keepers because they attract bugs, they break, then you open it up and
there’s all those pieces at the bottom,” says Kinkead. If you simply can’t part
with a preschool noodle craft or feel emotionally attached to something
fragile, wrap the piece in tissue paper before placing it in a bin.

BE SELECTIVE
At the end of the school year, sort through your child’s portfolio or bin and
ask them to pick out their favorites. “So instead of keeping 75, keep 25,” she
says. But don’t stop there! Continue the culling process regularly to keep
their growing collection of artwork manageable. And remember: If they
can’t remember what they drew, it might not be worth keeping.

G O D I G I TA L
Rather than saving physical pieces of art, preserve the memory of your
child’s handiwork by snapping a photo. Display their artwork on a digital
frame or print them in a coffee-table style book. “It’s kind of like the photo
album of your trip to wherever, you also have a photo album of the art
from grades three to five,” she says. ■
JILL, 11, OF BURKE, VA, DREW A SUPERHERO AT A WORKSHOP
FOR MILITARY FAMILIES AT THE WORKHOUSE ARTS CENTER.

A SELF-PORTRAIT PAINTED BY 6-YEAR-OLD ANAYA.

NEXT UP
Kid athletes! Email us a photo of your sports superstar at
editor@washingtonfamily.com and it just might be featured
in our April issue!
20 Washington FAMILY MARCH 2020
“ I W ITN E S S E D K I D S
COMING HOME
AN D S E E I N G TH E I R
ART WO R K O N
TH E WALL AN D IT
MAK E S TH E M F E E L
ALM OS T FAM OU S .

TH AT TH E I R M O M
O R DAD TOO K TH E
TI M E TO F R AM E IT
AN D HAN G IT AN D
H AV E SO M E TH I N G
S P EC IAL FO R TH E M .

IT G IV E S TH E M
E N C OU R AG E M E NT
AN D P RO M OTE S
C R E ATIV IT Y.”
­— Meredith Forte