What to Do with Kids’ Projects When They Come Home From School

By: Becky Mansfield

Do you get projects and papers every few days? Are you wondering what to do with kids’ projects when they come home from school? We’ve got you covered!

Multiple kids means multiple school projects on everything from the solar system to Johnny Appleseed. You name it, there has been a picture, diorama, poster, or three-dimensional artwork created for it here in our house.

What to Do with Kids’ Projects When They Come Home From School

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While almost all of those projects have been fun for the kids, and they’ve learned a lot, what can you do with the projects once they come home? As much as I love their artwork and creations, I can’t keep them all – there is nowhere to display everyone’s projects all year long. It would take up a full room, I think! That’s where these awesome tips come in.

Leave Them on Display for a Day or Two

When projects come back home, we make a fuss and leave them out for display, to celebrate the child’s hard work! The top of a table in our living room is reserved for those special creations to shine. 

Since most projects usually come home on Friday afternoons, they get to stay in their place of honor until Monday morning. Another option is this FUNctional wall mount display that doubles as a cool gallery for your walls!

Snap a Picture of the Project

After the project has been on display for a few days, we make sure to snap a few pictures of it with the child who created it. I learned the hard way that taking a picture of a project is great, but if the child who made it isn’t in the photo, it’s often difficult to remember who actually made it. So, now I have the kids stand proudly next to their creations.

Store Them in a Smart Way

I used to keep piles of papers all over my house until it drove me crazy! My kids love helping to store their art projects in scrapbooks! It becomes another art project for us to enjoy together, as well as a keepsake that’s easy to store, in the end. This also works if you choose to snap pictures of art projects before tossing them!

Another fun option is to frame them for your walls, or to gift to loved ones. You can also use turn paintings and drawings into tote bags, shirts, blankets, cups, and jewelry, which gives them added function around the house. 

You Decide

The kids know that after their project has been on display and we’ve taken pictures, that it’s up to them to decide what to do with it. I used to make the decision on my own, but what I discovered is that they became a lot more attached to them when it was me who mentioned their project’s fate.

With them in charge, their perspective often changes. I give them three options: put the project in their room, donate/ gift it, or recycle/trash it. A lot of times they choose the first option, and their projects go back in their bedrooms.

I have a friend who works in a nursing home that features a display of children’s artwork in their activity room, so if the kids choose to donate their projects, I drop them off with her.

Don’t Feel Guilty About Tossing It

The third option (throwing out) is really where everything winds up in the end, anyway. As parents, we feel guilty about a lot of things that we probably shouldn’t. We treasure every token our children give us, but it’s not realistic to hold onto each art project. Let your child help you pick your favorites, and then release the rest. 

Once the kids have the power to choose the fate of their projects, they usually become a lot less enthusiastic about keeping the ones that they’re not ecstatic about, and that’s okay! it’s actually an important life skill to master.

Figuring out what to do with kids’ projects long before they start bringing them home is key to making sure the project removal process goes smoothly, and without tears (from you or the kids!).

Fun with Art

My absolute favorite way to bond with my kids is through arts and crafts! Here are some of our favorite ideas: 

What has been your favorite art project that your child has brought home? Comment below! 

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Source: https://kidsactivitiesblog.com/112925/kids-projects-come-home-school/

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