My 6-year-old makes art almost every day (you can read about it HERE). He has open access to a wide array of project supplies, a space to work, and full creative control over his art experience. His making art on a daily basis generates a lot of art. So much art, that we specifically set time aside to declutter his completed art projects (you can read about it HERE).
While some of his art ends up in the recycle bin (for example, he may paint a dozen similar pictures and only choose to keep only one or two), most of his art ends up on display in our home or given away as gifts.
How do we make space for so much art in our house? First, we give him space to hang up his art that goes beyond your typical refrigerator art gallery. Our 6-year-old hangs his art in the living room, dining room, hallway, bedrooms, and from the ceilings. There are very few spaces in our house where he doesn’t hang his artwork (Perhaps our bathroom is currently art free? It can vary by the day).
While this may not go over well in the home of someone who decorates very particularly and precisely, it fits very well in our warm, welcoming, lived-in home. My house may not look like a Pinterest picture, but it’s a place in which we all feel represented, loved, and free to express ourselves.
Displaying a child’s art work shows that you value their work and take it seriously. You’re putting it in a place that everyone can see; this communicates the fact that it’s worth public attention. This can help to bolster a child’s pride in their own work. Seeing pieces that are up that represent a child’s work over time can help them to see how their diligence and perseverance pays off as their work changes and improves over time. Mastery of any skill takes a lot of practice: seeing how this practice impacts their work is rewarding and encouraging. Celebrating this process helps to install an appreciation for the hard work that goes into each piece of art.
In our house, my 6-year-old chooses which, if any, art pieces he wants to display, as well as where and how we’ll display them (within reason, of course; for example, art work is not allowed to live permanently on our dining room table). This empowers him by putting him in charge of his art process from beginning – the planning and supply gathering – clear through until the end – the display of his final product.
It’s interesting to see how my son curates his art. While sometimes he hangs his best work (at least, as I would judge it), sometimes he displays something that took a lot of work or effort but may not have turned out exactly as he hoped. These pieces highlight his diligent efforts. Other times, he’ll paint several of the same items, and want to hang them all. He’ll sometimes made comments such as, “This one is the best, but these were my practice ones,” so his displays show his own growth. We try to emphasize effort over end product in our house, and I love seeing that my son assesses and shows his work using those same rubrics.
It’s also interesting to see how he manages his displays. When we run out of wall space, some things have to be taken down in order to make room for new pieces of art. His choices sometimes surprise me, but he always has a reason for them.
Allowing your children to display their art throughout your home can teach them a myriad of things. Most importantly, it gives them a public place to express themselves and shows that you value their hard work and efforts.