering the good times and victories can be so encouraging to kids. Your careful documentation and minimal effort can boost their self esteem – and yours for a lifetime!
For a full slideshow of ideas – and more pictures of these, click on the link under the “resources” tab in the corner of this page.
