If your fridge door has quietly become an art gallery, you are in very good company. Small hands produce a staggering amount of paintings, felt-tip masterpieces and slightly abstract portraits of the family dog, and it feels almost impossible to part with any of it. The good news is that you do not have to choose between a cluttered kitchen and a heartbreaking clear-out. With a few standard ready-made frames and a little planning, you can turn the very best pieces into something you will treasure for years. Here is how to frame children's artwork properly, keep it looking gorgeous, and hold on to every single memory along the way.
Choosing which pieces to frame (and rotating your display)
Let's be honest: framing every drawing simply isn't realistic, and that's perfectly fine. The trick to framing kids art without running out of wall space is to be a gentle curator rather than a collector of everything. Look for the pieces that make you smile, capture a particular phase, or show a real burst of effort and pride.
- Pick a handful of favourites each term or season rather than trying to keep it all on show at once.
- Let your child help choose. They often surprise you with which drawing means the most to them.
- Rotate the display every few months, so new work gets its moment in the spotlight and older pieces are lovingly retired to a memory box.
- Keep a labelled folder or box for the runners-up. Popping the child's age and the date on the back turns a nice drawing into a proper keepsake.
Rotating your display also keeps things feeling fresh, and it means the walls grow up alongside your child rather than freezing them at age four forever.
Standard sizes that suit A4 and A3 artwork
Most children's art arrives home on A4 or A3 paper, which is wonderfully convenient because both are common standard sizes. An A4 sheet slips neatly into a 21 x 29.7cm frame, while A3 work suits a 29.7 x 42cm frame. If a piece is a slightly unusual shape, a larger frame with a mount is your friend, as it tidies up the edges and gives everything a neat, deliberate border.
We should be clear here: these are standard ready-made frames in set sizes, not a bespoke or custom service. That is genuinely part of the charm, though. Standard sizes are affordable, easy to replace and simple to hang, which matters when you are building a display that will change again and again. Our size guide lays out exactly which frame fits which paper, so you can match A4 and A3 pieces with confidence before you order.
Using a mount for a proper gallery finish
If you want your child's drawing to look like it belongs in a little exhibition, a mount is the single easiest upgrade. A mount is the card border that sits between the artwork and the frame, and it does something almost magical: it gives the piece room to breathe and instantly makes it feel more considered and grown-up.
A crisp white mount around a colourful painting draws the eye straight to the artwork, and it also lets you pop a smaller drawing into a larger frame without it looking lost. Our frames with a mount come ready to go, so there's no fiddly cutting or measuring required. It's the closest you'll get to a gallery finish from a standard ready-made frame.
Creating a children's-art gallery wall
Once you have caught the framing bug, a gallery wall is a joyful way to display children's drawings together. Grouping several frames turns a scattering of pictures into a real feature, whether it lives up the stairs, along a hallway or above a playroom shelf.
- Mix a few frame sizes for a relaxed, collected-over-time feel, or keep them all matching for a neat, uniform look.
- Choose one frame colour to tie everything together, letting the vivid artwork do all the shouting.
- Lay your arrangement out on the floor first, then shuffle it about until the spacing feels balanced before a single hook goes into the wall.
- Buying frames in a set keeps costs and styles consistent, which is why our multi-pack frames are so handy for a gallery wall.
Interchangeable frames for swapping art as new pieces arrive
Children never stop creating, so the frame that made most sense yesterday will be full of last month's work by half term. This is where easy-open, interchangeable frames really earn their place. Rather than unscrewing the back each time, you simply open the clips, swap in the newest masterpiece and close it again. It takes seconds.
This gentle little ritual keeps your display current without any fuss, and it means precious pieces spend their retirement safe in a memory box rather than crumpled at the bottom of a school bag. Browse all our frames to find easy-open styles that make swapping artwork a two-minute job.
Safer around little ones: the shatter-resistant front
When you are hanging frames at pushchair height or above a busy play area, safety understandably rises up the list. Our frames use a shatter-resistant plexiglass front rather than traditional glass. It is lighter to hang, far more forgiving if a frame is knocked or a football goes astray, and it will not shatter into dangerous shards around small feet and curious fingers. You get all the clarity you want to show off the artwork, with rather more peace of mind for a family home.
Photographing the pieces you can't keep
Here's the loving truth: you cannot frame everything, and that is genuinely okay. The pieces that don't make it to the wall don't have to disappear entirely, though. Photographing artwork you can't keep is the secret to holding on to every masterpiece without needing a bigger house.
- Lay the drawing on a plain floor or table in good natural light and take a photo straight from above to avoid shadows.
- Create a dedicated folder or album on your phone so the collection stays in one place.
- Once a year, you could turn the very best snaps into a little photo book, a digital keepsake that sits happily alongside your framed favourites.
That way, the fridge-door originals can be gently recycled while the memory lives on forever.
Frequently asked questions
What size frame do I need for A4 or A3 artwork?
A4 work fits a 21 x 29.7cm frame and A3 fits a 29.7 x 42cm frame. If a piece is an odd shape, choose a larger frame with a mount to tidy the edges. Our size guide has the full breakdown.
Do I need a custom frame for my child's drawings?
Not at all. Because most children's art is on standard A4 or A3 paper, our standard ready-made frames fit beautifully. They are more affordable and far easier to swap than a bespoke option.
Are the frames safe around young children?
Yes. Every frame has a shatter-resistant plexiglass front instead of glass, so it won't break into sharp pieces if it's knocked in a busy family home.
How do I keep swapping in new artwork?
Choose an easy-open, interchangeable frame. You simply open the clips, pop in the latest piece and close it again, so your display stays up to date in seconds.
Ready to give your little one's masterpieces the display they deserve? Explore our full range of standard ready-made frames, with free UK delivery and 30-day returns, so you can create a gallery wall your whole family will love. Every fridge-door treasure deserves a proper frame.