School's Out: Ideas on what to do with Schoolwork
We are two days away from the official start of summer, but school is out, ice cream trucks are on the road, and parents everywhere are lamenting the stacks of schoolwork that have accumulated this year without any idea of what to do with it. Here are some ideas to get the paper out of the stack and into something useful:
Look at the items over the course of the entire year. Papers and art can seem really special when they are first brought home, only to be topped by something even more eye catching the following week. By looking at things over the course of the year, you’ll have a better handle on the big picture. Make sure to date items that come home so you’ll have a frame of reference later.
Timing is everything. The further removed you are from a piece, the more clarity you’ll have on your decision making. You might even consider looking at items over a longer time period (i.e. the entirety of preschool as opposed to just 1 year).
Involve Your Kids. When choosing what to keep and what to toss, make sure to include your kids in the decision making process. What’s important to them? You can give guidance on number of items, quantity of space, etc., if they have a hard time parting with items.
Display selected pieces. Consider hanging a shadow box with a 3D piece you really love. Or hang a frame that holds multiple pieces to make rotating the images easy. (This one holds up to 50!).
Make a book with your child. Have your child design a cover for the book. You can 3 hole punch items and tie them with ribbon, put them in sheet protectors in a binder or even consider laminating and binding them. Books like this are a great keepsake, especially for younger children, especially if it’s a project done together.
Pay someone else to make a book. Sometimes my clients love the idea of a book, but tell me they just don’t have the time to make it happen. That is where companies like Plum Print and Art Kive come in. You simply take all of your items (3D items too!), put them in a company provided bag, and send them in to the company. They professionally photograph your items and voila! Your book is born!
Whatever you choose to do with what you keep, just remember to keep it light and have fun with the process. Leave us a comment below and tell us your favorite thing to do with schoolwork.