There is something about children’s artwork that makes it hard to throw away. Even when the refrigerator is already covered in drawings and the latest masterpiece has joined a growing stack on the counter, there is usually something about it that makes you want to keep it. As an aunt, I’ve always thought some of the best children’s artwork deserves a little more attention than a few weeks on the fridge. And while I used to simply put a favorite drawing in a frame, I recently another idea: what if you turned it into a poster that looks like something you might find in a museum shop?
The trick is really just presentation. Take a photo or scan of the artwork and give it plenty of space on the page. Underneath, add the artist’s name in large type, followed by the title of the artwork. You can even add a fictional museum name and the child’s hometown, which gives the whole thing the look of an official exhibition poster. Suddenly, “Mommy, look what I made!” becomes The Blue Dinosaur, 2026 by Emma Smith, on display at the New Bern Museum of Art. It is still completely and wonderfully kid-made; it just has a much more grown-up presentation.
I especially like this idea because the artwork doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, the little things that make it obviously child-made are what make the finished poster so charming. The crooked lines, unexpected colors, giant sun in the corner, or mysterious creature that nobody can quite identify are all part of it. A museum-style layout makes those details feel intentional. It turns a drawing into a little snapshot of a particular age and imagination.
I made a few templates, which you can print very inexpensively on Zazzle, to make the process easier, so you don’t have to start from scratch with fonts and layouts. You can add the artwork, type in the child’s name, and have something that is ready to frame. I think it would make a particularly nice gift for grandparents, parents, godparents, aunts and uncles, or anyone who has a growing collection of artwork tucked away in a drawer. Because eventually the refrigerator has to be cleared off, but that doesn’t mean the artwork has to disappear with it.
