11 Most Important Things to Know About Your Kid’s Artwork

Most likely your kids like to create things. Whether it is paint, PlayDoh, crayons, or anything else they can get their hands on, the way you deal with their little masterpieces can mean the difference between a fruitful childhood and a downward spiral into despair. Ok, it's not that bad but it is certainly important to know how to handle the issue of kid artwork. That's why I have compiled a list of the 11 Most Important Things to Know About Your Kid's Artwork.

1. Every piece is a masterpiece
Your kid will be very happy to show you their great creation. Treat it like it is the most amazing thing in the world and your kid should go to Italy to become a master artist. Anything less might discourage your kid from creating more stuff and visual exploration has been shown to stimulate the imagination and improve things like memory, dexterity, and learning.

2. Screw the Rain Forests
For those who are tightwads about conservation, now is not the time to be worrying about the rain forest. Frequently kids will go through a ton of materials and although it may seem silly to consider one errant orange crayon mark on a 9" X 12" piece of construction paper as a work of art, it s best that you don't use this as a lesson to teach "being green." First off, they won't understand, nor care. Secondly, would you tell Jackson Pollock he wasted paint?

3. You Can't Keep Everything
You may be put in a situation where your kid or even worse, someone else's kid gives you a stack of 20 paintings. What are you to do? Accept the gift and then purge the majority of them after they go to bed. You can't keep everything nor should you. WHen your kids get older, they will not want to look at filing cabinets full of similar smudges of paint on paper.

{mosnooad}4. Use the Holding Station Method
Having trouble figuring out what to keep and what to throw out? Use the holding station method. This means when your kids create things you dump them in a bin. At the end of the month, go through all the pieces and the ones you remember keep. The others trash. By giving it some time, you can test yourself on which pieces truly made an impact.

5. Avoid Too Many Coloring Books
It is ok to have some coloring books in the house but for the most part it is best to stick with plain pieces of paper. Coloring books may be fun to color but in the end they just teach kids to follow the rules. What would you rather have: A kid that can color in the lines of Mickey Mouse's head? Or a kid that from memory draws for you what they think Mickey Mouse's head looks like? I'm not saying eliminate them altogether but don't forget the power of creativity.

6. Details!
Sometimes how your kid describes the piece is more precious than the art itself. Don't forget. Write it down. On the back, you should write the kid's name, age, and what they called the piece or what the art was of. This causes confusion down the line when you can't remember whether your son or daughter created the artwork or what the heck that thing that looks like a broccoli head meant.

7. Display the Goods
The refrigerator is a great place to display the work for a reason. It is not permanent, and it is visible by the kids and visitors alike. But what if you have a Stainless fridge that isn't magnetized or you just don't like clutter in your kitchen? You can display your kid's artwork with frames, scrapbooks, or bulletin boards.

8. Bring Them to Work
In my office, you can tell who has kids and who doesn't. Every person who has kids have colorful blobs of paint on a piece of paper hanging up in their office. My daughter frequently says to me as she gives me a new masterpiece, "Daddy. Bring this to work and show your friends." She feels proud of her art and loves the feeling of knowing people I know are seeing it too.

9. Containers and Bags
The best way to store artwork is in airtight tupperware tub containers. This will keep moisture out and will preserve the pieces for a long time. It is also recommended you keep a separate bin for each kid to avoid confusion. When dealing with pieces that have stuff like glitter, confetti, or other small pieces glued on, you should invest in some gallon-sized ziplock bags to keep all the goodness in and not onto the other pieces.

10. Other People Don't Care
You may think your kid is the second coming of Michelangelo but trust me, no one else will. These things are special to only you and your wife and possibly grandparents. Don't expect other people to care. To them, it is just another kid drawing that looks like scribbles.

11. Create With Them
I wanted to do 10 important things but I just couldn't leave this one off the list. Create art with your kids. It is a great time to do something constructive while learning a lot about what their imaginations hold. It doesn't matter if you can't draw. Odds are, they can't either.

Good luck noodads.